Poor kitty wants to look out the window....put your bench on that side of the table and pull it more toward the windows for him. Chandi should be lower...can you swag it over to the center of the table. If you like your picture, then put two scounces on either side with candles or plates or something like that....a grouping. Centerpeice could be a bowl(unbreakable) with something in it, a artifical green plant in a pretty basket or something like that. Maybe a lighter colored tablecloth would look good also.

I agree....lower the light fixture....a lot!!
The picture is not really right for the dining room....put in in the hall....or perhaps the kitchen. And I don't think your wall color enhances it.
I like the curtains as is.
I would leave the picture wall blank for a while....see what comes to you....if you like "vintage stuff"....something may just call out to you.
For a centerpiece? I have an old ( as in antique) moon and star open compote that I often fill with artificial lemons this time of the year, and put a few real one in there too...perhaps a few limes too. In the fall, I use red and green apples, mostly real, but if people start eating some and it doesn't look good, I fill in with some fake apples....blown brown eggs at Easter....pine cones....well you get the idea.
That bowl is heavy enough that a kitty couldn't knock it over unless she were running full tilt and slammed into it.
And I have candle sticks on the table too....tall taper holders...usually silver, but sometimes brass, or wood and glass.
My compote is just like the one linked, but I paid $12 at an estate sale!!!
Love your mirror over the server!

Here is a link that might be useful: compote

grandma, LOL about the kitty! He is my sidekick. He is only where I am! As I type, he is sitting behind my computer. :) I had no idea that the chandi is too high. I have wanted it centered but that will be a project for DH. Don't need to keep the picture in here . . .just like it. Interesting about the lighter tablecloth. I used to have a pale pink vintage one, but it always looked so washed out in pictures, so I went for deeper colors. (Plus, with 5 kids, the darker cloths hide the stains better, ha, ha!) BUT, maybe I just need to stick with patterned ones? I have no idea about the colors that work with my wall color now.

Linda, I know what you mean about the picture. I think the problem is that the subject is too small. . .space needs something bigger and bolder. The picture is not completely accurate regarding the colors-- and it depends on the lighting (for example, right now I think the colors work better together, because it's nighttime and the lamp is on). BUT, since I am starting from scratch, what colors WOULD look good in this room as an accent? I have been looking at Houzz for ideas, but everything is just more "neutral, neutral" with my wall color. No color. I have trouble committing to color (esp. since I wanted to be able to change my table settings seasonally). I want the room to look warm and inviting.

I really like your centerpiece idea . . .just keep one container and then switch around the contents. Brilliant! It's not so much the weight of the container that I think would be an issue with the cat, but what to put into it that he would not eat.

Thank you both. I love it when people see things that I do not!

would the cat eat plastic lemons? Real lemons?,,,Limes?
I used to stress over the cost of say 6 lovely lemons for a center piece.....then I thought about the cost of a bouquet of flowers? And you can't grab one out to put into your tea.....and realized that $3.50 for 5 or 6 lemons is money well spent!

Ha, ha, Linda! Nah, he wouldn't . . .I was originally thinking of floral arrangements . . .love that shabby look, but couldn't think of how to do it without it looking tacky-- real flowers would get $, and I think both live/dried would get eaten.

VERY true about the lemons. This way they are real and have a purpose! Cheap!

I don't know the dimensions of your room (so my suggestion might not work at all!) but the first thing I thought of was to create a eating nook/banquette. Switch the bench to the other side like grandma suggested, center the bench on the window, and push it all the way to the window. Then slide the table up to it. You should have room for chairs on both ends of the table then too. The two other pieces of furniture in the room would then be moved to other open wall space in the room.

I've been seeing a lot of banquettes in magazines lately so I have them on the brain! :)

Put the bench on the window side of the table, chairs on the other side.

Move the table so that the end is against the wall. I see no seating there, so I am assuming you don't use the end. As long as the table is off-center anyway, anchor it to the wall visually.

Move the mirror and small cabinet to another location. The mirror is too large for the wall space, and doesn't feel like it belongs with the mirror.

The curtains are cute for a kitchen, but not substantial enough for the dining room. Get drapes with some color and pattern, and hang them so that they come out about halfway between the edge of the window and the wall on either side. Cover just the edge of the window on each side with the drapery, to give you max light and size from the window. The wider drapery will balance the table placement better.

Consider having a heavy piece of glass cut to top the table, so that you can lose the tablecloth and appreciate the table. A cleaner look, and much less maintenance with the kids. You can still have placemats when you want them, or tablecloths for a more formal occasion.

I would replace the chandy with a close-to-ceiling pendant. It won't be as noticable that it is off-center with the table, and will give you a nice overall distribution of light in the space.

For your centerpiece, I would get a pretty tray and do a grouping of candles. Or use the tureen idea heaped with fruit or filled with potted green plants and/or flowering plants. You put the potted plants in their plastic pots in the tureen, cover the top with sheet moss so that you can't tell they are still in pots.

I would find a new home for the small piece of artwork. Consider getting a lot of inexpensive, classic frames, perhaps is white, and frame your kids' artwork, and create a gallery collection on the wall. You could even have them create something in specific colors for the space.

geokid, I will try that. Not sure if I can put chairs on both ends, but I have been seeing a lot of banquette seating, too!

les, when we got the table, I started off with the table just as you said, anchored to the wall. I didn't like it . . .felt like it was just shoved off to the side to make room.

Don't want to lose the curtains in here because they add interest outside and I just love them. :) But, that is why I am thinking of adding a third layer of curtains-- to give them more weight. It isn't a formal space but it's our only eating space.

I have been thinking about the glass top for the table for the very reasons you describe. I had a few concerns, though . . .cost, upkeep, and wondering if it would protect the table enough. (Could water seep under the glass somehow?)

What kind of pendant were you thinking? I was looking last night at lighting and was bored by all of the choices! They all look the same to me.

I was thinking about a gallery of the children's artwork-- was wondering what color frames. Good to know white would look good!

And yes, re: centerpieces-- moss was definitely something I wanted to use. Do not know if it will survive my cat!!!

It is your choice about putting it against the wall, of course, but as for it feeling like it is just shoved aside to make room - that is what you have now, I think. At least with it against the wall, it looks like you placed it there, rather than it feeling like you moved it a little and forgot to move it back, with the space between the wall and the table.

Keep the sheers, but I would still get rid of the ones that are tied back, and add panels on either end that have more color and pattern. I would rather see floor length drapery to balance the weight of the heavy furniture, but it appears that you prefer apron length.

Not sure about the cost, but you should be able to get a quote - see if you can find a mirror and glass fabricator in your area. Upkeep is simple - a spritz of glass cleaner and paper towels, or a microfiber cloth and water. Certainly just as easy as having to change the tablecloth after every meal, plus washing and ironing them. And, you get to see your pretty table, and the fabric covers on the chairs, etc. rather than being distracted by the tablecloth.

Not sure what your lighting budget is, but you might try this site, and look at 'close to ceiling' fixtures. you can refine the search by size, colors, style, etc.

close to ceiling lights

Les, I know what you mean about the lack of anchoring. I was thinking of putting a rug down to help, but that seems like such a nightmare with the kids (and me).

So, based on these suggestions, this is what I did . . .moved the table like geokid said. I think this will help with the anchoring issue, like you pointed out, Les. I didn't think we'd have enough room, but it is the first time since we've lived here that there is actually the right flow to the room (ease of getting in both entrances).

I am glad you pointed out about the mirror being too big, Les. I took it down. I moved the cabinet to the opposite side of the wall, diagonally. The mirror is just out of the room for now. I have something else up now just to get a sense of the right size. The china cabinet (large) is on the wall where my grandfather's picture was (also taken down).

RE: the curtains . . .I think I found a better place for them. My bedroom needs some, and these would work perfectly there. The question is, do I keep THESE sheers and then get floor-length curtains? Logistically, the length works better w/the sheers if the bench is by the curtains, but does that look weird, to have short sheers and long curtains? Granted, you would not really see the length of the sheers anyway.

I will post new pictures. I took off the tablecloth-- do much prefer the wood. Just not sure how DH will feel about the glass, but I will price it!

Still working on accent colors. Have my paint chips out!

THANK YOU for all of these suggestions. It is amazing how your eyes can see what mine can't!

Glad it worked!

I think the sheers right above the bench with long draperies pulled to the side would look fine. It would look something like this. I think it frames the bench nicely.
{{!gwi}}

The next thing I would do is swag a chandelier or hanging fixture centered over the table.

As for art, wait until you find what you really like. Maybe two of the same (or similar) pieces on the wall on either end of the table.