Here is another angle

Hhhmm, what colors would you add with the area rug? I have wanted some type of drapery for a while but husband is not a fan. He thinks that it isn't a modern look with drapery

Yes, agree that paint and curtains would improve it. It would help to have more contrast between the furniture and walls. I'm thinking turquoise. Is the carpeting gray?

Yes, the carpet is gray. I was originally thinking a light or silverish-blue, but the other rooms on the same floor have recently been painted blue. Is there such a thing as too much blue on the same level?

The main issue is getting the blues to coordinate. If the rest of the house is light blue perhaps just paint the wall with the bakers rack darker blue and the rest of the room the same color as the rest of the rooms.

And don't forget, you can always do half walls. Upper half in white or off white, lower half in a blue that you like. Navy blue also works well with silver/gray, the lower half in navy would be beautiful.

Hi, I would change the color of the walls, gray and beige do not look well together. I think I'd just paint them white and maybe paint the piller in your favorite bright color! If you accesorize in the same bright color you'll add some spice to your house Try groeping the plants together, and the vases also. I make little nests of stuff, I call them, I would hang curtains, modern ones for your husband, maybe white too,with big rings stanced in the fabric.., see IKEA.

An accent wall with wallpaper, a chandelier and window panels (just simple and silky). I would paint any trim in your room gloss white, including that support column.

If I may, remove all the items on the beam, the floor plants and the picture. I think a baker's rack belongs where the baking is done and would rather have you find a great serving table/cabinet.

The first thing I think of when I look at your dining room furniture is Hollywood Glam, (or Hollywood Regency if you want to be proper). However, the beige walls and bare wood trimmed window are the complete opposite, which is probably why the space 'just doesn't feel right'. I think a bit of colour and pattern will take this room to a whole new level. Hollywood Regency often pairs shiny pieces, like your bakers rack, with black and bold hits of colour, like blues, yellows and greens. Check out my ideabook titled hollywood regency for some colour ideas.

I see from the photos that you have some black in the living room, so I would keep the shiny black column. The plants and glassware on the ceiling beam tend to grab the eye and draw it upward, away from the great furniture, so for that reason, I would remove them.

I would paint the walls in a dark, blue based charcoal grey. This should tie in with the other blues in the home, and not overwhelm you in blue. If you are up for an accent wall in wallpaper, it would be fabulous. I would do the wall surrounding the window. A shiny graphic pattern would really pop. Pick a bold colour for your accent and spread this around the room in artwork, glassware etc.

Next, some drapery panels that are simple in style, but use luxurious and full fabric. You can use a silvery colour which will blend with the wall a bit, or use the accent colour you pick. You can also mount the rod past the sides of the window so when you open the drapes, the inside edge of the drapes skims the inside of the winow. This will allow you to keep lots of natural light in the room but will add a lot of softness.

Finally, a really dramatic chandelier over the table (I'm thinking shiny black) would complete the look and keep the eye focused on that great furniture!

I would paint the walls creamy yellow towards light end. Picture on the wall has to go somewhere else.
Curtains for sure would make it cozy. Look for something neurtal but goes with gray. but don't pick gray because you have grey everywhere else.

Draperies, much bigger table and a larger painting will help. Git rid of that corner piece. A area rug might be nice too.

What a nice big dining room, it just seems a bit bare. I would add a chandelier above the dining table. Replace the bakers rack with a solid wood buffet to anchor the room, you can serve food and drink from there, maybe a mirror above that to reflect the light from the chandelier. Floor to ceiling drapery would add some real drama to the room. As far as paint color. I definitely think grey would look awesome. Good luck and happy decorating!!!

Truly I am not being rude, but I have to ask; does your husband think the items on the beam look modern? To me they look 1970's. So that is where iI would start. Remove all the items to open the room up.

Next I would paint the walls silvery-grey and add orange drapes hung high and wide. (see attached illustration) And I would paint the ceiling orange. Or this can be done in reverse: orange walls, silvery-grey ceiling with silvery-grey drapes.

Then I'd find a zebra striped rug to go under the table and remove the bakers rake. It would be replaced with a black buffet. I would find a large print to hang over the buffet and add a silver or crystal lamps on each end. I would add a huge floor mirror on the kitchen door side (if there is room.) And to finish off the room I would hang a great chandelier.

Can't wait to see updates!

If your husband is not on board with draperies, then a bold wallpaper on the window wall would do the trick. If you can talk Jim into draperies (I see some black in the foreground of 2nd shot) then go floor to ceiling from near the corners to the windows but don't cover the windows.
If you are in love with the rack/table then for grins and giggles place the rack in the right corner at an angle and angle the table as well. For a smaller table in a large room you have plenty of space to do this. If you love the greenery, then group them to balance things out. Rack on right, and a couple of plants in the left corner. If you aren't in love with greenery, then remove them including the ones on the beam. I like greenery in occasion to soften corners and edges of furniture.

Sherwin Williams Quicksilver has a blue base. Here is a Hollywood look to inspire you. I'd like to see the baker's rack replaced with something like this low silver credenza or a buffet. You could even makeover a second hand one yourself. The doily-style table runner is definitely off the mark and the chair seats could use a pop of color. A more contemporary painting, window treatments and a killer chandy for interest, if not for light, would be a step toward perfection.

I agree with all of Carrie Greene's recommendations. I would also consider floating the table & chairs in the opposite direction (parallel to the window) because it looks as if you have the room to do that. I would definitely find a bold rug to anchor the table & chairs also, and from there you could pick the drapery panels (definitely floor-to-ceiling) and artwork for the walls. I think a dark burgundy would be a great accent color for the grays, in terms of rug and drapery color. I would also consider a tall ficus plant on the left side of the window, and you could remove the other plants on the floor. Perhaps an art deco floor lamp for the opposite corner. In keeping with your glam silver, you may want to consider one of those dressers with the mirror fronts, if you have the room, on one of the walls. You could place a tall skinny lamp with decorative candles on top, and have room for your table linens, etc. in the drawers. On top of your table, I would remove the white runner, since it seems to clash with the look I think you're going for . . . I would suggest a tall piece of architectural glass in a vibrant color, a vase or something else (maybe one of those pieces on the ceiling beam), and simply put a round placemat under it. Choose something in proportion to the size of the table, and which would look good underneath that big, fabulous chandelier you're going to hang. I would love to see one of those long rectangular chandeliers with the glass beads hanging. Fabulous !!

I agree that you should go for a hollywood regency vibe. I would also suggest some artwork for the walls. A print like one of these in a silver frame would look fabulous: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MonkeyBeeswax