A large mirror or a mirror collage' will help reflect light in a dark room...good luck!

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if wallpaper is too much to cover a full room, you can break it up by adding custom wainscoting, craftsman style

I don't think that its too much to wallpaper all 4 walls ,if we go back in time rooms were decorated in that style and in respect to that furniture it is more than okay :) The only thing that is in question is the cost of wallpapering a room

Keep searching for photos here too brook, they really give you ideas for mixing and matching patterns.

and don't forget to have fun!

You got such beautiful dinning table and chairs!
I wouldn't go for patterned wallpaper in a small room lacking natural light.

What I would do is try to figure out a color scheme starting from the chairs: maybe a greyish green or a light golden paint. I would keep the dinning room light , airy and elegant instead of bold and busy. But this is up to one's taste.

Hang a great chandelier above the dinning table and matching candle sticks with candles on the radiator cover and a vase with flowers, or vintage hourglass - endless possibilities :)
A big mirror above the radiator cover and great piece of art art on the fireplace or viceversa. If you choose to hang art over the radiator cover you could also add a picture light to enhance it and to add soft lighting .
Or you could use wall sconces
Or the mirror above the console you already have. and the vase with flowers. and on the radiator cover the candlesticks and some brass fruit bowl or antique silver

Shop Thrift stores for great bargains or Flea Markets.
I would also paint the inside of the fireplace in darker color and fill it with candles if this works or put logs in.

Take your time and dream about it!

Here's a chandy just a bit more shabby than chic., and a couple of delicate vintage wallpapers

The pattern on your chairs is not overpowering at all ,if someone could load the photos of them to have a visual it would be wonderful ,I don't have a clue how to do this :(.

Genevieve, the second photo is a close-up of the chair fabric - is that what you mean? It definitely is not an overpowering pattern, it is beautiful and delicate and my concern would be putting other patterns near it that would overpower the chairs.

I found this chandelier and I just had to show it to you :)

Beyond frames - that is really lovely. Is there a rule of thumb as to how many arms according to the size of the room? I'm wondering if this might be a little too big.

There are some general guidelines when it comes to choosing a chandelier but as far as number of arms I'd say that having more arms is just a matter of light level , not size - they just determine its lighting capacity - the more arms the brighter the interior will be. As these are chandeliers without lamp shades ( which would absorb part of the light) something to be considered is the room capacity to absorb light : matt and textured surfaces and dark wood,dark colored walls absorb more light as opposite to light colored or shiny surfaces.

I'd say that going for a chandelier that is too small is way worth than having too much light - the last one could be easily corrected with dimmers when needed.

As far as the size concerns the chandelier that goes above a dinning table shouldn't be greater that the total width of the dinning table and the lowest point of the chandelier should hang at least 30 inches above the table's surface.
But here on Houzz more knowledgable houzzers could give an advice.

I have heard, both here on Houzz and elsewhere, that the general rule of thumb for sizing the chandelier is the size of the diameter of the light fixture should not be greater than one-half the width of the table. So if your table is 48", the light fixture should be about 24."

Thank you ladies, that is really interesting and always handy to know. My home is too modern for a chandelier but I just bought a new pendant for over my dining room table. I followed the "rules" for hanging, but it is driving me up the wall as I constantly bang my head on it whenever I go to reach across the table for anything - my table is currently being used for curtain making, my No 1 priority just now. I think I'm too much of a klutz to always follow the rules.

Move your table out from under it when making your curtains, LOL!

Don't have enough room - life wasn't meant to be easy!!! :)

brook5y, nice find! Congrats! Your home looks wonderful to me. Consider painting the fireplace for an accent wall. Maybe you could hang a china platter of your choice over it. I can't really tell, but it looks like stucco. I've always loved a dining room with a FP! If you do long panels or maybe shutters at the windows it will help to set that wall up as the focal point of the room. Adding art work will make a huge difference, too. I like a juxtaposition of traditional & contemporary to mix things up a bit. It looks like the buffet is not part of the set. If that's correct, either paint it a contrasting color (orange? emerald green?) or skirt it. What light fixture is in the room right now?

Congrats! Your home looks wonderful to me. Thanks!
http://www.perfectpicturelighting.com/chrome-lights-for-artwork.php

Looking Great! Create Privacy with Pocket Doors and try to highlight Artwork

I'm a bit confused by having a light fixture half of the size of table's diameter . I' m a visual, so I might be wrong, but this rule makes things a bit more complicated : following it when choosing the chandelier it might become a pain (think rectangle) or always doing math (or overquestioning ) whenever we find a chandelier that we like ; and it's also easy to get a chandelier that is too small being afraid not to go over that magic half size....
Another rule that makes a lot of sense to me is having a light fixture that is about 12 inches narrower than the width of the table it's hanging over. ( no math here - just keep in mind that the chandelier has to be a bit smaller than the dinning table)
Bottom line I think the chandelier shouldn't be greater than the dinning table, shouldn't overpower the room but also shouldn't be too small, lost in space ; should hang high enough and match the overall design.
I understand the chandelier as jewelry for an evening dress :)

Beyond Frames - I am always fascinated by the "rules" (who actually makes the rules anyway??), but I like to know what is considered right as a guide. Getting proportions right with respect to anything in a room is important, but, like you, I prefer visual. When shopping though it is hard to visualise and this is when the 'rules' come in handy. Unfortunately we don't enjoy good return policies.

I think the issue is a combo of proportion and comfort. Diners will feel more comfortable if they don't get the impression that something is hanging over their heads. That is why you leave a 1/4 of the table all around for the place settings to be out from under the fixture. I have seen some really oversized ones that look great in photos, but wonder how they work in a real dining situation.

Garray Inc.. Most dining rooms lack definition. I would suggest installing a chair rail at the height of the top of the rad cover, and architectural mouldings in squares or rectangles below the chair rail. Paint the lower part of your walls in a warm white. Compliment your chair fabric with a bold (larger pattern)wallpaper. I favour an eclectic approach, and would probably opt for track lighting with a number of halogen spotlights which can be strategically placed to light the table surface but also used to throw light on artwork (wall washers).

like your comments until the lighting....crystal chandelier or a pendant light would work best for this small space

The lighting "rule of thumb" only applies if there are no tall people in the household. Never hang it so low that the tallest person can bump or look down into it (if a drum, for instance.) The fact that you're bumping your head calls for raising it a "smidge."

Get a chandelier, put a mantle over the fireplace w/ color related items that go w/ the chair coverings & a carpet to ground it all. Put candle holders of various shapes & sizes on the table itself. The room is a nice size but get rid of that buffet & please put your sneakers away.

Well great buy on the table and chairs, I would use this color paint on the walls, and then paint the mantle something bright and more blue as a little whimsy. Like the color of the candlesticks. Paint the radiator cover the same as the walls. I would put candlesticks on the table like the color in the picture I posted. And a brown rug to pull out the color of your table. It would be similiar to the picture I posted but more along the lines of shabby chic.

I forgot a picture :) It's hard to tell what color the chair fabric is so you might want to try out some paint swatches on the wall to see how they look with light and the fabric of the chairs.

On the mantle you might want to put something like this. I will also post the link how to make it. http://www.craftberrybush.com/2012/09/burlap-canvas-and-hydrangeasa-fall.html Sorry I took up three posts lol.

Here is a great chandelier. :) Pottery Barn called Celeste.

Small rooms like this must have wallpaper! It costs more but would make this room come together.

carygrant, have you ever taken & posted any pix of your own home? Be nice! It's not as easy as you think...

everyone has posted soem very nice suggestions...

I like the decor pieces by beyondframes.. just the right colour...
And like the wall paper by Genevieve as it has your chair upholstery colour as well as the small contrasting colour from the chairs only.. a fine printed, two coloured (one cheery colour in 10% & the other complimenting your chairs' upholstery) wallpaper alone would do wonders for your room. it'll look classy and welcoming..
And i like the chandelier by decoenthusiaste for your room. as it isn't overpowering yet fancy, but a little too long though.. Like the size of chandelier by quantumnerd though..
Came across these:
nice dining table & chairs! or a feature wall in this: rest paint.. You could do opposite walls in wall paper and the two opposite in some nice light greenish/teal paint..

okay, this is wallpaper overload, but i will share it anyway :p *sorry* :) hope you don't mind.. nine in all..

how about a mirror above the radiator cover to make the room appear larger? and golden/silver matte paint on the radiator cover after the wall paper is decided..

you could also go the coral/orange wall paper way too.. that colour being picked up from the dots in teh chair upholstery.. looking forward to your transition! Good luck!

There's some great ideas & suggestions. My boyf has already got me a chandelier & I love some of the accessories suggestest but its the wallpaper/paint I'm struggling with. I'm even considering selling the table & chairs now cause I just can't work out how to do the walls.
The pics on this website are incredible & I like so many but think I'm stuck cause of the furniture. (& yes the other unit will be going, it's just there for the time being) ; )

That seems a shame to sell it !!!

The wallpaper that Genevieve posted above would be just darling in your dining room. You could do the chair rail as was suggested, paint it and the rest of the trim white, then paper the top half of the wall.

I love the chair rail idea & am defo going to go with this. It's the colours & design of wallpaper. I've bought countless tester pots & some wallpaper samples but have liked anything yet. I'm in the UK & a lot of what's being posted is US so need to see what I can find : )

Sometimes they will ship international, but it will cost you. I hope you find one suitable. Don't sell the dining set, it's so English looking!

Nice furniture. Wainscot the walls, and paint in a light color. For easy wainscot, just add trims on the wall in a panel design and paint the trim and wall white. Above the wainscot paint a darker dramatic color. With the upholstery color, a deep blue would be wonderful. Add a dramatic light fixture. Add a dramatic rug. Glam up the radiator; make it look like a buffet with a nice wood top. Or add a recycled hutch top to it and make it look like a hutch. You need a focal point at the radiator wall. Add some wall sconces on each side. Good luck.

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Also, on our 8' long table I prefer a billiard style light fixture that will give light the length of the table and is narrow and not in the way. Good luck.
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Hi, found a wall paper that should work perfectly in your room.. posting link of room & wallpaper..
It is subtle enough.. matches your uphostery colour.. ornate yet simple.. brings in another colour too (metallic and white).. it'll even work with the idea Nancy Walton mentioned above: http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100629290?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=Sea+Breeze+Large+Floral+Trail+Wallpaper&storeId=10051&superSkuId=203063896&N=5yc1v&R=100629290#.UaWcMKKLDSs

And please don't sell the dining set.. it is perfect in all ways..
Please post some night shots of your room from the kitchen door for better understanding of colours in your room. Also of the new chandelier.

I would put some light colored shabby chic type wallpaper on the walls, some sheer curtains on a pretty pole on the windows, and a nice chandelier with some bling to it. I'm not crazy about rugs in a dining room. Also a few pictures on the wall and I think the room would be perfect.

Don't give up on the wallpaper idea...check out Benjamin Moore's store consultant for suggestions, take a picture of your dining room with furniture and see what ideas/suggestions come back....or go to any other paint store. I am sure people will be willing to help out.

Check out the Phillip Jeffries wallpaper website. Great portfolio pics of ideas.

grasscloth sort is a pretty good idea too..

You can put a print wall paper with the small print in chairs. Just stay in same colors. So get wall paper with blu/green in chairs as background color and a print in creams. Put above a chair rail. Under paint the main color in wallpaper, incl radiator. All trim white. Use silver accents like tall silver candle sticks 3 on table. If a window. Cream satin full panels on each end.

The top two chandeliers by Beyond Frames are nice.