How many of us have formal rooms in our house we just don’t utilize.  I say transform the space into function on how you live.  This clients formal dining room was never used, always just walked past collecting dust.  We replaced the chandelier with a shelled drum light fixture and hung it just above the glass table.  We repeated the shells in the art above the serving table and flanked the two ends with lamps that carried the same blue in the swivel chairs.   Function is always important in design, but thinking outside the lines is more fun.  Cheers!