first off,,let me just commend you on picking some beautiful art w/color!

now, let me just now comment on the wall color that does NOTHING to enhance those beautiful colors! Use both paintings, properly spaced, but that wall color has to go.

White, pale, pale silver, pale aqua, pale lilac, lavender,,,anything but that griege dreary gray color. It's sucking the life out of those paintings.

Ok,,think I made my point. lol But love the art and room and what you've done, otherwise.

white wall w/gray undertones, above, white wall below. there's a reason art galleries use white for a backdrop

I would use the one on the left. It is enough

2 is too much, you cannot appreciate them together

I like the art. I like the room. Don't like them together. Sorry : !

Sorry, but I would not use that art in the dining room, the color and design are too strong, almost violent, and the rest of the room is almost without color, so it really stands out in a glaring way. The second picture shown above with a quieter design with blue tones would look nice in your dining room, and the rectangular shape would really look better on your wall, and is another more calming element.

Love the room and the art is great. It just seems overwhelming for the style of the room.

The furniture looks very formal for the kitchen. What does your dining room furniture look like. Maybe they could be switched. btw great art work.

Shane, nice job! You can totally have an eclectic look if you want to use them together. I still don't care for your wall color tho. you can use them on the wall, just make sure there's nothing else competing w/them.

violent?? lol wth. some people just don't care for 'in your face color'.

Shane, wow impressive that you and your kids did those paintings!!!

I'm wondering if you could do a light glaze over the whole thing to soften it up. Do you have any wall paint left? Just add a tiny bit to glaze. Add a slow dry additive to your pre-mixed glaze so you have time to wipe it off any white parts. Don't freak if it looks flat, it all comes alive again after you do the protective clear coat.

I love the art!! It's fantastic. It's a nice contrast with your other elements, but I think the chairs are what throws it off for me, too. Could you try your dining room chairs in this room?

I'd see what else you could do to bring in some more color. Maybe slipcovers for these chairs if they stay. I think the pattern/color just doesn't complement the art (or vise versa). Even a neutral unpatterned fabric might be better.

Or maybe just a bold colored accent wall to set them off nicely:

I don't love this wall color, but like the neutral chair covers with the bold art and bold paint.

And I'd use both together, close.

I agree with BethH, the art is great, but the wall color isn't good with them. And knowing you painted them with your kids, even better. I would change the wall color and keep the art. Hundreds of people have walls that color, but nobody else has that art. Great job.

While it wasn't painted by us, I have a 5'x5' abstract art piece in my dining room on yellow walls and I love it.

It is terrific that you and the kids did the wildly fun paintings. Before I saw that info, my instinct was to use just one but to rotate it so it is wider (do you know what the artists intention was?) But since you made the pair it is imperative that the be displayed together!

i would use both for sure!

Your painting are wonderful! I think you need something in the room which pulls out the colors of the art. Are you perhaps open to a new area rug?

If nothing else... maybe if you paint the sides of the paintings black it will nicely frame then and coordinate with the wood on your chairs.

In painting the edges/sides black I mean something like this...

Here ya go, a quick under five minute top glaze to tone the painting down a tic. Add a bright brass vase with leaves for some mixed metal simple fun. Done. Or, wipe the glaze off the white and yellow bits or just the white before the glaze dries so just that part stays vibrant.

Edited to add: I tried a mock-up with wiping the glaze off the yellow bits to keep that vibrancy and did not like it. I think I like it best with a glaze over all.

AFTER

I would not try to tone down an original work of art. On this one it really loses its vibrancy. I know I said that the colors are too strong, etc. but two days later, and knowing you and your children created these paintings, my feelings have changed somewhat. I would say solid colors on the chair upholstery and a rug that picks up at least one of the colors; I'd probably choose turquoise. A bowl on the table in one of the colors of the painting would pull everything together even more. However, if it were me, I'd put these paintings in the living or family room to properly show them off.

Ingrid, a glaze is just sort of paint without color. It's common and acceptable to glaze paintings. One would not have to add as much pigment to the glaze as I did nor does one have to glaze a whole painting. You can just tone down sections. To me it's an option for the Op if he or she does not want to repaint the room or change the upholstery or both.

Shane, anything to say.

We recommend using one painting and adding a little blue and yellow to your dining room.

They are terrific! Lots of movement, color, excitement! Hang them both because your big wall can handle the space. Great focal point in the room and great family project!

Following... love the paintings ;-)

Random, pointless splotches of color--probably bought online and mass produced. Suitable for a waiting room, but not for a home. It's too commercial and impersonal.

I think what tatts is saying, is that your art is SO AWESOME, that it might be a good idea to mass-produce it, and sell it! It's that good, and I therefore agree that it is special enough to share with the world. I would put both those fabulous colorful paintings on the wall. They are priceless, and would look great in lots of settings, but the dining room is the place for them. I do like a less-gray background, though, agreeing with some others.

I think tatts didn't read the post and made some unfortunate comments.

I would use the two if they are 3 or so feet apart.

Something else in the room should draw from one or two different colors seen in the art.

I think unfortunate is an understatement. ouch.

Tatts has a tendency to make unfortunate comments. OP hasn’t commented since 12/14

Those paintings are beautiful and priceless, what a wonderful memory to have.

Well tatts, I think you have just showed us all that we should probably read or at least skim all the posts before speaking. (kind of like in life too, oops)

Although Shane hasn't returned, I've got to say that I adore the paintings, together, spaced as they are in the second photo. I love colourful art that makes a statement. Well done!

I liked them before I read all the way through the comments. I also am a fan of the second picture spacing. I am impressed that they are "homemade". OP needs the mosaic serving bowl my son has for the center of the table. It has all of the same colors in it as the painting.

Very well done. I don't see anything wrong with the wall color. It is just a neutral and lets the paintings stand out.

That menorah is fabulous, by the way!~

Love the dog menorah!!

Beautiful - you have lovely taste and should do a You tube tutorial so we all can have fabulous personal art in our homes.

Tatts, did you enjoy saying that, to be sure, we didn't enjoy reading it. Ever try being positive?

Love them. Glad you didn’t glaze them. It took all the life out of your beautiful work!

I thought the paintings were great, and now the dog! Fabulous!

Yay!!! Looks wonderful!

It looks fabulous and has lots of personality. Love the room and love the menorah.

Yowza! How old are the kids that did the painting with you? I love the balance of colors. Is that a Tarkay in the background? Couldn't have a more complimentary art work.

I like the art and like the space but I think the aesthetics of each would be further enhanced if they were independent of each other. I would just get all or part of the painting group to paint one or more canvases scaled to size that include some lighter neutrals, and pass on the two larger boldly colored paintings to a space that has more of a Modern style and is better scaled to their size.

There`s always a Debby Downer - or two.

For anyone interested, a Houzz story on [modern art in a traditional room.[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/opposites-attract-modern-art-in-traditional-rooms-stsetivw-vs~385428)

Wow! They look even better on the wall, I love them.

Lovely pop of color!