see? put a comment and everyone comes in.

I don't know exactly where you are on fun, but if you have not looked you might want to try spoonflower. all hand designed, can even design your own.

Are you keeping the furniture in there and the art? If so, I would remove the wallpaper and not do any wallpaper. there is enough going on in the room. Things look really dark, so I would be inclined to lighten things up. Things just look kind of cramped, so the more "open" airy you can get the better, imo. But it might be you like the darker look?

Yes , I am keeping the furniture. I bought it 10
Years ago after saving for years. At the time I had a huge formal dining room in a large old four square downtown. Now this is a much smaller room but I'm never parting with my table. It is a dark room on the front of the house. I'm hoping that the crystal chandelier will add more light. The China cabinet is filled with my China and crystal so I really need that piece in there but there is nothing else. The Windows also have wooden cornices on them (this house was filled with them, the previous lady of the house must have loved them) which may block the light. I intended to remove them but some people that come in beg me to keep them in the Dr and just paint them.

Pic of table with pad 1/2 off (I keep it covered here lately bc of the number of kids here. All teens but drop their stuff down and I don't want a scratch.) and a pic of the other side of DR with cornices. And a pic of all my wallpaper samples! I can not make a decision! I'm 53 yo and should be better at this I think. This is not my gift. Ha

You're headed down the wrong road with those blue colors. You need something that has a touch of turquoise or teal to pull the right color blue from the rug.

Yes, I agree and also I realize that the patterned ones are too busy. I'm looking at grasscloth in aqua colors now.

That table is stunning and you have a beautiful set of furniture. Don't blame you for wanting to keep it. The cornices are blocking a LOT of light and they look heavy and old. You are keeping many interesting elements and that is fine, but those, they need to be removed and you can put some lovely drapery at those windows. From my screen, I can see where you might lean toward a blue, aqua or green. But you might want to test a nice "coral" color. On my monitor (and they are not accurate) There seems to be a sort of soft coral note that might be worth playing with and be a bit different and brighter than the blues or greens. Just a thought. I am looking my SW paint fan deck and take a look at 018 Monticello Peach. What does your china pattern look like? Do you have silver? Or gold? Do you have gold or silver candlesticks? I also just check the SW Historic Interior colors and check out SW 0025 Rosedust. It might be very pretty with your rug and be more "historical" in nature. Just some ideas. Your light in your space is most important. Is the chandelier you mention, antique gold? Or silver?

Rosedust might be too dark in your room, but Coral Bead is bright. Notice the color combo's they suggest, with the teal, grays, so something along this line could be really pretty. And a bit different.

Here is Monticello Peach.

I vote paint. light gray behind China cabinet will make it stand out.. can not tell if wain coating is beige or light green. if beige, good. if green, the gray will not do. I too love sherwin williams paint deck.. nice furniture and rug. I am sure you will work it out.

If you opt for wallpaper I would not go with a pattern -- it will compete with your busy rug. Consider a textural grasscloth -- see below.

The chandelier is Murano glass and crystal, I think it has gold touches but not many it is very crystalled out. I like the idea of the Rose Dust or coral. I am painting the wainscoting the same color as all the rest of our trim which is SW Alabaster. The current paint was the old trim paint that had been up since 1978 and it has yellowed with age.

the Chandelier looks like a bigger version of this one.

following along

• I love the coral or rose idea! My LR rug has those colors as well and it is visible from the DR. The 2 rugs go together well. Trying to find a better photo of LR rug. The paint color in this room is Riverway by SW with Silvermist on the ceiling. My original plan was to do Silvermist in DR and then I started to think it was boring and started looking at wallpaper. Loving all your ideas!
• 

Because it is so dark in there, what about if I do a tone on tone wallpaper and then maybe some coral or teal silk drapes? Like this?

I love it, but I would go stronger on the coral. But weaving the two rooms together in this way would be beautiful! Glad you like these ideas.

I think if you could move the China cabinet to the wall you face upon entering the room it would feel more open. It looks like you would have room. The painting would work opposite the China cabinet if it would fit? SW Alabaster is a great trim color for you as well. The chandelier will be stunning! Drapery in the Alabaster would be beautiful and lend a crisp feel along with the wainscoting with perhaps a leading edge tassel trim with coral and teal colors. At the holidays you could have gold, white and pearly ornaments in large bowl on table for a spectacular room and in the living room do a tree with white, gold, rose and peach. Totally gorgeous. I can't recall the fabric you mentioned for the wingback chair, but I could see an off-white chenille on the back side and a rose print on the inside. Lots of wonderful options.

oh man! that sounds great. I wish I could find a corally rosey grasscloth.

I'll hunt for one.

Pennie, I think you are better at this then you give yourself credit for! I love the colors you have chosen so far! I definitely think you need to remove cornices. Tell your friend that loves them that they can have them. I love the idea of going with alabaster chair rail, grass cloth that pulls from the silvermist, riverway family. I would not do any more pattern. Texture from the grasscloth is always good.

I personally would have to see a picture of your DR with Coral in it before I made that leap.

I would think hard about grasscloth in the dining room especially if you are able to move the china cabinet. It is very expensive, and getting just the right color will be difficult. Not impossible and if you are set on that here are a few I have found in colors that might work.

this color is hard to discern from this photo, but might be worth getting a sample.

This is more "rosey" shade.

this is more rosey tone. I wouldn't pay attention to the names. Names have nothing to do with colors. You need samples and test them in your light.

Sorry - Houzz has been having posting problems for several days so this went in duplicate!

This isn't grass cloth, but might make an interesting wall behind the china cabinet (if you move it) or on that wall in any case. Might be enough to do since you have the wainscoting.

I saw that one and am ordering some samples. Thanks so much. The rosey tone might be better with the rugs IRL anyway. I wanted the overall look to be soft since the room opens onto the kitchen with Aloof Gray (def green gray).

Yes, the corals would go very nicely with your grays. Plus the "formal" part of the house (dining and living) can be more "traditional" to meet your "entry" design and then as you go back to the rear of the house it can get more modern and still all work together. A tray with some of the corals and maybe something darker gray would tie the two spaces together easily as well. Something that could be seen through the French Door from the dining room, with perhaps a small vase and coral roses, or something like that. Just a touch will do it.

Inspiration. Dark furniture, mahogany table, white wainscoting, crystal chandelier and coral paint above wainscoting along with a rug that is similar in colors to yours. A larger room than yours, but yours can be just as lovely.

This looks like your furniture! Almost. Same concept, china cabinet facing entry to room, coral paint with white trim and wainscoting. I'm not crazy about the green chair seats, I would do lighter tone on tone seats, but that is up to you.

Light entry and dusty rose above white wainscoting. Dark traditional furniture. You get the idea. Enjoy!

How gorgeous Flo! Love that!

Just following along and love the beautiful dining furniture! Also love the idea of coral grasscloth. Saw this so thought you might like it;)

Just wanted to pop in with an idea.

When I did my moms dining room, wallpaper was too busy for the room. So we taped off 12" sections and alternated matte and eggshell finishes. It looks really amazing...she chose a blue gray, but point is, paint is easy to match to a rug...

I love all of those!! Thanks so much!

Pick a striped paper in soft versions of several colours from that outstanding rug.

Why not just pull the taupey gray color From the rug for the walls...add damask fabric pinch pleated drapes in a ivory from the rug...it will help the rug have a more contemporary look like your renovations mixed with the traditional style of your dining furniture and rug....SW Poised Taupe

Saw this paper and thought it looked nice with your rug. I still love the idea of coral grasscloth though;)! What could be better with those lovely chairs and a bit of chinoiserie thrown in?

One of these might work. It's an Arts & Crafts pattern, but might be a good fit with the more modern updates in the other rooms.

http://www.burrows.com/norwood/rose.html

Pennie - hope we haven't driven you off! We just all get excited about interesting spaces like yours! :)

No no not driven off! I dealt with my menopause insomnia looking at coral colors. I want to find the name of the coral grasscloth on the photo above with the blue and white vases!

That was on Pinterest. I was looking at the Thibaut site , they have these in a large # of colors.

This would be beautiful...

I'm trying to see that up close! Looks pretty. I'm going to try to find it on gilt.

It's a James Kenneth design....

You might want to try Phillip Jeffries. They have a very large selection of textures and colors!

This is SUCH a beautiful place! Love the furniture! If you go with something along the coral lines this would look great:

For the grey look:

If you keep pursuing wallpaper, we have $5 samples and free shipping:

https://www.wallshoppe.com/

The first photo included the fabric of a pillow I had made to coordinate with this rug when it was in the LR of another house. The color on that pillow might be perfect actually.

Oh and Flo, one of those is Rose Dust.

Interesting! I think "Rose" (My mother's name btw) is calling to us!

top left is Rosedust.