This is a close up of the living room

It isn't the number of chairs so much as the contrasting styles and colors, and the fact that the living room is predominantly red, the dining room predominantly blue. You could slipcover the red chairs in the living room (very nice intimate space :-)) to better match your dining room chairs. Even easier would be to switch out the rugs. The one under the table is a bit undersized, the one in the living room is a bit oversized, and switching them would bring more red into the dining area and more blue into the living room.

It really does look very charming. I love the wallpaper in the dining area! Maybe you could reupholster the dining room chairs in red, picked up from the colors in that wallpaper?

So cute. DR is a bit crowded-maybe remove extra chairs against wall until needed? Try chairs angled toward center, across from fireplace to define these spaces a bit-not one big room but distinct rooms.

IMO, it doesn't look like too many chairs....but since it does for you, here are a few ideas to help you feel like it's less of a "chair factory":

- relocate/take away the 2 striped dining chairs that are on each side of the sideboard or the 2 head chairs at dining table (and use the striped dining chairs in their place at the table)

- replace 2 side chairs in dining room with dining settee or bench (that is, if the other 4, including the 2 head chairs, are the wood ones)

- replace living room chairs with small sofa or love seat

...this will also make your view the FP, not the entry/ DR.

Really love wall color.

Thanks for all of your comments. I do think the rugs need to trade places. And I will try moving the patterned chairs to the end of the table. My husband was saying what he would really like is a place to put his feet up other than the little table in the living room.

Maybe an ottoman instead of the coffee table for hubby? The one you have does appear a little too tall for the chairs. For whatever piece(s) you decide to use in your living room for seating, the top of the table or ottoman should the same or up to just a couple inches shorter than the seat height.

I think an ottoman would be perfect -- but then what shape, fabric?? I am a little helpless in the decision making process ;)

I switched the rugs, moved the large chairs to end of table and removed table.

Don't know what your budget is for this fix so it is hard to say. If you had the money for replacing red chairs, I would get two new comfy chairs that are a bit less overstuffed. I would get a matching ottoman for one or even both of them. Then I would put a larger table between the two for putting drinks, books on. Then you can do away with a coffee table all together. Plus, if this is a hang out and lounge space, you really don't need a coffee table, which is much more functional in a visiting with lots of people kind of space.

I get the chair factory feeling. It is a lot of chair per square foot. I would remove the two armed chairs at the end of the dining room table. (Do you regularly seat 6 people there? If not, do you have a basement you can keep them in and bring them out when you need them? This is what we do.) I would then reupholster the dining chairs in a neutral color that blends with the woods of the tables. It will help everything look more like a unit instead of color pops of four chairs.

Also, if you are replacing the red chairs, along with getting something with slightly less overstuffed lines, I would get something that is not skirted. It is just less chair to look at that way.

If your budget is limited, simply remove the two end chairs from the dining table, put an ottoman in front of the corner red chair, and ditch the coffee table.

Living room change...

Wish I had posted before I had those chairs upholstered. I had them redone a couple of months ago and think my husband's head might burst if I got rid of them at this point ;) I ended up moving out two of the dining chairs as recommended. Instead of an ottoman in front of one chair what about one in between both? And as far as upholstering the dining chairs, should I keep all chairs the same or would I do a different fabric on the larger ones?

i'm just going to disagree about removing the skirting from those 2 chairs. if you do that there are 8 more legs to look at.

have as many chairs at your dining table as you regularly use every day. have side chairs against the wall if you need them once a month or more. put them in the attic/basement if you use them once a year. put them on the curb if you havent used them in 30 years. no, just kidding about that. but if you feel over chaired then by all means shoo aside those you dont use every night.

I have a family of six so I need at least that many;) I feel much better having fewer of them in the room...

here is how it looks after making the switch,,,,

Do you like it? Maybe bring them in a touch. I think they look good! Ottoman - something like one below? It's on sale for 1/2 price.[houzz=]

I love the way the chairs look in the living room... Of course, I missed ottoman -- already out of stock :( Here is the room from the back view...

side view... thank you so much for your suggestions!! Amazing what can happen just moving things around...

Maybe with the large space and to balance the room, you could use a large recentangle or square ottoman and use a decorated tray when wanting to use as a coffee table or even add a throw over the corner. One below is decently priced and fits two pairs of feet! Add small ivory/blue graphic pillow to your chairs to tie in with the ivory ottoman (along with the blue) and place your blue throw over the end of it. houzz=]; [houzz=];[houzz=]

I love the changes you made. I would say that the striped chairs in the dining room are definitely the wrong pattern and color. If you could reupholster or slipcover just those 2 chairs I think you would be done, and very successfully too! I recommend a very good book called "Use What You Have Decorating" for successful furniture placement.

Yes, bring them in a bit. I like your upholstery. One ottoman w a tray on in acts as footstool and coffee table. Sorry but I Dont care for the rug swap. Too much red on red. It was worth a try.

Chairs look GREAT in front of FP!

Okay, you are going to think I live next to a furniture consignment shop, but I just so happen to have a leather ottoman which was in my kids' playroom. Now, it is leather, but this is the idea... and the crab pillow I pulled from outside... as far as color goes, what do you think? I initially had thought light grey but as you can tell I am open to any and all feedback;)

I don't like the white. You lose the coziness and it is too modern. Blue? http://houzz.com/photos/333946

Style is a bit modern and the leather is a touch stark, but try adding your navy throw over the corner and add a wooden tray and magazines, etc..may soften it up? It will also save you quite a bit of money - maybe live with it for a bit until you see something you love (and is on sale!). Would definitely look for blue and white graphic pillows if keeping. Which of your two rugs is lighter and that's the one I would put in living room if going with the white.

Will certainly do the pillows... I definitely do not like the kids' ottoman there but was using the color as an example -- If ivory is out, then do you agree with the other post about using a blue? Or is it just the style /leather that you do not like?

Just had a thought - for the money you save on not buying an ottoman (this is how I present things to my husband), look at getting a modern blue/white/burgundy rug. Then if you paint your dining room's upper wall blue...these rooms are brand new!
[houzz=]

Darn, that means you'll be buying an ottoman (which is good though, as it will look lovely). But I think a mid range blue velet would be perfect vs navy. Good luck in your search. [houzz=]

Love the changes you've made so far. I agree, the ottoman is too white. Just a thought, if you happen across an old kitchen cabinet that someone is getting rid of, you can cover it and put casters on it. We did that and my husband was thrilled to have someplace to put his feet, you can decide the color that you prefer, and you have storage inside! With no ottoman there the carpet looks to stripey, but once the ottoman is covering part of it, it looks great.

Ask your upholster person what it would cost to recover the white ottoman. I liked the grass cloth suggestion for the dining room walls. Nice job so for! I like your upholstered dining chairs but if you only need to seating for 6 routinely, I would use 4 wood chairs, 2 upholstered. Then bring in the others as needed. We do it all the time.

I agree that the two yellow striped chairs don't go very well, if you store two store those.

I love the striped chairs and think they do go well with the room. They have a low profile and don't add to the chair factory effect. I think the fabric is so transitional, it looks good in this room and could look good with any number of changes they make.

Thanks for all your comments -- I will post more pictures soon, but I ended up with 4 dining chairs with the striped chairs on end. Thinking we will do a tufted fabric ottoman either a sand color or a mid range blue as one other person suggested. I am going to add one more "red" to the dining room -- possibly a large bromeliad centerpiece in the dark rectangular plant holder. I feel happy with the rug switch but will be even happier when I have an ottoman to cover the big red square in the center. I stored the candle holders and really cleared out some of the accessories throughout my entire downstairs area... Feeling really good about changes...