Is it possible to turn the table in the other direction or would that look odd or just not work?. One way to soften this area is to add drapes to give a richer, softer look. Make them neutral, no pattern, white or cream, so as not to make the area look smaller. Is there a leaf in the table you can remove but that still leave you enough room? Try adding colorful cushions in the chairs to take away the "woody" look.

Have you tried your table centered under the fan/light fixture? Normally ceiling outlets in a dining area are meant for overhead table lighting. It looks like a rug might fit then.

I wouldn't do anything to the wood furniture. It may seem like too much wood for you because there's nothing else to look at in that area. Window treatments and art would give the eye something else to focus on. You need some color.

I’d remove that shelf between the windows and put some art there.

Ingrid_vc, turning the table would block entry in to the kitchen :( I do like your idea of neutral drapes, though! Going to look online now for some options!

Pandtkendall, I thought the same thing about the light fixture, but I would run into the same problem of blocking entry into the kitchen. The table is not large by any means, so I’m not sure why they would have placed the fan so close to the kitchen space.

So it seems like it is looking bare due to lack of color and the need for more items. Problem is, I’m scared of color! I always feel like when I buy anything with bright colors, I get tired of them easily and want to start over. I have a few of my “inspiration” photos if it helps.

That's actually a beautiful dining set. The blahs are coming from a lack of drapes, unattractive light fixture, and nothing much art wise to look at. Take pictures of the entire space, which should be treated as one room. Is that a gray sofa? Are the walls tan? Okay, I just saw your ideas. Introduce colors in art and pillows--just a little. Notice why those rooms work--simplicity but bold art and bold lighting especially. No fake plants, little shelves, etc.

So:

--Float your sofa a foot or so away from so you can put full-length drapes on all three windows.

--Get drapes in white or a pattern of white and tan (if that's what your wall color is) or white, tan, and gray if that's the color of your sofa. Curtains like these may or may not work depending on the adjoining space.

--Replace your little shelf thing with a lovely piece of art hung vertically.

Or consider getting a vertical triptych to put between all three windows.

Next time you go to a quality pottery store or craft fair, get a beautiful large bowl for the middle of your table in an accent color. Or shop the museum shop catalogues for a beautiful modern centerpiece bowl.

Banish the artifical plant. You won't need it if you make some bolder choices in lighting, art, curtains.

Do you need the leaf in the table for everyday? If it were round and smaller, you'd have an easier time making it all fit (under the light, as well). If you put a square or smaller rectangle rug under the table and rotate your chairs so they are offset from where they are now, the chairs will pull out onto the corners of the rug. Even with no rug, I'd still rotate the chairs so the back of one doesn't block the view out the sliders.

Its bare and hard! You need some fabrics and textiles to soften it up. Find the ideal spot for your table, replace the fan with a chandy you can swag over to the table's center. Remove the shelf, hang curtains, rethink your art. 5-5-75 is a good general rule to use with hanging items. They should center 5' above the floor, or hang 5" above furniture. Keep pieces within 75% of the width of the furniture they hang above. More pix will help us.

I added a single white chair pad just to test it out, but I don’t think it works at all :(

Olychick, I would have never thought to rotate the chairs, but I actually think it helped! There is a leaf in the middle, but I need my husband to remove it, so I’ll have to try later on this evening. Thanks so much for your suggestion!

Uh, oh. Garbage can sighting. That should be removed from your dining area. Rev-a-Shelf is a system you can easily install under the sink for your garbage can to put it out of sight.

I was able to take a wide photo really quick of the whole layout. Do you still think a rug would work for the table? I was already plan on adding a rug for the couch. Would it be too much? (Please ignore the insanely small “coffee table”. It’s not staying. At all.)

I would do a small rug in front of the sofa and no rug under the dining table.

I agree with a lot that has been written. Throw a white tablecloth on the table! That's easy. I wouldn't put a rug under the kitchen table, but I would put a smaller, rectangular rug by the sliding side of the slider. Maybe a 3X5 if that fits, or if not, a smaller rug. Housegal's art and pendant/chandelier ideas are fab! That would make a huge difference. A small vase with a couple of flowers in it would be colorful, too.

Yes to an area rug in front of the sofa w/ at least the front legs on it. No rug is needed under the table.

Thank you all so much for all your help. It has really helped open up some new ideas where I was otherwise stumped. Currently looking for a large vase/planter/something for the table and some art to replace the shelf. Will update when I find them!

The wide shot is helpful. For future questions, take shots from all four walls because it's obvious now that what's needed is a rug in the adjoining space where the sofa is to balance out the darkness of the large sofa and the dining table and chairs. Since you favor a neutral palette, here are some possibilities of the type of rug to look for. Make sure it's a good size with the front legs of the sofa well positioned on it. Then do neutral ivory curtains in the same shade as the rug background.

Your sofa really needs some good-sized light-colored pillows some with pattern to break up the mass of gray.

Now that we can see the whole room, it does seem an abstract triptych would work well and harmonize with your black and white photos on the other wall. (Again, this is why Dilemma posters need to show an entire space.) Etsy has some printable ones as well as canvases if you do a search for "triptych"

I like the idea of adding drapes as well...

Adding cushions to chair seats would make a world of difference too

Rug for the sofa should slip under the front 1/3 of it and extend past the ends by a foot or more. Your coffee table should be 18" or less from the sofa to be useful. You might have room for 2 of those tables. Lower your art grouping as per 5-5-75 "rule." Place the pix one hand's width apart. A rug big enough for the dining chairs to still sit on when pulled out will run into the baseboard and the sofa rug, so you don't need it.

Is this an antique? If so, don't paint it and go ahead and use a runner/tablecloth. Otherwise, painting the entire set seems like a lot of work. I'd probably paint the table top in black chalkboard painted, covered by water based poly. If you like it, you're done. If not, you can do more later.

This worked for me :) Good luck!

like the ideas on here! def curtains needed, lighter and airy so it doesn't make that wall heavy. Art along window wall. Pull sofa out a bit to get a long 1/2 sofa table behind it and add decor (large vases with blue/white design) on the wall w/o windows then add a large mirror on that wall. take out the fan and recenter light over kitchen table so that it shows in the mirror. add rug under the sofa area. take off current window blinds and the one on the door(for the door you can do the same curtains around it as you do on the window wall). Round coffee table in metal

A table cloth and a vase of fresh flowers will go a long way to warming up the table.

following

Paint the bottom only of the table and the apron of the top your trim color...distrressing it also. Put a large light colored rug under the entire living arrangement.

Drapes would fill the back wall. Rug, coffee table and pillows will brighten the room. I think your art grouping could be a little lower and tighter also. You could go almost any direction with color...

These ideas are so great! I was getting a little frustrated trying to figure out the problem with the room, but you guys have made it exciting again! Thank you thank you all again!

I think I have the rug for under the sofa nailed down to two options. I added a “customer photo” after each rug to show what it looks like in an actual living room. Any thoughts?

I would not go with white rug...to bright for the room.

Try a rug similar in colour to your island/peninsula. Then, you can change accessories with the seasons - orange/yellow for fall; red for winter; greens for spring/summer. Accessories do not have to be expensive (try thrift stores or garage sales); in fact, you may have some items already in your home "stored" for safe keeping.

I like the rug, especially if you're repeating that white-or light color around the room--like in the drapes (Ikea is GREAT for very inexpensive, yet nice white curtains)--or in accessories around the room---maybe large-matted photo gallery, white bowl, etc.

I agree that the rug is a bit too white for your warm colored space. The first rug housegal posted yesterday might be a better fit.

Am I the only one who uses a tablecloth? I have quite a few, along with cloth napkin sets and placemats, and I can update the look of my dining area in a snap. Plus, my table top still is nice.

I do not use a tablecloth anymore, but I have several runners which I change with the season or occasion. Easy way to add colour and interest to dining area.

I like the look of a crisp tablecloth on the table...or a not so crisp one for that matter!

I use tablecloths 24/7. I love the softness and the ease of changing the look.