I would go with all the comments above that voted for the SILVER! I would for sure go with the silver!

Gorgeous colour!

Looks yummy, and yes, we'd love to see more photos!

Beautiful! Excellent choice! I can't wait to see more pictures.

Thanks so much everyone! It's a deal then, I will post more photos when the chandelier and sconces are in!

I'm glad you didn't add anything to the backs of the chairs. I think it would have been a little too much. Thank you for sharing!

I had been wondering what happened? Would love to see your progress!

Hello there,
At long last, I am posting an update on our dining room. We chose an antique Japanese panel as artwork on the main wall that we think ties well to an original modern piece we already owned. We still need to find something tall for the ends of the console, some made to measure tablecloths and something to add some interest to the corners.... But we are really happy with the way it has turned out so far. Suggestions for what should come next would be welcome.

I like the ideal of a couple of tall bronze vases - one at each end.

I would love to see some color on the walls, perhaps the soft aqua from the painting. A rug to darken the floor would be great too. Also, is your chandelier on a dimmer? I like to see a chandelier lit very softly with more ambient light coming from wall washers or lamps. Also, if your table is pretty, maybe get placemats and great napkins instead of table cloths. I have an addiction to Kim Siebert linens. They are pricey, but so delicious.

You can buy fabric and reupholster them! Maybe a fun, bright color, or a pattern would look nice as well.

Chairs turned out quite nice without hardware on back.

FYI if you worry the "door knocker" would get pulled, that's likely the intended function, seen usually in high traffic situations like fancy schmancy hotels/supper clubs/restaurants, so you could pull a chair away from the table without putting messy fingers all over expensive difficult to clean fabrics. Nowadays with stronger chemicals, more durable fabrics and a need to change looks every few years it's not seen as much. But "back in the day" things that were decorative usually had a practical purpose at their origin.

That's very interesting, countbla! It's wonderful to know that the beautiful decorative piece on the back of the chairs actually had a purpose.

like the wood of table to show rather than a tablecloth

I, too, like the wood to show, but when it's about to be used, I think that a tablecloth and protective pads underneath, can be a good idea.

Are you going to use the dining room everyday? If not, take the tablecloth off. It makes the table disappear into the walls. That chandy is gorgeous. So is your artwork! Still thinking on the items to go on the console...... :))

Love that chandelier, and the chairs did come out lovely. The rest of the room needs a bit more punching up but it's lovely.

Ok, I guess I am going to get blasted but I think the room has nice things but somehow they are not talking to each other. It appears disjointed to me. There was a warmth in the inspiration picture you orignally showed. Can you still paint the walls( at least the back wall with the Japanese Screen) like a pale Grey Blue. It will also allow the chandelier( which is very pretty) to be more readily seen. Can the drapes be embellished with some trim like a flat tape with a greek key in blue? The blue of teh chairs is very nice and should be repeated in teh room in small ways.I know I am going against the tide but houzz is about expressing ideas and making us look at things critcially. I in no way mean to insult or hurt feelings.

No one should be doing any blasting, Maison Pompei. You are not being rude. The walls do need more colour, to make the chandelier sing.

You're looking for something tall to put at each end of the console and you also need to add additional sources of light and not depend solely on the chandelier. So tall buffet lamps seem the right answer.

Love the artwork and the chairs are gorgeous ! Take a better photograph if you can that shows the vibrant color of your chairs so that other people can see that there is quite a bit of color in the room because the photo doesn't show how striking the chairs really are. We can then help you with other ideas for the room. Beautiful room so far !

Your chairs came out absolutely gorgeous! Great color, and they look so comfortable too.

Nice job...agree with the previous comment about the pic not capturing the color of the room, but think that it would further benefit from a tablecloth in a more vibrant color (from the panels or artwork)

The room looks more eclectic than transitional/ traditional. The vision seemed to have shifted from the inspiration picture which had a more distinct European feel. There is now an overwhelming amount of white or light color on the floors (carpet?) as opposed to the herringbone wood floors in the inspiration photo which I love and which provided warmth and texture. It's hard to make suggestions because I find it hard to tell what the underlying style direction is from the current items which presumably must all stay. The Japanese panels are quite distinct from the red canvas.

Please remove tablecloth. Dates the room. Add tall narrow lamps on each ends of console. Careful to hide cords. Add big palms in corners in big gold leaf pots on sides of screen. Remove small item from console. Add 3 gold and silvers pots to dining table, various heights and shapes. Chandelier very nice. Not sure color of chairs? Look black on computer.

Lamps on console should have cobalt blue shades like in screen.

I would still like to have some gold type hardware on chair back. Place a big gold Buddha in center of console. To tie in with screen.

Under console table, place 3 square ottomans in red from your picture, if they could have gold trim. that would make the console look more finished. Place all chairs at your table. None in corners.

Instead of palms, if you want. the idea about very tall 4-5 ft gold leaf urns in corners would work. Nothing in them. Place n each side of screen.

A nice area rug would be nice. Plants in the corners also like a snake plant or Asian Lily. Both are very pretty and would add interest ot the space. The lily blooms in spring and both are easy to maintain!

Hello all and thank you for all of the suggestions! Love the suggestion for buffet lamps Carolins, you are right that we need additional light sources. Urns or plants in the corners will also warm up the room and fill it out a bit - we'll have to keep our eyes open for those!

For those suggesting more color on the walls, anything is possible, so let's see. I will talk to our decorator about it.

Thanks Mark for mentioning the existing colors too, it's true that the posted pictures were taken at night after our holiday guests had gone to bed. I will add some daytime photos.

For those who asked, yes, we do use the dining room for each meal, and as it is indeed a beautiful table we will likely stick with (nicer, more colorful and luxurious) tablecloths for a while. Your comments did make me pull out some placemats though and consider using them for tea time. It's something to mull over, maybe we'll try it and like it!

I will keep this list of great suggestions to refer to as we move forward, and drop the group an update from time to time as we feather this nest.

A pair of Art Deco torcheres on either side of the Japanese screen would help tie the items together. A pair of Pagodas or tuliperes grouped on one side of the console and then a nice lamp on the other end will soften some of the symmetry. I suspect that this room opens up to the LR. If it does not then can the ceiling be painted or silver or gold leafed? I would love a rug in the room but, over the carpet it would be difficult and ball up when chairs are moved over it. You would forever be straightening it out. As I study the room I think that the room is in two planes because the chair backs are low. So the two planes are the table console plane and then the art work plane. I would like to somehow layer the planes so they overlap each other. I think that is why I suggested the accent wall in a color that would unify everything top to bottom as well as allow the chandelier to help with the layering. Another way to join the two planes is to put a verticle band of trim on the drapes and let them go straight up and down and not tied together. In General I dont go for accent walls but in this case it might just work. Food for thought.

kamilen, I think this room is really coming along. Do you have the possibility of building out the drape valance a bit farther so that the drapes won't be squashed up against the radiator? They look so sad, not like their glorious selves at all.... If you can't build out the valance, then at least take off the ties so it won't be so obvious that the drapes are bent.
I also agree with others, you need more light sources to bounce the ambience around.

Good choice to have chairs made without ornamentation. Love the Japanese screen. You have a perfect blue in the art work to work with your chairs. Nice to hear that husband is
so enthusiastic about furnishings. Makes for fun and nice memories.

Hello all,
We just wanted to say thank you for all of your ideas and add a few photos now that we've made a bit more progress on the room.

Following a couple of your great suggestions:

We added a pair of antique Japanese vases (from the 30's, we're told). The carved rosewood stands are Chinese.

Our designer helped us choose a beautiful pair of dark bronze Vaughn lamps with custom shades (although we didn't go colorful on the shades).

We are still thinking about color on either the walls or the ceiling, and at some point new drapes, but we are not yet ready to pull the trigger yet.

Thanks again for your input; we are loving how things are coming along!

Nice progress. However, the lamps seem to be placed too close to the ends of the console. I would move them each another 6" in from the ends of the console.

I agree that I would move the lamps over a bit as well as the jars on stands

Gorgeous chairs, lovely room! I agree with an earlier comment that wall color could make it even better -- but ONE WALL. One wonderful color on the wall where your oriental art piece is hanging.

Hello all,
We have made a few changes to the dining room, so I thought I would do a little update post.

We returned the previous Japanese screen and bought a larger one with more muted colors. We also replaced the old curtains with some gorgeous silk ones in a sage-y color.

We are starting to think that in the winter we may need a bit more light, so we are testing out the lamps from the buffet in the corners to see if we should try to find a taller pair there. Any thoughts ?

I know I still need to get something more fabulous in terms of a tablecloth. I would have removed it before posting, but tonight we are hosting a small dinner party.

I really liked the screen that you had because it would have tied in so lovely with the blue chairs and your new green drapes. If you feel that you need additional lighting I would take away the tables and lamps and purchase floor lamps. Something without shades. I can't quite find what I really like but something like these that would give a soft light but simple in style.

lovely room - wonderful to see originality.

@Mark, thanks for your comments. We too loved the original panels, but something that @MaisonPompeiiAntiques said about the two planes in the room really resonated with my husband and I.

We tried to bridge the gap by adding vases on the stands, or later by adding the Kentia palms, but in the end we came to the conclusion that the original panels were just too small. Now that we've changed we are really happy with the proportions in the room. In a way everything else in the room has taken a backseat to the current antique panel, and the overall impression is more harmonious.

That being said, we'd both like your suggested lamps - who makes them?

The room is starting to have an old Shanghai art deco feel. I suggest a pair of art deco floor or table lamps, modern Asian silk lantern lamps or if you are up for more dramatic impact, lotus lamps.

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The lamps on the back wall seem to diminutive and I am bothered by the lack of color. I can see Delft tulip vases working there. Or large cobalt blue vases.

Thanks @bellesum, your lamp suggestions are super! Will dig a bit deeper and see what we can find locally along similar lines!

I love your room. The new screen is the definite wow factor. Bravo. Congratulations on taking your time and finding interesting pieces in creating your home. Well done.

Thanks @mcdmb3, time really is the operative word! Scrolling back through the post made me realize we've been in the house for a full year already. It has both flown and crept by!

I think the room looks really great. The new screen is beautiful and does not looked forced like the last one. The drapes are very nice as well. Do push those stands a little more toward the center so they overlap the screen just a little. It is all about layering! Congratulations on a beautiful room.

Hello @Maisonpompeii,
We got professional photos done so I wanted to drop back in with a final thanks. We sold the apartment and bought a house so I will probably be back on the dilemma boards soon!