The other end? I don't have any other furniture besides the sectional.

I would not use shelves in the DR. #1 you would have to hang them high in order to have headroom and then the would not be a eye level when sitting. #3 you have railing and there is already a separation line on the wall, you don't need 2.

I know the other end is empty, It shouldn't be. Move the rug and that might inspire you to add the needed pieces to complete the room.

Oh I see, thank you.

Rug extension, yay or nay?
I brought a curtain from our bedroom to try out. Will that type of color work in this room? And mirror (found on Houzz)?
Thank you all for your wonderful advices!

Oh dear, the runner does help, but for me it would drive me crazy with the pattern change. I do like the mirror, but is difficult to really see with that angle. regarding the drapes, not enough fabric to see you need to tape them on wall If you want to use burgundy as accent color it should work.

Haha, hubby was already driven crazy with that 'patch'. The problem is that I can't use the rug in anywhere else in the house, every room already has its own. Will come up with something else... Thank you.

Sophia, the rug is fine. It looks good and you love it. Everyone is saying that a different size would be optimum, but your house should reflect you.

I love the ideas you are getting and using. It's working! I like the curtains too.

You could buy a correctly sized sisal rug and layer your Mum's rug on top. e.g.

Thanks auntthelma for your encouragement!
Thanks Jennifer, that's exactly where I'm heading to. Susan suggested that in one post.

What do you think of these curtains?

I like them!
Oh, this is the up close of the curtain I posted earlier (from our bedroom).
So now I know I don't have to go with a solid neutral color, I can add hues and patterns.

http://www.wayfair.com/CHF-Mercury-Stripe-Curtain-Panel-1Z41160-CHFI1014.html

I like these as they have a beige background which I think will do better with the walls and sofa. and I like the stripe with the rug. If you get into a very bold pattern they are going to compete with the rug. I tried to keep cost down as I know you have a lot of windows, but invest in something that works. You can do a different curtain in dining area but keep same color combo.

You could always take your rug to a carpet dealer and have a border attached to get it to the right size. It probably wouldn't be very expensive.

sorry but everything (including your dining set) on that end of the room is just un-balanced and looks cramped. I like susans first arrangement but everything including the sectional needs to be centered and focused on the fireplace not so far back. the 2 seater portion centered with the fireplace and ceiling fan. with a 12 foot couch that should be the minimum size rug you have but what you have will work since you love it. pulling the sectional closer to the fireplace will give you more room to get around it. a 12 foot couch is a huge piece of furniture to work around, but centering it in the room will leave 4 and a half feet either side to maybe bring in another seating area by the windows as susan showed in the first layout. the longest part of the rug should run the same as the fireplace wall with 12" to 18" wood showing in front of the fireplace. I personally would mount the tv above the fireplace too. this arrangement would also need a sofa table to break up looking at the long back of the couch

I have the same furniture, and I LOVE it! I actually accented it with yellow and reds, grays and natural/wood elements. I love what you did behind the couch. I personally would add some neutral drapes, maybe a linen material, either simple panels or Roman shades.

Where are your family pictures? Unless you are staging a home for sale, I feel that is what brings it alive and homey and personal. I would blow up some of your favorites for the dining room, and maybe a whimsy quote or sign. Open shelves as you walk on would like nice on the dining room wall. I would lean a large mirror on the fire place with somethings on either side of it, candles, lantern...

Lastly, not sure if you are a painted furniture girl, but your tv would look great on a custom painted piece in a color you love, and then some sconces on the wall near it, and some type of accent chair that you can't live without.

I know you weren't crazy about a rig j see the table, and I totally get that. I do an indoor/outdoor run for that reason, super easy to clean.

No family pictures in dining room, please.

Is it a formal dining room or more casual? Family pictures would look great in my opinion....especially for game nights and that kind of stuff!

So I liked Lila's idea of having the rug resized that I stopped by a custom made rug store at lunch. The gentleman pulled out a beautiful high pile rug swatch and explained how he would go about with adding a border to my rug. So excited. Then he carefully added up the material and labor costs on a calculator, $1,300. We carried on our heart warming conversation even after I pointed it out that I could buy 3 or 4 rugs with that money. We said goodbye and out of the window went that custom made rug.

@Cheryl I will definitely try a few layouts after getting the rug situation handled :-)

@Bethany How fun that you have the same furniture. We had leather sofas for a long time before deciding to go with upholstered when we moved in. I could have picked something else more elegant but this was a compromise with hubby. But it turned out great and we LOVE it, having shared a lot of good memories and popcorn -:) with the kids.
Talking about painted furniture, I have a home-grown carpenter (aka hubby) who can build lovely furniture for me. Will explore that option.

Why don't you talk to your Mom and explain the situation? Perhaps tell her that you would like to roll it up and bring it out when the kids are a little older for the dining room? I can't image her not understanding.

So Susan and Jennifer, back to the rug. I picked up a few sisal/low pile rugs to go under my sentimental valued one but I'm not sure about the color. Please let me know what you all think.
I was in a hurry but they have many other colors to choose from. Should I go with something else brighter?

I really like the grey-blue one. It looks more like a border that you would add to your rug. The natural sisal looks very separate from your rug. As well, I think you have enough yellowish colours between the walls, floor and sectional. All this, of course depends on my monitor showing me something resembling reality! ;)

I would just center your rug with the sectional and pull it out as far as possible yet still have a leg on the rug. Leave the same "empty" space on the left and right side of the sofa. I think it may work without adding a layer or addition.

I like the gray also. in your earlier pictures I thought the rug was all Browns. looks like a great solution at less money than the custom option. one other thought would be bordering it with those carpet squares. Ive only seen them on decorator shows, so don't have any idea what they cost

Update on the rug. I'm working on the curtains and will post pictures when done. Thank you all very much!

Great.

I taped up the curtains just to see how they would look. What do you all think? Would the color work?

I like them. Good accent color for the room. I know they are just taped, but be sure they just kiss the floor and hang rod accordingly.

Thanks Susan, I was actually planning to go without curtain rods.

Sorry it's been awhile but here's the update. Do you think the color is overwhelming when all 10 of them are up? What should I do with the dining space? Do the window panels look okay? Thank you all for your wonderful advices.

Looks great, a nice piece of art in DR will finish it off.

http://www.pier1.com/lively-trees-art/PS51054.html?cgid=art-warm-colors#icid=cat_home_decor-subcat_mirrors_wall_decor-subcat_wall_art-banner_warm_colors&start=1

And a nice centerpiece for table.

Are you going to add a chandelier?

Yes, I'm looking to add a chandelier. What kind would you suggest?

Oh for the family, I love the curtains for 1 window, but for how many I got going on in that room, the color somehow feels a little overboard. What do you think?

Look up linear chandelier. Try overstock.com, Wayfair.com or just general lighting. Lots of great looking ones at all prices.

I like the curtains and do not think they are too much. It is the only color in the space so it's not like there is an overload. A round coffee table with a touch of red on it would look great.

Thank you.

ahhhh sorry to say BUT.... they look OK but the pattern is a bit much and both the pattern and the
color kind of clash with your rug (the rug has architectural pattern and
the curtains have a flowery pattern). I think that's why you feel a bit
overwhelmed by it. I don't know if you can return the panels but if you can, I'd go with a simpler stripey pattern and color that goes with your rug.

susan's art will throw orange and brown into the mix. just NO.

Thanks, I actually sewed them so I can't really return them :-)
I have since then removed 2 panels along the mantel to soften it.

I love the curtains and I liked them by the FP too. I do agree the rug pattern and dark color does not complement the curtains. I'd keep the curtains and exchange the rug. :)

I like the curtains but liked them better as you first showed them with the panels on both sides of the fireplace windows. Repeat the curtain color somewhere. Art work, or replace the solid brown pillow with solid red. Or a dining room runner.

You have made big improvements to the space - it's now very warm and welcoming.

The space looks better with panels by FP. I know the story on the rug :>) We've been down that road. Add a splash of red in an accessory and be Happy.

Thank you all for your encouraging words. Yeah, I don't want to go down the 'rug' path again :-) I'm happy with the way things are turning out.

And I forgot to say, you did a nice job on sewing the curtains. They hang very well and look good in the room.

I've sewed curtains and know the joys and challenges - the sheer volume of fabric to manage and iron - yaaaaards of fabric! Seams that seem to go on forever!

Add curtain on windows and some Chrome finished tables.

Oh yeah ditto on the joys and challenges of sewing. I love to sew but sometimes after spending hours on a sewing project that sounded simple at first, I could only say to myself 'for real?' :-)