I didn't even notice the white chair on my first view of the room. It's not hurting the room, but it is certainly not doing anything for it.

Drapes: yes.

Buffet needs something tall on it off to the right side. Maybe a vase, a sculpture, or attractive candlesticks. Some other accessories would be good too, but I'm afraid accessorizing tabletops isn't my specialty.

Not loving the plant. I think a plant could still look nice in the corner as long as it wasn't shoved into the corner and it has greener/lighter green-looking leaves. I think a bushier plant (like a fern or something) sitting in a pot on top of a plant stand would look nicer.

Good idea - adding the leaf and other chairs.

Everything that I can see is on one side of the room; what is on the other side? Right now, it looks unbalanced.

Charmean did a wonderful ideabook recently about tablescapes, I really like the orchids in the ninth picture and I think they would be a great addition to your side table: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/deck-your-table-with-easy-centerpieces-stsetivw-vs~3866436

Mostly what I think the room is lacking is some color! And adding it thru the use of drapes is a good idea.

It's a very pretty room. You could remove the plant from the corner and use a drapery panel on either side of the window unit but I wouldn't do much. Personally, I am not a fan of heavy window treatments. Possibly some type of sconce or interesting piece flanking the picture over the buffet. I would like to see the sides of the tray ceiling painted in the same tones as the walls, but a couple of shades deeper. Maybe move the items off of the table and over to the buffet.

I appreciate this feedback. I agree, the tree is distracting. Some drapery does seem like the right decision to finish off that part of the room and the white chair serves no purpose there. I will definitely look into table top ideas via tablescapes. Interesting idea for the tray ceiling.

Thanks to you all for responding soo quickly.

If you've extended the table, I assume your chairs are falling off the ends of the rug. Rugs should be 4' wider and longer than your table. Maybe a new, properly sized rug would help. Would the two white chairs work in bedrooms or flanking the window? They seem to be from another era. Remove the plant and do the drapes for softness and to up the inviting quotient here. I think maybe your piece of art is overwhelming the sideboard in scale and in style. Shop for something else to hang there. This one is calling for a contemporary floating shelf below it, and I don' t think that works with your dining set.

It looks like the furniture store. You have the white shutters and white chair, ever think about painting the chairs white with some bright colored cushions. A nice new bright painting, and on the table, maybe a runner with a long low wooden candle holder. The tall items on the table move to the buffet with something different in them, maybe twigs or just greenery. Pull a color from the chair cushions and add side drapes, not to close,just for show. Hope these ideas help. Good luck

Like your chandelier. You need a lovely mirror over the sideboard to reflect the light and buffet lamps. I also suggest painting the recessed ceiling and changing your seat covers. Agree with removing the tree and the white chairs...too short.

Another idea try using the white chairs on each end of the table. take the extra chairs and put them where the white ones are now, should look very dramatic.

What you need is color and depth! Have you thought of painting the room a richer color like a vibrant, deep blue? Then instead of all the neutrals blending into each other, they would pop! I love the idea of using the white chairs as the armchairs on either side of the table and had the same thought of a mirror - would add depth. If you want to leave the white chairs where they are or elsewhere in the room, put a colorful pillow on each one. Also, you should add more artwork. What about creating a gallery on the wall opposite the buffet? Family photos or covers of the New Yorker? What is on that wall anyway?

On console wall: Mirror entire wall.
Remove shutters.
Add stationery panels + operable sheers.
Move console to window.
If you now added a leaf to the table, you might reconsider the rug.

I think it is a lovely dining room and disagree with some of the advice you've been given. I love the artwork over your buffet, love your table and chairs and think they fit your rug beautifully (though I agree that if you've added a leaf and more chairs the rug will be too small). I love your soft color palette, your drum chandelier, your wide wood shutters and your lack of fussy drapery or flashy mirrors. It all looks classic and nicely understated to me. The very few tweaks I would make might be to get rid of the oversized plant and the white chair, which I agree doesn't quite go with the style of the rest of your furniture (though it doesn't look bad either). I don't know what is on the right side of the room, but I agree with other posters that if the right side is empty, you'll need something to balance it, even if there is only room for beautiful art. If adding "personality" means giving up the lovely subtlety of the room, I'm not in favor of changes.

I have a question for Interiors by Roberta...could you please explain what stationery panels? If you have a picture to add as an example I'd sure like that. To those who have asked the other side is open to the living room with just 2 circular pillars separating the rooms. I'll get a pic up soon. Making a few adjustments. Oh, and for those in the business...where can I purchase a 9x12 rug at a reasonable cost??

long flowing white drapes, light in texture and new rug maybe white. get rid of the tree. and i would find a different picture to take away the heaviness of the dark color. maybe something with poppies? (big flowers) not dark. then accent with some of the colors from the picture to add a little more color. not much though

Right now it is too perfect and no "you" there, at least in this picture.

Do you have any items around that mean a lot to you? An old book, a figurine, something inherited? Set out a few things on a tray on top of the buffet to the entry side. Add a collection of tall candle sticks, or large white orchid to the other side.

If that is a fake plant, get rid of it and replace with real. Nothing kills a room more than fake greenery!

And, you might think this is crazy, I like to pull a dining chair out slightly, as if someone just left the table. Gets rid of the "perfection" and adds life!

A few small updates have been... real plants, new art, longer table and centrepiece. Next photo will include new larger rug and drapes. Once again, thanks for all the feedback.

Big Drapes that have a pattern that would compliment the painting. Move the orchids to the side board and add a runner to the dinning table- get rid of the runner and plant on the side board. You need something to add visual height on the sideboard.

I would pull the darker color out of the rug and paint the walls with it. You can go to Valspar.com and use their visualizer. Just upload your picture. Or you could go with the lighter color and just get some colorful wall art. I think the yellow is just not doing anything for what you already have in your room. If you want the dining room to look more expensive or luxiourious, by all means add draperies; but leave them pulled to the side. I would use the darker or lighter color in your rug for the drapes.

By repeating a color, it makes things more cohesive. Your side table could use something more substantial on it. Sometimes it is good to get a unique item. Try going to an antique shop and see if something really wows you (antiques usually do not lose their value) or get a hand blown piece of glass from the Blenko glass website. They handblow glass. It could be an heirloom. You can also look at antique auctions on line.

If you do choose different artwork try looking on Etsy.com and input in their search engine what you are looking for. Etsy has shops by artisans and craftsman all over the United States and world. Check out my photography shop, nancyhehmann.

Neutral pallets can be amazing and most decorator mags have picture after picture with them. They just sometimes need some pops of color for a wow factor.

Just noticed your new pic. Too late! But it does look great. Still love your area rug. By the way, I liked your white chair. Hope it has a place of honor somewhere.

I liked your dining room before and after. Very clean and not cluttered.

Loving the real palm! Might consider adding an identical one on the other side of the window (then may not need panels), or to the left of the buffet to spread the green around.

I liked the before, but love the after.

Move irises to the sideboard, remove small plant and add a bowl between the irises. The tree in the corner is too tall, can it be shortened? I like the idea of sheer panels and agree that the white chairs could go to the end of the table and wood chairs go with sideboard. Also, the rug seems a little short - consider a new rug with a little more gold in it to complement the walls. To dress up the table, how about a bowl of decorative balls?

Sorry, just saw the new pic. I still like the idea of something taller on the side board instead of the lamps. I also liked your first artwork better. Love the plant!

I love the dramatic piece of art in the first picture and I also love the airy feel in the second picture, however, my style leans towards minimalist, so for me there are too many lamps and a bit too much clutter in the second. However, one should always surround oneself with objects that have meaning, so happy decorating.

I love the painting. I would be picking p the warm tones from the painting to repeat in either some sort of window treatment. I also think a golden rug rather than the white tone. I would remove the plant from the corner. Put the two plants from the table onto the buffet on wither side of the picture. Maybe some runner along the table if you can get some fabric that ties in with the colors and the picture.

I love the painting. I would be picking p the warm tones from the painting to repeat in either some sort of window treatment. I also think a golden rug rather than the white tone. I would remove the plant from the corner. Put the two plants from the table onto the buffet on wither side of the picture. Maybe some runner along the table if you can get some fabric that ties in with the colors and the picture.

Oh boy.. so many suggestions.I (IMO) I think adding curtains will warm the room up and give it more of a finished look. - perhaps a slightly warmer tone of neutral (maybe picking up the darker tone of the rug), From there you can decide if you need to, remove the plants. I also liked the suggestion of trying those white chairs on either end of your tables and putting the current end ones on either side of the hutch. But would have to see what that looks like. If that doesn't work, you could always put the white chairs back were they were and add two oblong pillows for a punch of colour (perhaps the colour of the curtains). I really did not mind the white chairs..the fabric of them softens the room up from all the hard wood/walls. but I was also visualizing them with curtains in the room. The new art work looks good, but I also didn't mind the first one.

Great changes! I'm loving the new look!

Looks good but I miss your little white chair a bit now, lol! :) I think it works well with the new feel of the room!

So many suggestions must be overwhelming! ;)

Wow...what a difference! But, don't stop just yet. Put those white chairs at the ends of the table, paint the walls a deeper shade and put a decorative column to the left of the window. OH, and turn the table runner the length of the table. Just those few minor changes would finish the room!!!

I think the side table could hold a tall ornament --for accent--- on the right side. The white chair is quite nice, but not parallell to the side table: I think it would look nicer in a corner on the other side of the room. Drapes are more dressy; however, they make the room look a bit smaller. But I think they would go really nice with the rest of the decor.

The room is nice. I think you need some color though. I'd do this buy adding a valance and panel drapes. I'd get two grand fully upholstered head chairs for head of the tables. For chair by buffet table I'd add a bright kidney pillow to it that matches the curtains and the rug. The painting I would have used some color on as well. You can put a colorful tray with candle sticks on the buffet table on one end and a fresh large vase of bright flowers on the other. I'd remove all the plants you have in there, and then do a large metallic bowl in middle of table.

The color of these curtains would warm the room up and pick up the darker colour of the rug.

A new larger size jute rug from Pottery Barn has been purchased for this space. I also moved the 'end' dining chairs off to the side to open it up more. A couple family photos fills in the empty wall space. Last item needed are drapes. What colour should I go with? What fabric? Thoughts??

That rug looks great! Regarding the drapes, I have silk dupioni drapes in my living room, also from Pottery Barn. They are very elegant and hang so nicely. Mine are in a dark olive color. I feel like a persimmon color would look lovely with the neutrals that you have. Someone once said that a drape should hang from the ceiling to the floor to make the space look larger. I think that would frame your window quite nicely. Can't wait to see what you choose. Good Luck!

Thanks for everyone's suggestions!!! It feels done and I LOVE IT!!

I would add some drapes to the end of the windows. I like the wall color but I would paint the inside of the tray ceiling. Lose the fake plant. Love the light fixture but to get more light hang a mirror above the server. Take those two plant of the table and put them on the server. The table can use a runner and some candles . Good Luck

To see the AFTER picture of my dining room SCROLL to BOTTOM. thanks again.

To see the AFTER picture of my dining room SCROLL to BOTTOM. thanks again.

I just noticed you already have this done but here was my intial thought of the space...

Great dining room! I could see you adding some curtain panels stacked off of the window. Perhaps something dark like your artwork (this would really make your windows pop). Another area you can do something fun is with the recessed ceiling! You can paint that one of your accent colors to define the space and display your table in a beautiful way. It looks like you have a little gold going on in this room. Can you imagine how elegant that would look to paint that area gold? Gorgeous!

I love what you have done, but maybe consider the recessed ceiling area idea. I still think that would look GREAT!

Whatever the finish is on the lighting fixture is what I would paint the recessed ceiling area…

Looks fabulous! Enjoy all the memories you will make with friends and family in this space.