Instead of wallpaper, try one long mirror! Way better than those huge frames breaking it up, and it will open up the space even more!

No wallpaper.
large vertical mirror.

I'd go for a large, colorful, landscape about one third the size of the 3 mirrors. Hope you have another place for those mirrors.

I had suggested papering the vent. I have had many vents papered. In a bathroom they might start loosening due to moisture so you just re wallpaper it again as usually there is left over wallpaper from a wallpaper job. Furthermore it takes a long time before it starts to separate from the vent. I also have fancy vent covers. I added the decorative one when wall is painted. They are gorgeous. Of course, just painting the grille will help from it standing out if color matches walls. I think your room is stunning and does not need paper but I am sure you may want a change. Mirrors are too close to each other but I still think they look nice.

you could always paper inside the wall boxes????

That vent drives me crazy! What about faux painting?

It stands out more because it is so much lighter than the walls. When I look at it the slats almost blend in with the walls but the outside edge looks white and the walls are not.

I would either paint the vent the same color as the wall, hang the mirrors slightly higher then they are, and leave at least an inch between them or paint the whole wall using stencils to get the wallpaper effect. You can stencil right over the vent. Check out Cutting Edge Stencils. I just tried this on a huge wall the I removed wallpaper from and it turned out nicely and I know when I get sick of it I just have to paint over it.

Are the vents active? If you choose to wallpaper, what do you do about those?

Yes. It is probably a cold air duct. Necessary with air flow with heating system. If unsure call a heating and cooling co to check it out.

Culbertson Durst Interior made a good point - the column is not connected to the wall, if I paper the wall, it will extend past the column to the left. The area to the left of the column has no crown molding against the ceiling therefore might look awkward and noticeable w paper. Maybe I should paint the vent and put a large mirror (the 3 mirrors r temporary) or artwork there, as many of u suggested. I've thought about it but it's hard to find the perfect mirror n it'll be difficult to put on (what kind of professional do I need?).

Maybe artwork is better? I do need more color and interest in the space. I'm adding a few more pics showing the whole space, which is basically one large room (dining + living + foyer/hallway), I guess you can't design w/o taking into consideration of the whole space. It all started w/ my blue/beige persian rug, so I did the blue ceiling, blue sofa and beige chairs. The dining chairs looked blue in store but turned out green at home. I painted the walls in a very very light taupe (darker would be better) which has a hint of pink undertone when lights are on. The wall color makes the room look unpainted and darker during the day (at night it looks good because of the pink undertone) and all the blue/green colors are muted so the whole room feels a bit dull and boring so I decided to add the pink/purple accent color through accessaries. I also thought about adding gold tone to the room but the light wall doesn't take gold gold so I'm doing Champaine now, that's why the 3 mirrors has champaine frames, if I change to one big mirror, should I stay w/ champaine frame? And if I do artwork for the dining rm wall (thinking about a set of 3 paintings which tie in all the colors in the rm: blue, green, beige and pink/purple), should I do wallpaper for the foyer/hallway wall for a change (right now I have mirrors and artwork on that wall as u can see from the pic)? Will that be too much if I have artwork on all walls? For wallpaper pattern, I'm thinking about a geometric pattern given the rug is flowery (rug pic is attached). There's been another voice in my head telling me that if I re-paint the walls in a darker color, even just above the chair rails, maybe the pink undertone will show during the day and the room won't be dull any more and it'll solve the prob. But then, will my beige chairs go w/ the pinky taupe wall? Should I do a beige wall instead? What's your take on all these?

Sorry, here are the pics.

I think others have covered this, but go ahead and wall paper. The biggest problem I see is that your mirrors accentuate the vent instead of distracting your eye from it. Something on the wall that is round or more like your entry way wall (arrangement of smaller things different shapes/sizes) will distract your eye from the vent.

I see no,big deal,papering around the post to end of the wall with no moulding. Minor detail. House is beautiful. I would take the pic and mirror off the wall in foyer. If you find it drab during the day...I know what you mean as I get like that...I would paper. If you want to be cautious first paint a darker color...at least start with one wall or paint on poster board, several boards, tape to the wall and observe over several days. That is what I would do. If you want paper go for it. You can't go wrong. You do a beautiful job!

jbaghdoian, stenciling is a terrific idea! I tried cutting edge for my bedroom accent wall w/ tone-on-tone colors, it looks great. However, I did find that it's hard to get the edges sharp even I painted really thin, so I'm a little worried that if I do it on my entry wall (you can stand really close to the wall as supposed to bedroom wall) and if w/ two colors, it'll look sloppy. Maybe you have some tricks? I did try a removable spray, it helped a little but not much.

Seeing the additional pictures helps a lot. This is a large open space ! Schulz Design is right. I would follow her advice and in addition I would use fewer items in your entryway. The wall art shouldn't extend too far past the furniture anchoring it.
And back to the paint or paper, adding a large scaled designed wall covering to the two walls in the dining area would add drama. You could then paint the insets of the picture frames on the lower walls to tie the two areas together. As far as the design, I think you need more curves to echo the shape of the chairs and I would go with a "simplified damask " design. This effect could also be achieved with stencils and faux painting.
From the pictures the room appears very cool in feeling and overall gray. If that is your intent and you decide on painting , from your original color go two shades darker. But whatever you do, give yourself time and do lots of samples on poster board so that you can view what the color does during the different times of the day. And bring home wallpaper books to see what works in the space.
Also, please keep in mind the advice you receive from the professionals on houzz will be based on our experience and training. When we give suggestions we are following the elements and principals of design.
Do you have plans in the future for a buffet or another furniture piece for your Dining room wall ? You have the space for it and if so this needs to be factored into your design.
Another thing that would help hide the vent would be to invest in a very large tree sized palm tree that would go almost to the ceiling-- you have the space for this too.
And where is the chandelier in the Dining Room ? You need one ! An electrician could possibly wire one in going off the existing lighting.
You have an elegant space and have a good start with what you have done, keep working at it remembering how you want the end result to "feel".

On the stenciling... Cindy, did you use a stenciling brush with a mostly dry brush and "pounce" the paint on ? It sounds like you had too much paint on your brush if you had uneven edges. From my experience in the past with stenciling, after you dab the end of the special stenciling brush in the paint, you dab the brush onto paper towels so that the brush isn't too wet. Then very carefully stencil the edges of the design.

I'd use a heavily textured wall covering and paint the vent the same color. The texture would hide the vent.

I used a roller for my stencils. Cutting Edge sells a sponge roller kit that works very well. I rolled onto paper towels after rolling in paint to remove some of the paint before I rolled onto the wall. My stencil turned out with pretty crisp lines but there were some imperfect areas. I truly think that this is the nature of stencils though. I also think that once the whole wall is completed that you see the wall as a whole instead of focusing on the small imperfections. Once you layer in accessories it really minimizes any imperfections. I just removed several yards of wallpaper in my house and simply cannot imagine putting any new wallpaper up to have to remove at a later date. If you are like me, you like to change things in your home periodically and it is such an inexpensive, dramatic change when you can just paint. Good luck!

Thank you Kim for the wonderful ideas! When I did the stencils, I actually bought the tool kit from Cutting Edge and used the small roller to apply the paint. I did the dabbing on paper towel thing but I guess the paint was still too much, I think your idea of using a brush is better, I’ll try next time.
Back to the design of the room, as I mentioned earlier, I didn’t intent to make the room cool and gray, it all started from my blue/beige rug, hence the blue ceiling, blue sofa, beige chairs and green/blue dining chairs. I made a mistake of picking a very light taupe for the walls making the room dark and cool during the day even w/ the pink/purple accessories. That’s why I want to do wallpaper or artwork to add more interest to the room. There r only 2 walls I can work on, the dining rm wall and the hallway wall, I want to do wallpaper on one and artwork/mirror(s) on another. Culbertson Durst’s comments made me think that maybe I shouldn’t paper the dining rm wall, I’ll do a set of 3 paintings to tie in the colors or a large oval mirror hung horizontally as most of ppl here suggested. I think there’s a benefit to paper the hallway wall. I found that if I only put a mirror above the chest in the hallway, my eyes end there and it feels a separate space from the living rm on the other side. Once I put up the arrangement of art and mirrors, my view extends to the end of the hallway and in the meantime making me feel that the living rm extend all the way to the hallway. U r right, the arrangement did seem too many for the chest and the chair below. Now I’m thinking maybe the wallpaper/stencils will solve the dilemma, I probably can paper the whole wall so my view extends all the way to the end and I’ll just put a mirror on top of the chest so it won’t overwhelm the furniture below. A simplified damask is a terrific idea! Actually, if I do artworks for my dining rm wall, I can also do an antique-finish mirrored wall for the entry way, this is probably a better idea as it could open up the narrow end of the room but I guess the mirrored wall probably gonna cost a lot so I’m gonna stick w/ wallpaper (or stencils if it works).
My dining rm does have space, it actually looks quite sparse comparing to living rm, but since the round table is right underneath the rounded ceiling, I wonder anything I put against the wall would push the table off the center, am I thinking too much? Maybe I can find a thinner buffet, sth like a console w/o the drawers. I’m also looking for a sm table or an otterman to fill the space in front of the bay window. Yes, the chandelier !

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Here is something I do for my clients when I am designing window treatments that would be helpful with your initial issue -- make four or more large (full paper sized) prints of the first picture you printed on regular paper , black and white is okay (with your copier). Then you can try out different looks by drawing in a wall paper design. Do this on both sides of the column. Also use some of these copies to try out different accessory looks-- mirrors versus art work. To see how a buffet or other furniture piece will work in the Dining Room , you can draw the room to scale on graph paper and make some paper templates of your existing table and chairs and different sized buffets. You can also use painters blue masking tape on the floor to simulate how much space the buffet will occupy.
You don't need to necessarily worry about your table being centered in the room. The table and chair group can be centered on one of the walls to accommodate the furniture piece -- the wall you see looking in from the Living room area. By placing a buffet on this wall it will "ground" what ever
art work or mirror you decide to go with. It will also add to the function of the room.
I know wallpaper is scary for a lot of people, but it is coming back strong in the design world and if any space was screaming for a large scaled pattern, this space is. And it would look great going down that long hallway along with the two walls in the dining room. I personally would not want to do that much stenciling.
It would be great, whatever you do to try to bring some of the mint green into the Living room to tie the areas closer together.

I read like to thank everyone for your inspiring ideas! And I'm glad I find a community that I can share my passion with. Thank you thank you thank you!

Thank you Kim for the advice! Testing on paper before doing anything is a good idea, I can also try photoshop. I'm crazy about wallpaper, I always do. Did u mean wallpapering both walls?

I don't think you can wallpaper your vent! That's crazy talk!
I do think wallpaper would be a great look - and after you paper, have a faux-finisher come in an replicate the look of the wallpaper on the vent.

How do the patterns of wallpaper in the attached pics look to u? I'm thinking about taupe tone-on-tone to match the existing wall color. If stencil works, maybe use the same paint or one shade darker w the highest gloss for the stencil (the existing paint has a matte finish), or maybe metallic paint, does it sound too conservative to u? I want to incorporate the blue and green but I don't know how to do it. I fear it's going to be too busy. Oh, my entry wall is not straight against the ceiling either (see pic) but it doesn't have partial moldings as the dining rm wall does, so maybe it won't look weird when it's papered??

Cindy, I would do one of two choice --
Wallpaper both upper walls in the Dining room (the wall the vent is on and the window wall.
Or wallpaper the long entry wall in addition to the two walls in the Dining Room.
I think if you only wall paper the one wall with the vent on it, it will not be enough.

Palindrome. Would you like me to take a picture of my cold air duct vent with wallpaper on it? It is not crazy and I don't think I am crazy as I look at it with wallpaper on it. Maybe they don't do that kind of work in the area where you live but they do in mine. Thanks for the kind words!! It is not crazy talk my dear!

Thank u very much Kim!

Bev - Of course, you can do whatever you like to your home. "Crazy talk" may have been too strong - 'not recommended' may have been a better choice of words. Effects of covering a return: http://www.ehow.com/way_5911877_can-cold-air-return-vent_.html

Thanks palindrome. Yes, your language could be more gentle. I have had a register covered for about six years if not longer and still holding up well. For years I have had vents covered with no problem and I am surprised how people were unaware of it. My vents are not completely covered. The slats are left open yet each slat has paper on the lip of it. I have it on only one room vent so hopefully it does not affect the whole house. It is not stopping air flow because the air is able to come through. i never meant to suggest covering the whole vent preventing air flow. That is even strange to conceive. Good to know and thanks for the link. I will read it thoroughly. So I still think it would be ok to put paper on the border of the vent. Wouldnt you agree it is safe to do so?

And palindrome I would not be so crazy to cover a vent. I come on here innocently making suggestions but then have to be addressed in such a manner, all the more from an educated person. I would suggest it is not recommended to be condescending but,perhaps that was not intended.

I think if you separated the mirrors with a little bit of space equally between them along the wall and paint the vent the same color as the wall you have a perfect room

Palindrome Design, LLC and bevballew,

We have just witnessed the difference between a gracious acceptance of a sincere apology and a rant.

Cindy,

I absolutely love the two papers you posted. I also love the blue ceilings which will reflect in the metallic paper giving you the blue-green effect you are after. As for the wall extension past the column and header, with no crown...it is what it is...I wouldn't let this little issue dictate the overall look of your dining space. It definitely would not bother me to see the paper to the ceiling with no crown on one side of the column.

As for the vent...with one of the papers you posted, perhaps a metallic finish grate- either a new one in polished nickel, chrome or whatever matches the paper background or paint in a metallic finish.

You have a really beautiful home!!

p

Palindrome and bevballew, it all started w/ my question so it's my bad, you both are just trying to help me, I don't think any of you meant to say anything hurtful so pleaaaase don't take it too seriously (that includes all fellow houzzers). We should be having fun here and helping each other.

In your hallway there are four panels before you hit the beam. I feel like that area should be hall. It looks like the mirror over the Asian piece is the same as the three in the dining room. My suggestion is to hang the four mirrors over the four panels. Do not extend after that beam.

Before you decide on wallpaper (of which I am a big fan) paint your vent the wall color. It will disappear. Leaving your wall the color it is now, find a spectacular paper and frame it as if it is art work. I like the fact that one color runs through your rooms. And I like the wallpaper idea, but would rather see it applied with your existing wall color around it.

Something like this, but running horizontally.

Not at all, wallpaper is a great idea!! Maybe a floral or paisley. You could might paint the vent a color from the wallpaper to make it less noticeable. You could probably paper the vent. Others have suggested a decorative vent cover. Those are great for the floor, but might make it stick out even more on the wall. If it's not too big expense, you might even see if the vent could me moved. I'd look at Seabrook, Thibaut, or Ronald Redding for wallpaper. If I can help you anymore, feel free to email me- msherrer@earthlink.net.

Thanks Cindy. You are a gem. I did not see an apology but that is ok. That is what I thought. It should be fun. I was just trying to help. It was good info about vents.

Thank u Bevballew!

Thanks to all your help, I'm definitely gonna paper/paint the vent and paper the walls. I'm just a little hesitant on which wall(s) to paper. The attached pic shows the view from the entrance, the space is a one big rm. The pic is distorted a little, it's really a long narrow rm, w/ the hallway on left, and first the living rm and then the dining rm on right. If I paper the entry wall on the left and the two dining rm walls, it'll only leave the living walls, will that break the feel of one big rm? In addition, there's no clear boundary between living and dining rm, if I paper the dining rm window wall, it'll extend to the living rm window, but it doesn't extend over too much so I guess it might be ok. So if I don't paper the above 3 walls, I'm hesitant on whether to paper the 2 dining rm walls, just the dining wall w the vent or just the long entry wall on the left.

If the column in the living room attaches to the wall, stop the paper on the dining room side. If the column does not attach, then just paper the long entry way wall and the dining room wall with the vent.

My pleasure cindy! you are sweet! That is what I thought. I would paper the dr room wall with the vent and the entry way wall. Both papers you showed above are absolutely gorgeous. Hopefully they match the paint so you do not have to paint.

I’d really like to thank everyone of you for taking time helping me! Your ideas and suggestions are truly inspiring! This is my first time using Houzz Discussions, when I put the question out, I didn’t expect to receive anything. Your pouring responses really touch my heart, I feel so blessed! Kim, you’ve written to me so much, and Village Design Group, you even posted your email address, I almost wanted to ask you:”hey, don’t you remember that you are supposed to charge by hour? Don’t you know that I’m just a stranger?”. I really want to thank every one of you, too bad that I cannot leave notes to every comment. All I can do here is to write to all of you and thank you for making me feel a part of a big family.
I'll do as you suggested and post the pics when I'm done. It'll be OUR project!

Cindy, you are so welcome. Yes, I do charge by the hour, but you caught my attention in between projects. I was happy to be of help to you , have fun and I can't wait to see your after pictures :)

Can't wait to see! Have fun!:)

That is a beautiful room! I would say no wallpaper. I don't think it would look good with all the beautiful paneling!

I think wallpaper would overwhelm the room, maybe place 3 medium size pieces of artwork...11x14 size in place of the mirrors. Can't wail to see the end the result, the wall color is very calm and soothing.

A vent can be covered with wallpaper. Cover the entire vent. Then each louvre is carefully cut with a zacto knife, and strips of paper are on the louvres. The paper was on the vents for years. Heating and air are not blocked.

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