perhaps this would be useful - 101 Decorating Secrets from Top Interior Designers

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/ideas/how-to-match-color#slide-53

The Shutters look fab!! I agree with most you need a more modern chandelier.

with 6 chairs...

Normally I would say align the top of the mirror with the window. See how far down the mirror ends up. Make a template of the mirror with paper trash bags, easier to change. You don't want the mirror to be where people watch themselves eating. You can also hang the mirror to tilt a tinny bit forward which solves watching yourself. I still think 2chairs on the sides and one at each end would be better. You an do the tilt trick on the mirror where it is to resolve people looking at themselves. Try the tras bag template, use the blue tape, put it up and we'll all have a look. As soon as you get comfortable with the balance you can go on to the fun stuff.

I am in dilemma for the chandelier drum color. The table and chairs are dark brown. The rug: gray, creme and black. Should I go with black or lighter color?

Omela, do you see the suggestion I made for a light? I like this one for the sheerness, the sparkle and that it also has the necessary depth of colour to balance all the visual weight of the table and chairs. I also think you need a piece of art between the two windows that opens the room by adding depth, such as a pathway or gate, anything that leads the eye into it. I am making a suggestion for you to get the idea, art is so personal you have to please yourselves.

The room needs some sparkle, some fabric and some depth, here you go...

Oh thank you Susan Mills Design. I will move the mirror to the other wall and put some art work where the mirror is now. I like your suggestions:)

I think chair rails aren't right for the contemporary furniture

Hi again everyone!

Ornela - take a look at this thread - the dining room layout is almost the same as yours -- https://www.houzz.com/discussions/chandelier-suggestions-dsvw-vd~351089

I didn't really think of this before - not sure why since it is also one of my favorites - but what about the Alita Drum Pendant:





You can see the gold better in this picture featuring the alita mini pendants:


There is also a black version:


Hope everyone has a great night!

Lyvonne
www.essentialsinside.com

I took a picture of my chair rails and it definitely gives charm to my room and I have a lot of dark wood furniture and similar colors in my house. Just so you have an idea of what it would look like. I would take out the leaf on the table and remove some of the chairs. I think a nice small buffet under the window with a circular mirror would look great or maybe a unique clock. I hate canned art. But, that's just my opinion. I buy vintage posters and buy prints from local artists. Etsy is a great resource for art. I had a custom mirror made for $200 and she re-created a mirror from Anthropologie I couldn't afford.

Is this way better?

Need some nice art work now for the other wall.

Yes, this is better! Once you add artwork will look very nice!

That looks great! Look forward to the artwork! Very very nice!

Love that you've removed two of the chairs - better fit in that area. Again, designers claim no mirror between windows; secondly, between the size/height of the windows. with the mirror, your room is now 'heavy' on one end - what do you have to balance it out? Balance is very important in every room - think of your rooms as a row boat - all about the balance.

I see you only have two walls to work with AND the half wall contributes to the unbalanced, oblong look. Put some VERY shapely artwork on that wall (not necessarily another 'square pic') and the mirror back on the other wall, hung vertical, just like you have it now between the windows. Then put a couple pictures or items embellished like the mirror, on each side - something 'roundish' or odd shaped or unique artsy-type hanging. What the problem with the mirror is, in your original pic, is that the mirror is hung 'oblong' JUST like your table, thus it adds no interest and makes the room look long and boring.

If it's hung as I noted above, it will help balance out the two very tall windows at the end of the room AND your room will appear bigger!

So, balance is important AND as it stands now, all the edges are 'square' there is nothing of interest in the room to round it out. You need some soft/rounded edges and I see none!

They often used mirrors in the dining room (in the olden days) because of limited windows and lighting. With those windows, I wouldn't hesitate to move the mirror out of the room altogether, or get a smaller mirror with a 'star-burst' surrounding it (like in Keitha pic) - that would help 'round out' some of those hard corners (from the table, the windows,the carpet the half wall, the mirror)

The top of the half wall needs something 'large' or some type of divider which would create more interest on that side of the room.

I think the room was much more balanced with the mirror on the other wall. It's too large to be on the wall with the wi does. Even if you get artwork for the other wall it's just too much.

Pick you light fixture first, then the centerpiece. I like this one for the contrast it would bring to the dark table and chairs. http://houzz.com/photos/330457

What did you do with the other two dining room chairs? Put two on each side, and one on each end (again it's about the balance) and then put the other two in the corners by the windows, which will soften those windows AND the corners! I think, until you do something to soften those edges, it will continue to look like a Board Room...

You have gotten a lot of info here. Table looks like it fits better with less chairs and extensions removed. Please pull the rug away from the window wall! Tuxedo light in cream or soft blue. Paint the window wall soft blue, as suggested to bring that wall into the room. Brown and blue are great together. You can find art in this combo at all price levels. I like the mirror between the windows.

Like the centerpiece!

Like the mirror move.

You can begin with a coffee can and twigs for a table top accessory.

Omela you asked for advice on centrepiece and chandelier, and have received so much more than that. I do hope you are not getting overwhelmed with all this advice. As long as your table is centred to the chandelier, and the rug centred to the table, you will be doing the best you can with this room. I would not advise on drapes as the windows are too dissimilar and the drapes would be too much for the corner areas. You have blinds, they work fine! I think the mirror is fine there too, once a large piece of art is placed on the wall where the mirror hung previously. A sheer shade over sparkly light and the depth created by the right piece of art and all is well.

What do you call soft blue? Can you please post something similar?

Omela, Karen Paul here...I posted a few photos above. I like the idea of pulling up the orange from your living room for your art in the dining room. I posted a chandelier with a light shade in the same configuration as has been suggested and felt the lighter feel works well with the brown and darker pieces. I posted a starburst piece for some light reflective quality that is in a shape that runs counter to all your straight ahead angles in the room. The centerpiece I posted is something you can contemplate. I thought it is a clever idea to mount sticks around a coffee can, using it as a vase. I always enjoy the organic aspect to a room wherever and whenever it's possible.

I think I'd start with a painting. Abstract with reds and a centerpiece. New lighting andcI think that should do it.

http://www.horchow.com/p/John-Richard-Collection-Veiled-Shade-Chandelier-Chandeliers-Pendants/cprod73920125_cat000099__/?isEditorial=false&index=46&cmCat=cat000000cat1590731cat000099

You might look at Palladian Blue from Benjamin Moore or their Morning Glory or Heavenly Peace or Spring Rain. All soft blue colors. You were right with the mirror in the first place - it is way to large for the end wall. That gauzy sparkly light from Susan Mills would soften and brighten. A table runner would also soften the "Board Room" look and say "Dining Room" instead.

Love the light from CMR Interiors however, in that room, would it fade away? Like others better posted above. LOVE the 'star-burst' mirrors shown as well..

I have a starburst mirror similar to that above my bed. It is so stunning and when you walk in the room it just says class,class, class. Maybe replace the mirror now with a starburst? Or the starburst in your family room?

Certainly, all the basics of a great DR are there - it's the finishing touches which will say 'class' and am sure it is why you wrote for advice. Finishing touches need to soften and balance the room.

Terrific! The mirror looks great (no starburst), the chair arrangement not only adds balance, it makes the table more inviting. Now have some fun finding art work you love. There are so many chandelier options. Me, it would be a sparkling chandelier. Drums look great other places, but crystal reflected by that mirror is my favorite. I like drums in the entry, in lieu of can lights in dull halls. There are some very contemporary crystal pieces, it's just a matter of budget. Benjamin Moore has nice soft blues. Someone said leave the extra chairs in the DR, no, no, no, that just jams the room up again. You're getting there! Looking at art work is fun, find one you both love. I'll take a look at soft blues and get back to you.

P.S. I just looked at Carolyn's "Bling" chandelier. I do love that, though I shudder at what the cost will be.

Looking at your rug I thought of something like this

http://www.allposters.ca/-sp/T-G-I-F-posters_i1638317_.htm

I think a center price like the one in the pic I attached bellow will give some shine to your dining room and give it some neutral color.

I also think something like the room below will work very nice with your dining room and give it a nice and modern yet homely feel.

The "bling" is $869. I was surprised how reasonable the price was. It may come in gold finish, if you think it necessary. Some here think it is, I don't.

On a different thread, What color(s) go with brown, Mary Poulos has a photo of a lovely blue room, take a look.

I am not sure if this specific example will work but something along this line for the design maybe with some browns but this a possibility for wall art.

Also if you look closer to the picture above it is textured adding a nice touch and sorta "dimension" to the room. :)

Just back from trip to Florida, catching up on all the suggestions here. Ornela, I love the mirror between the windows. It looks fabulous. Thank you for moving it! With a chandelier hanging in the center of the table, I like to have either a long centerpiece, or two items, separated from each other on either side of the chandelier. That way they are not in competition with chandelier.

An easy centerpiece is the repeating items centerpiece, and the items can be pumpkins, or single flowers in bud vases or candles or whatever you can dream, from artichokes to balls of yarn.

If you want to do the two items I mentioned, then Z Gallerie has lots of things you could use, as does Home Goods. Two of the modern turquoise ginger jars such as the oneshown below would work well. They are big ones, about two feet high. Don't be afraid of getting something big. You can remove the items at dinner parties if they are two big to see around.

You really need lots of color on the blank wall. Be sure you love it.

I was reading all the posts and thinking runner with long centerpiece, and the last comment was right on!! I also like the idea of a long box with colorful floral straight sprigs...pull the color from whatever artwork you choose....I also like the chandeliers that have a lot of larger glass orbs hanging down...everything u have chosen so far is rectangular and u need variation...you are doing great!

You could also use multiple candleholders of varying heights along the length of the table as a centerpiece.

I would also add an awesome clock

You need a bigger chandelier, and it needs to be hung lower,get a painting with a lot of red in it and a red table runner.Get a big beautiful silk floral arrangement with red and white flowers for the middle of the table. You will be amazed at how
the red pops the room!

I think that a dining room is the place to savor good food and friendships and not think about the time, so a clock would not be on my shopping list. I also would prefer fresh flowers for parties, and something else for daily display.

Yea I would like something for daily display and I don't really like fake flowers.
I like the turquoise jar Caroline suggested. 2 of them might look nice.

Ditto Carolyn on the clock. I like the photo of the plants Carolyn sent. The art should be next, then use colors from there for the table. Nothing says you can't have ginger jars for a while, then different, then back to jars. I have to move things around. I enjoy variety.

Variety is great, and rotating accessories is wonderful if you're blessed with too many. My trip to Florida this week was to visit friends who have a lovely home there. We had fun moving accessories around, putting some into storage for later use, and generally getting my friend into the world of "less is more". She and her wonderful husband like to travel and that sometimes includes the acquisition of a beautiful item or two along the way.

It's great to have a set of shelves in the garage or basement, where you can store some of the things that the new items will replace. Then every few months you can change things around.