Margaret, I agree with apple pie and her philosophy about people not using their dining rooms. I see it all the time because we are set up for more casual dining in the kitchen/great room areas of our homes. When you ask your family to sit at the dining table, it requires conversation without distractions. That's hard to come by these days. So, in order for your family to become more at ease with the dining room, you might begin by turning off the TV and banning cell phones for the dinner hour in the place you ordinarily eat. After several moments of silence and everyone thinking about what they are not experiencing, they will eventually decide to participate in a family conversation. It is amazing how the conversation begins and where it goes as each of you becomes involved with the "family". I raised my kids with a sit down dinner every evening in the dining room and this was before cell phones and huge kitchen/great room combos. We really appreciated each other in a way that would not have happened if I had not taken the reins and decided to make dinner time a special time together. It is a brave person to break their loved ones of the conveniences and intrusions of daily life.

Your room is lovely. If I were to change anything it would simply be to tweak here and there. It's not worth the money spent.

Women are in charge of the "romance" of daily life and what we have to share creates a lifetime of memories. Didn't mean to get philosophical here, but I just feel so strongly about changing a room that works well for another room that feels more casual. It would not be in keeping with the rest of your home (from what I can discern on your photos).