We were thinking of a simple swag of fabric hanging over the upper portion of the side panels. The sheen of silk on the overlay would look beautiful over a more heavily textured side panel fabric.

You need some substantial moldings. Seems the house is traditional but the window and base trim is so minimal. A chair rail and maybe panelling below would add a lot of richness and warmth. A large classic chandelier with a lot of crystal shimmer would add sparkle instead of the mirrors.

linly, i love that look!

First, the rug must go the pattern is the same size as the chairs. A solid rug or smaller patterned rug or no rug would be best. the two chandlers would be stunning. Art work above a very narrow parsons table along that wall with wall sconces on either side of a very large art piece. Drapes in a little darker than walls gray or blue, which ever color you can live with. dropped from ceiling with small puddle on the floor. walls a very soft dove gray or blue which would pick up the blue from chair and pillows in living room. I would also add sconces on other walls to give more light when dining. I would add more light in the living room. A chandler would be nice. Good luck. You have a great start.

I'm thinking a blue like Rapture Blue SW or Cay SW would look good on one wall.

or how about new chair upholstery in the blue...

I would either find an awesome paper for the whole room or paint the whole room a very light color of the blue that is in the rug...not exact color...but within the same hue.

so how does last post seem according to your concern about other room[s] being blue? To me it does seem like a lot of grey, but as Grover showed, with black shades, and bling, maybe. When you are in the room, do you ever feel restless? a question that came to me just now, or feel bored?

I definitely would love to wallpaper the room vs painting it! Vickie, should I wallpaper floor to ceiling or should I add wainscoting and wallpaper above that? If I do wainscoting, should I paint that a deeper shade of gray instead of white?

I would like to see wainscot and paper...I just got done doing some jeweling on paper...it turned out just aweasome....You could do the same! It just adds a little more glitz and glamour!

I like everdebz's suggestion of the floor to ceiling blue drapes to pick up the blue in the rug. I think you need to bring the color up. A blue glass chandelier would be nice too.
Crown moulding as well, as your set is traditional.

I saw some smaller ones on houzz.

Vickie, do you have any pics of the jeweling on paper you did that you could post? How did you adhere the jewels?

Yes on Mod Lighting fixtures! Grey teal walls? dark still ceiling?

So many wonderful ideas have been posted for you, my only question is if you need such a large table. If not, maybe a tiny bit smaller table & create a small sitting area near that wonderful window. It may allow for a bit more creativity

Want to offr some of my work for decorating your wall. I think one of them will looks very attractive and cover those big free space on the wall! Both of them big, with flowers - 4ft by 4ft God bless!

I would definitely nix the charcoal wall. Things are too dark already. I would opt for a medium to light gray. I would remove a leaf from the table and at least 4 chairs unless needed for day to day to give the space some contrast. The room feels over stuffed and nothing you can do with color will change that. I would suggest some carefully selected art for the large wall. Make it the focal wall but the room is too small for a painted focal wall. Bring in some other colors than blacks and grays. Do not use black frames for the art. Too much wood is distracting and not attractive. Select a nice piece of decorative art or floral piece for the table. Or stage the table with china and silverware. Choose a nice crisp table cloth and napkins. Opt for a clean and crisp white to play down so much wood. A beautiful chandelier would bring interest to the room as well.

I would first of all like to add trim work to the arched opening to the room.....also add wainscotting to the room...paint bottom trim color....I still use cc40 cloud white benjamine Moore and the upper color a shade of blue from your rug.
A drum shade with crystal to add elegance and two beautiful pictures above wainscotting ......maybe you can remove 2 chairs from table and flank them on either side of window???.....very cluttered around your table. This room has great potential

Sophisticated elements:
1. Change upholstery on dining chairs.
2. Choose a large scale art piece vs. using mirrors. Or a series of smaller art pieces...need warmth.
3. Instead of mirrors on the wall, bring light into the room with a modern chic crystal chandelier. Have seen them installed, and they are gorgeous.
4. Move a couple of chairs into corners, it will free up the table and make it more inviting.
5. Can't really see your ceiling, but would definitely consider painting it a darker color to give it depth.
6. Add something live and green to table.
7. Choose some luxurious textured silk drapery panels with sheers, get rid of the blind.
Hope this helps!

I would paint the largest wall the blue from the rug, hang a couple white, modern light fixtures, and take a whole group of chairs away. Find a colorful bench (liliac or even yellow!) for the side of the dining room that backs the hall. And then hang some art. Something abstract and modern thst pulls your colors together. But even if you dont paint, you really could use more light and art on the walls.

I would totally take that carpet out if possible. The chairs got already busy color and design on them. Get a lighter color carpet that brings out the the dinning table. And paint the wall a bone or beige color to give the room brightness...

I would pull a pastel color from the rug for either all walls or even just the large wall. You absolutely need a pendant or chandelier. I think the mirrors are perfect and would enlarge the room. Just using sheers on the window would keep the room soft. Also remove two of the chairs.

Your room is lacking warmth, I think. Splurge on a large painting for the back wall instead of mirrors. The room does not look big enough for a buffet, but you could use a nice display shelf under the painting so you can add some colorful accessories.

Lightening up the room would help. Art work with color would promote a warmer room with a complimentary color on your window dressing. Mirrors would make the room appear larger.

You can bring in Inverted Domes and use that as color to compliment your walls and windows. Based on the size of your foyers and what is visible would determine the lighting fixture.

Why paint if you like the color? I think you need to get busy and buy some art work for the walls that you really care about and a beautiful chandelier. The dining room just looks like no one finished it. If possible put a few of those chairs in the garage until you need them for a dinner party. Way to crowded and not finished. But you are almost there.

IMO, the patterned rug and patterned chair seats fight with each other. I would consider a rug without pattern. As others have said, there is a need for beautiful lighting.

Hi Jen, my thoughts...keep the table, get some new chairs (Phillip Starck ghost - see-through) or something lighter/modern. Mid century light fixture, light walls, POP of color with a large abstract painting (a realistic painting will demand too much attention. OR a nice luxurious sunburst mirror. Not a big fan of the floral carpet, but you could freshen it up with some geometric pops here and there. Seems like you like classic, but like so many said already I would keep this room a little 'light', otherwise it will feel like your grandparents house (not in a good way :) Good luck, but it is your house, just paint, and if it doesn't work, paint again. Just keep the feel light, it is a tight space. Do not try to make it what it cannot be, just bring out the best of this little cozy space.

White chairs might be really nice and crisp!

Sorry, one more thought, or crisp clean chairs OR the Rug, not both....too much. I dont think dark alls would perce be a problem with some bling, some crispyness and lots of wonderfull sparkle lighting, lighting, lighting. Dining under the stars, be inspired by a starry night, and dark walls may work.

Wow! How would one choose from all the great ideas here? I think a few answers to make this YOUR dining room need to be answered before you paint, buy lighting, add drapes, etc.

First of all, who are you? What do you love? What do you do? How will you use the dining room? Do you have six kids or none? Are you a cook, or an artist, or an avid reader? Do you work full time, dash past the dining room with a lingering glance, use it only on holidays or gather with family and friends for fun (or formal) meals regularly? Do you want it to be a integral part of your living? What do you use the rest of your rooms for? Do you need more space?

For instance, let's say you have a husband, 2.5 kids and you work part time out of the house, and you're a book person as is the rest of family, that you need space for homework, and that you'll only use the dining room for special or company dinners. Then you could fill the back wall with built-in bookcases that include decor items with your bling and use the dining room daily as your "library/homework area" and still have a elegant room when you enter your house… and when you want a more formal dinner.

But without any of the above info: I think the rug shrinks your space, a bare floor would expand it. You might consider using the area rug in your foyer if it's there's enough space and you use those colors -- whatever colors you use, tie the dining room, foyer, and living room together with them.

Your idea of three mirrors might be too busy for the space. One large mirror on the back wall might work and if you don't like the reflection tilt it out slightly at the top until you get a view you like better.

If there's not room for a buffet under the mirror (or art work) use a wall attached shelf. You have two chairs too many for the space, if room put them on either side of the shelf or in a closet until needed. Consider replacing the end chairs with upholstered chairs for a warmer feeling in the room.

When you do your curtains go wall to wall and high, I like the swag idea of Linly Designs. You might consider doing your living room and dining room curtains the same for continuity.

If you use the dining room formally or only at night, painting a dark wall and/or ceiling would be lovely --lighting is your key then --someone's suggestion for wall scones if you only use a one center chandelier would work also. Or could do your ceiling with a gold or silvered wall paper to bring in light and add a little fantasy with the dimmer lights and candles playing off it at night.

If you like the green in your picture of the mirrors, paint your chairs that color and then carry the green into the other rooms in accents or upholstery.

Your ideas of a drum light is good and the suggestions for two lights using your drums shades sounds good. Be sure to add dimmers.

Your crystal bowls overflowing with flowers and a large central (or two smaller-depending on what you do with chandeliers)) candelabras in silver (bling!) would be great.

All for now! Great work everyone. I'd love to see what you do.

good questions --- my thought was like Nicole's about when you use your room - night would make grey and bling elegant? photo does look drab, but great lighting at night could Shine..... placing rug somewhere else appealed to me because like others it does seem pattern on pattern isn't ideal. Has anyone suggested a somewhat solid area rug in blue? grounding....

Love the idea of the three vertical mirrors, but I think you need to go with more of a contrast for the walls. Have you explored any reds, rusts, or terra cotta colors? OR, maybe even the green that is in the picture with the mirrors.

Love your rug. My suggestion is to take the teal color from your rug and use it on your ceiling, in paint (matte). Pull the lighter grey for your walls. Put up crown molding in white. Curtains floor to Crown molding in the teal color. Something reflective for the chandelier. Like the idea of a mirror on your big wall, which would reflect your lighting.

The room has no dimension to it and the walls just seem to go on forever. You can create that by putting beadboard or wainscoating and a chair railing around the bottom of the room, painting it white to bring out the accents of the trim along the doorways and windows. Then bring in another piece of furniture, either a sideboard, buffet or china hutch that has a little bit of height to it, but not too much. You also don't want it to be too boxy. More open is better. This will help bring the walls down to size. Then add and chandelier and other accents pieces, not just clear pressed glass. You want to bring in warmth and a glow to the room, either thru cut crystals or a glow. Finally, a few pictures on the walls that have pops of color to them. Red accents would be good, as they are brighten and warm. Stay away from cool colors. A nice cut crystal vase with red silk flowers would be great.

Nicole, we only use the room for holidays or special occasions. I do think the rug competes with the chairs! I got it at homegoods a couple months ago. Wonder if I could return it? I actually was thinking of a solid blue rug like everdebs suggested. I was really trying to pick up the blue from my great room and when I found that I grabbed it. I like I the idea of wainscoting around the room and wallpaper above that. I was thinking of a mirrored buffet table against the back wall and artwork above that. Depending on the wallpaper, I may paint the wainscoting a gray color, sick of always seeing white wainscoting.! I saw it painted in a model home recently and it was gorgeous. I'm not going to change the fabric on the chairs anytime soon because I ordered it from Ethan Allen and reupholstered them recently. I love all the advice!

I can see you are keen on cool colors and neutrals, but using some warm color such as a soft terracotta would give the room a more welcoming feeling. To paraphrase Angelou , "They may not remember how chic your room is, or how fine the furniture is, or clever, etc., but they WILL remember how the room made them feel.

Jen - lot of comments, and I thought of your ceiling and special occasions. What about a metallic [silver?] ceiling or a portion surrounding chandelier/s??


fun to see this gold frame pop off the grey tone?

don't paint. add a really huge elegant mirror, or three of the same like the picture shown. as for a light fixture, a really nice drum chandelier, pull a color from the rug for window treatment. a curtain that goes floor to ceiling and puddles at the bottom

I would add some wainscoting, take away 2 chairs, add two pendant lights big enough for the space, Change the chair fabric to maybe the blue in the rug, is their enough room on the wall to add a Buffett table?, and some art

Mirrors great idea-don't know if you need 3, could pop the accent wall with the blue from the rug (love the rug), curtains/ drapes or maybe even light sheers on the window to dress it up but still let light in-sheers have an airy feel, take 2 chairs away and put in corners, need chandelier-maybe something crystally (is that a word?) to keep the space as open as possible. If don't want to paint, find a great picture that incorporates your rug colors with a surprise pop of color.

What the room needs most to lift it is a very large rectangular colourful painting (not a mirror) on the wall behind the table. Match the size and shape to be only slightly smaller than the length of the table. A mirror will make the room busier and will not warm it up. I don't have a problem with the paint. If you did repaint, I'd keep it neutral and light, because yes you are right a dark colour will compete with the wood of the table. The risk of painting a blue feature wall is that the blue in the rug looks suspiciously like baby blue. You'd have to be very careful of the shade you used if you went down that track. I agree with other comments to remove two chairs - keep them in storage for times when needed or if there is room, put them against a back wall with a lamp table or small sideboard inbetween or in the corners either side of the window. Another big problem is the two patterns of the rug and chair upholstery fight with each other. It is cheaper to replace the rug than the chair upholstery I would think. Buy the painting first and match the rug. If you are prepared to replace the upholstery, you could use a plain or stripe in any bold colour you like, eg the chartreuse you liked, just make sure it matches somewhat with the painting you purchase. Or match it to the teal in the rug if keeping the rug. Yes add lighting if your budget runs to that but don't let the pendants compete with your art behind it. Add some co-ordinating glamourous curtains. If you are set on a dark colour paint, consider using a dado rail and just painting half - but you'd have to paint the dark colour at the top which may look odd.

I think a color paint on the wall in back and a chandelier . Plus you need a large panoramic framed photo for the finishing touch!

You need to call Ginny Taylor @ A Better View Décor 720-333-6934. She just helped me with my dinning room and front room and she has the best ideas. No pressure. She listens. Just great. I am so very happy. E-mail is ginny@abetterviewdecor.com

You might consider a chandelier, pushing a couple of those chairs up against the wall somewhere, and painting the ceiling in a warm white and the walls Pale Powder by Farrow & Ball. This is a very soft and soothing blue, and a gorgeous backdrop for paintings. Then warm that space up with a palm and some paintings or prints with warm colors. I would think all that grey and black would be rather depressing--candles in warm colors might help, too.

Based on what I can tell from these images the gray looks like it picks up a bit of yellow. A 'winter gray' would tie more nicely with your rug. I like the idea of 'mirror elements' on the back wall because it will make your space look bigger. Look for modern-style frames that might feature a minimal bluish tone somewhere to tie them to your rug. I also like someone's suggestion of removing two of the eight chairs. And speaking of which, the style of the table and chairs suggests a very modern-looking chandelier that might mimic some of the design in the chairs; metal, glass, modern. As far as a window covering, again, something modern. Since you already have blinds I would suggest a metal rod draped with a sheer(s) in white, gray and the carpet blue. This could look very 'cool' which is what these colors suggest. Good luck......

How about the condition of the rug? If there are chair marks etc. you shouldn't try, but you probably know that after 30 days you could get store credit.... ??

I may just keep the rug. The more I look, I've noticed you don't even notice the fabric on the chairs too much since they are pushed under the table.

oh yes but I was responding because you? mentioned color there...

Yes, I still go back and forth because a decorator from Ethan Allen once told me a solid blue rug and blue silk drapes would look great in there.

That's all she said basically. But did say at the time it depended on what I did with my great room. Which is painted the blue underseas from sw. She did say I could possibly do a leopard print rug and do leopard wallpaper in my half bath. I loved that idea, but my husband did not want a leopard rug!