Here is a closer up image of the walls and window panels

Better image of the room

What a beautiful room to start with!!!!! What is your sense of style? Do you want formal or casual elegant?

Get out the tape measure and some painter's tape and use these tips to measure, tape and visualize what will look best and allow proper room. If a wall will have furniture on it, like a buffet or china, subtract that piece's depth from the floor area to calculate. If you think you'll want an area rug under the table, it should be 4' wider and longer than the table surface, yet not run into walls or furniture on the walls. I like the walls and window treatments; plenty of texture and some pattern. Chair upholstery can also increase the pattern quotient, bit I'm not sure I wouldn't stay in the neutral palette. The mirror is too large for that space and looks crammed in between the windows. Do you have a larger wall space where it would work oopposite the windows to reflect the view? How about the light fixture; what do you have and what are you considering. It should be 1/2 - 3/4 of the table's width and hang 36" or less above the table top. Hope this is helpful.
http://www.wayfair.com/Buying-Guides/How-to-Choose-a-Dining-Table-Size-E574

It's a beautiful room. I don't think you would have a problem with a rectangular table, especially if there are extension leaves available. A 9 x 12 area rug would help ground the table and bring color and dimension to the room. Are you planning to put any other pieces in the room such as a buffet/console or China closet?

Depending upon the look of he rug and table, you may have to change the window treatments - floor length, light weight fabric would soften the look and provide a more formal look without being 'stuffy'.

Please post pics after you've completed the room. I would love to see how it turns out. By the way, experiment with upholstered dining chairs if you think the room feels too big.

Margo, thank you. I think the room is beautiful, too which is why I want to do it right. I am still trying to figure out my sense of style which makes it more difficult. We are definitely not formal and I feel the wall texture already creates a more informal, beachy feel. With young kids, I also don't want anything that can be damaged too easily. I like the feel of the attached image but not sure if the colors and style work well in the room. I just wish I had the eye for this stuff. Appreciate the help!

Also, you might want to switch out the wall sconces as they are a bit dated and smaller than what the room can handle.

The photo you attached is lovely and I think you could successfully create a variation of that, which would work with the more formal look of the room. I agree that you don't want to go beachy but you don't want it overdone. I didn't realize that you have young children - I would be concerned about the PB&J effect on the fabric.

kroftygal- I definitely think you can pull off the style that you show;)

@decoenthusiaste, thanks! This is really good input. I agree the mirror is rather large for the space. I always read never put a mirror between 2 windows but it came with the house and we chose not to move it since we were not sure what we were going to do with the room. As far as lighting, we honestly have nothing purchased. More just ideas at this point. I seem to be more drawn to these globe pendants but I also love a little crystal. too. Do you recommend purchasing the light or table first? Which piece of a dining room should be purchased first?

@coltsneck07722. Great input! Thank you. What would you recommend to replace the wall sconces to update the decor some? I would like to add a buffet to the room but not sure if it works with all the windows and the bottom paneling on the walls. That will be our last piece to the room for sure if we choose to add one. I also like your idea of adding floor length, maybe sheer window treatments to soften the room some. Right now I feel there is so much brown/beige going on in the room. Maybe the window treatments can break that up. Oh yes, we have 2 kids under the age of 4 which makes us nervous to go too formal with the room and my husband is not happy about white chairs but that seems to be all I like! Thanks again. I will be sure to post some pictures of the after. It may be awhile though but I will post some.

@Margo, you think? That makes me feel better about where we are headed.

My first gut reaction when I looked at your photo was to go with a large round table. Maybe white leather seats to wipe off easily;) Thoughts on round?

@margo The owners before us had a round table in the room and it looked nice. I prefer rectangle but I feel the room is more accommodating to a round table. I guess I just like the traditional rectangle. Interesting idea on the white leather. I never thought about that. I guess since the walls already have some texture, the leather may offset that some, too.

Rectangle (not too large), would be nice. Wood chairs with upholstered seats, then two upholstered chairs at the ends... You need a rug.

Show us the wall where you'll put the buffet. Lighting would be my last purchase - like putting on your jewelry after you've gotten dressed.

@sustainable dwellings what would you consider too large? And, do you think a lighter or darker wood table would work better in the room, taking into consideration the wood floors and the textured walls? Same goes for chairs. Dark wood or light wood chairs? Upholstery color? Should the chair wood match the table's wood?

Here is the wall I would consider putting buffet. It's the wall across from the mirror and 2 window wall.

@ decoenthusiaste putting the lighting on last makes sense. I think we would purchase the table first, then chairs, then rug, windows, buffet and lastly lighting and any last minute touches. Seems so simple when I write it out like that but there are really so many options!

Have you considered painting your ceiling?

@margo. No, not at this point. It definitely adds something special to a room, though. Our living room ceiling is painted and it looks gorgeous. I feel if we paint the dining room ceiling also, it may be too much. But, thanks for suggestion!

and @margo, thanks for sending images. It helps me a lot to understand what you are envisioning.

Its a pretty classic room with the wainscot. Depending on the direction the furniture takes, you could use a ceiling medallion for more interest up top. Could also find paint that matches your grass cloth and have it cut 50% with white for the ceiling. Perfect spot for the buffet, and perhaps for the mirror, although I think it is too big. Maybe it will work in another room.

I love your room and your inspiration room! I'd look for a rug early on to draw color and pattern from . The ceiling in a pale turquoise blue would be beautiful with your walls but draw the color from your rug and chairs. Good luck !

@decoenthusiaste Will try to find the buffet that will fit in that space and go with the decor we decide on. That may not be a bad spot to place the mirror. It's probably better suited on that larger wall than in between the windows. @CraigMDesigns I think we will choose table and then rug. After that is decided upon, will start thinking window treatments and if we still feel like color is missing, I do love the idea of the pale turquoise on the ceiling. At first I was not sure about the ceiling color but now that 3 people mention it, it's growing on me. May save that for when we get more in the room and see what else it needs. May need to come back and get everyone's input.

Thank you for providing pictures. I love the charcoal with the sea grass. Gorgeous! I never would have thought of that. Especially with some turquoise accents as you said. Where did you pull these pics from? Great inspiration for us.

What a wonderful room! We've also recently bought a place and I understand all the challenge of making the choices etc. I just thought, for your preferred white chairs, would it be an idea to have some nice white chairs, temporarily-until kids grow up a bit- covered with washable, well made chair covers? Could also be very elegant, I think. Good luck!

That is something to consider. Is there a place you recommend for chair covers? Thanks for suggestion. Good luck with your place. It sounds so fun until you have to make all these big, expensive decisions but I think we are narrowing it down thanks to all the input from this post.

You can go with a round table that pulls apart to add a leaf---I have one and love the function---extra chairs placed along the wall in various spots will fill in some of the room. I do like the more beachy type you pictured but agree the chairs would be hard to keep clean with children---if you go that way, look at indoor-outdoor rugs---easier to keep clean when there is a spill ---and there are some nice patterns available---it would go good with your wall coverings. I have one under my dining room table and really love it. Pick out those things before you pick out light fixture so that you can find something that goes with what you chose.

People have offered some nice examples here. But what I don't understand is the opening statement about the kids growing...children of any age should be taught how to behave, care for things and manners while in a nice dining room.

My parents had great furniture, even when I was small. My brother and I were taught how to treat furniture, behave at the table and grew up to be mannered adults who carried on what we learned as children into our own homes.

Don't wait till kids are grown to parent--it's too late then. Teach them from the time they are small how to respect your home and others homes.

Ballards Design has a good selection of chair covers.

The mirror is way too big for the location it's in now. When you get a buffet try the mirror over it.

i love round tables, ours is a 100 year old oak table date of is on the bottom of the table), it works well for four and we have 4 12 in leaves for when we have a crowd....
martha stewart's round table with stools at Skylands is different google it....

Your room looks way too formal for the shades. Plantation shutters would be lovely if you want to spend that much. If not, go with long white panels hung ceiling to floor on a thin brass rod. No grommet drapes.

It is a lovely room. Have fun with it! Do you have any furniture?

I love your room, and love the juxtaposition of the the formal wainscot with the less formal grasscloth and woven shades, a perfect combination. I also thought of a round table in both looking at and reading the dimensions of the room, though I know you prefer a rectangle. A round table does have a less formal feel and makes conversation easier, perhaps don't discount the idea yet. I love the idea of a painted ceiling as well. They now make some very pretty and not obvious indoor/outdoor fabrics which you might consider for the chairs. Your inspiration photo is helpful, but a bit too predictable, ie. zebra rug, large clock and even the reclaimed trestle table, containing too much useless stuff, ie. shutters on the floor, wire urns with grass balls. You can create a casual yet sophisticated space by steering clear of overused elements and the Ballard catalog look.

We decided a few things from this post: 1) I think we want a rectangle table since our breakfast room has a round table. Although I do love all the input on the round tables. 2) We will move mirror over buffet on the opposite side of the room. 3) Will add in some light weight ceiling to floor window treatments (still undecided on color but will determine with rug). I think this great progress from where we started, at nothing! @Paula Lewis. No, we do not have a single piece of furniture. Trying to source this one table I found in the picture I posted on Tuesday, of the room I liked. I Loove those chairs but I think I can find something similar at Ballard or Restoration.

@bluenan. I am not a huge fan of the zebra rug and some of the elements in my inspiration room photo I posted. But I do like the feeling of the room and I love the table, window treatments (maybe not that exact color, maybe the charcoal gray?) and the lighting fixture. I think we just need to finalize the table and then go from there. Will hopefully get a table before the holidays…and this is the lighting fixture I am eyeing from Ballard.

This is a picture of the dining room as decorated before we bought it. The woman was an interior designer which is why I keep going back to round but I really like rectangle tables.

I love your dining room. I think the example you provided would be a nice look for the space. It also looks kid friendly. Good luck!

That table looks a bit lost in the room. I didn't know you already had a round table in the kitchen, that said, it makes sense to go with a rectangle in the dining room. Good luck, you're headed in the right direction!

Nice Space. I have something similar regarding the woodwork and openness, but not quite as big. I have tray ceilings and I am considering this for my space. Not sure how this color scheme would work without tray ceilings, but love it. From the Benjamin Moore website.

The first thing you want to do is draw a floor plan of your room. Once you have a floor plan, you can decide the traffic flow around the table and the number of chairs you need for your style of entertaining. Use a 1/2" to 1 ' scale for your drawing. Do a drawing of each wall with window placements. There are basic rules about the distance of the chairs from a wall, furniture placement and light fixtures over a table (Google). Generally speaking, the chandelier should be 1 foot smaller than the width of your table and at least three feet above your table. Your room looks large from your picture. If you keep the grass cloth, light grey silk draperies on your beautiful windows, without wood blinds, paint the ceiling and woodwork a cloud white, If you buy new furniture, rug or draperies, have your floor plan and tape measure to shop. Estate sales have unusual tables. Make sure your chairs are in scale of your table. Use a textile or art that looks fabulous with what you are keeping in the room as a starting point for colors and accessories. Remember, paint and fabrics always look at least one shade darker on the walls. Go a shade or two lighter with draperies and paint. You can easily move a chandelier center of the table, so don't let the chandelier rule your furniture placement.

I recently "re did" my dining room by reortienting the round table that is now oval with the leaf in it , changing out the light fixture, changing the artwork and getting a new rug. I love your room, but think it needs color. I hung my favorite painting on the back wall. It is a French street scene with lots of color but overriding medium dark teal blue. I ran the table out from the painting with a rug that was predominately teal blue/ivory/tan/rust underneath. The entire rest of the room is 2 tone wainscoating in beiges, ivory woodwork, and dark wood floor and furniture. I did chair cushions in ecru. The blue in the rug and art pulled it through out the room with out overpowering it. The best part is that if I get tired of the blue, I can switch the art and the rug with the living room, and have 2 whole new rooms... To give it a dressy feel, I hung an oiled bronze chandelier, but left off some of the crystals to be less ornate. The painting had been hanging on the opposite wall with no rug... and is huge at least 3 x4, hard to miss. The first thing my neighbor asked was where did I get the painting. Before one didn't see the rug or the painting... now you see both!
I also had 10 foot ceilings and didn't want to go to the expense of extra molding to draw the eyes up. I bought 2 - 5' x about 9" mirrors framed in oiled bronze and hung them horizontally over the hutch and painting to raise the entire height of the room. They also draw the light up, as the light fixture hangs so l low over the table in comparison to the ceiling. Since I didn't buy furniture--the redo was less than $750, looks terrific and is interchangeable with new art and rug.

If you like the charcoal lamps I posted earlier, an area rug under rectangle table would look good, rugs have charcoal in them, you could pick one like turquoise one and pick up that colour with accessories, or any other rug with a bit of colour

We hired a designer and she recommended a dark oval table and gray linen chairs to pull out the gray in the grass cloth. Will post some pics when it's completed. Thanks for all the feedback it helped save us a lot of time with the designer since I knew what I did and did not want.

Good news! We met with designers and I think I have some new ideas. I have a couple of more meetings with Ethan Allen and then with a local designer to finalize but here is where I am at right now. Let me know what you think. Attached is the table and chairs I am considering with the light fixture. I know it is pretty basic but I like that it is timeless - these chairs are not custom so I am not spending a $1,000 per chair and I love nail head chairs! I am thinking the rug, an art piece and the buffet will give it a little more style but the main pieces I think I like more classic like these. What do you think?

I would do 6 chairs to start I think. It's an oval table.

We finally got furniture!! Now just need to add the finishing touches. Thanks again for all of your help.