One thing I see right away is that your light should be lowered. Standard for most dining lights is 37" from bottom of light fixture to table top. That would make a big difference and the light would be low enough to be reflected in the mirror.

A long white oblong pottery bowl would reference the light fixture. Here's one from Wayfair that's 19" It's narrow enough for placemats and serving bowls when people are seated around the table.

Add gray/ivory/white hardboard placements. Jason and Pimpernel are some brands--many are available on Amazon. This came up in a Google search when I put in "gray white hardboard placemats.) This would look great with the Wayfair bowl and your gray end chairs.

Thank you for these ideas. One note about the fixture is that it’s being replaced with something else- larger and totally different.

Wow, big family! I would keep it simple then. A large oblong bowl in the center. You can change out what you will it with as the seasons change.

I should have said we all sit there for the majority of dinners, not meals. :) Yes, 6 kids.

I have a fruit bowl on my dining room table and it's usually not that problematic. We eat some of the fruit, rearrange, and then fill with more fruit. If something gets too close to ripe to sit out any longer, I put it in the fridge and re-arrange what is left. I am also not above mixing in a winter squash or avocado or two. I also leave out decorative salt and pepper shakers that I rotate according to season, a trivet and a napkin holder, which in my case is a basket. And candles. I have a runner and placemats too. We eat there every night. I rotate the placemats and napkins and candles, fruit bowl, trivet, etc. according to season. It's all decorative but also functional.

I don't think a bowl of fruit would be a problem if the table is used nightly. And you need not remove it for dinner.

I don't care for that lamp in there. If you drink, put a tray with liquor and glasses on it on that console - also an ice bucket. Get another small tray that is just big enough for your napkins (do you use napkin rings?) and the salt and pepper and put it on the buffet. The framed photos just don't belong on it in the DR - move them to another room.

Anglo, I’m sorry but that’s just plain rude! Stephanie didn’t ask us to critique her dining room, she asked for ideas for dining room table centerpieces. And, how dare you tell her that “framed photos just don’t belong in the DR”? First of all, she didn’t ask our opinion on them. And, It’s HER home and she’s not prepping it for a magazine cover. She’s a proud mom with 6 kids. Stephanie, you put your family photos ANYWHERE that makes you happy!

Thank you Lynn :) I didn’t take offense luckily. I’ve learned to be open to suggestions at Houzz :))

I put some flowers there for now until I can do some shopping. Also removed lamp and moved pics to adjoining living room just to try that. It seems barren. Also wondering if I should remove the chair I have in the corner?

OH, I like that! Of course, I do not mind spare spaces. The minimal look of the sideboard really appeals to me.

Yes, I would remove that extra chair. I would either flank the sideboard with chairs that match one of your dining chair styles (as extras that could be pulled up if needed) would be okay or you could add tall plants if that is something you like. With six kids though, maybe less (to be knocked over) is more-ha. ;-)

ETA:. When you get your rug and new chandelier, you may find you don't need a lot of extra decoration. Cannot wait to see the chandelier.

ETA2: I also like the three vases-fresh flowers are always a must in my home! They just make me feel happy.

Those photos looked fine on the console! I have a wine area on one side of my dining room (we are wineauxs) and a tea set on the other side, but that's because I am space challenged in my house!

How wonderful that you use your dining room regularly. It's lovely as is or with some tweaks. If you ever decide on adding curtains, here are some linen ones I recommended on another Dilemma that would enhance your dining room if it still feels too minimal:

That fabric is pretty! I actually have drapes being made so hopefully that will help things.

A bit of a hijack question....is there a “rule” about not having family photos in a dining room? If so, why is it a no-no?

Stephanie...pretty room and i hope you post pics when you get the new drapes, rug, and chandy. And I like the three vases and flowers.

Joanie: I read many time that you should NOT have family pictures in "public spaces" of your home...which I think is ridiculous.

Stephanie: Do you have a picture or link to the new light fixture by chance?

I think you have a lot of competing, identical hard woods in similar shades in the room so the table just disappears. I think some texture would really transform the room and make it more inviting.
Add some big soft decorative floor length curtains in a contrasting color, and a similarly colored table runner. Just that would make a big difference. Or you could put some kind of fabric covering on your chair backs. Here is a picture of our Christmas table setup to show you what a difference a table runner makes.
Also, make sure you keep your tabletop accessories in the same scale of the room- which is quite grandiose. Make sure any bowls or candles or flowers you add are large. Personally I think some marble accessories would be fun for your space. I also always love a sideboard decorated with flowers using an antique silver coffee server as a vase.

I'm not sure about the rule, but I have found, when decorating my own home, that I don't like that there is a mirror across from where I am sitting in the dining room placed so that I have to watch myself eat. Other people have commented similarly. So in a related vein, I don't think people would like to have large photos of people staring at them placed in such a way as to give that effect while dining. But that didn't seem to be the case in the photo of the console that Stephanie posted. So I would think that the advice about photos being a no no in the dining room, might refer to a large family photo placed at eye level to the diners. Something like that, off to the side, would probably be fine.

Posted by someone who has to wake up every morning with her SO's entire extended family staring her in the face and go to bed at night with same. He's got a large family photo collection with full head-on shots, at eye level on the console opposite our bed. He likes it, so I deal.

OMG, Pink that would not be pleasant! I feel for you!

Do you have pictures of the elements to come? did you have another thread? I like simple as well and I love collections. if you have 3-5 ginger jars as a collection on your buffet that would look great. or just pottery that related to one another. good luck! great space!

A table runner and long oversized decorative bowl with filler items flanked by pillar candle holders or hurricanes. That will fill up the space without being too many items to move at mealtime. You’ll have to play with styles and elevations.

I love the Crate and Barrel grasscloth runners because they are heavy and come in a lot of colors. Not sure if that is your style.

Perhaps some pictures of our designs of dining rooms will aid you in your dilemma? Note what we have added to the dining room table.

Excellent choice with the 3 vases. I am a believer in less is more for a centerpiece. You want to be able to see your family, which you have accomplished quite nicely here. Well done!

I agree with groveraxle... a nice large dough bowl or trencher as she has shown. Many on Ebay and Etsy and they are easy to remove and set on the sideboard then put back. I own two primitive 17" round ones and change them seasonally.

The side board with look great with some additional ginger jars in varying heights they are so pretty! Homes Goods has many right now. Apologize for the detour!

Honestly, there are so many things wrong with that dining room, the least of which is what to put on the dining table. You need an area rug and drapery panels, You need to replace that chandelier. You have too many different colors of wood in the same space. Don't decorate with a mirror in a dining room. The only lamps that should be in a dining room are a set of two matching buffet lamps. No personal picture frames in a dining room. Your best bet is to get someone with some decorating sense to help you with the overall space before you worry too much about what to put on the table.

Haha, that's hilarious. There are SO MANY THINGS WRONG with your post, cpaul. Because if you would have read more carefully you would have understood that I have hired a designer and that a rug, drapes and a new fixture are on the way. Thanks for playing. By the way, you sound like a really nice cheerful and great person to be around.

I actually do wonder if some of the trolls on Houzz actually live in a dank dungeon and are possibly jealous of normal, nice homes. Is there any way to delete my posts? Some of you all are scary.

No ideabooks, cpaul? Stange, that. You must really be into design.

Stephanie, don't delete your post. Just keep on going. I appreciate completely how you feel, but many Houzzers have their own style and I understand you felt that your post was overlooked about your new light fixture, drapes....just my two cents and I understand how you might feel, but I think you should keep on getting suggestions if you will.

Porter Edun- If by “have their own style” you mean that they don’t bother to read much or any of the thread and just jump in with an exaggerated statement about everything being wrong with my dining room, then yes we all are special little snowflakes aren’t we?

Brava Stephanie! Perfect (and fierce, which I love) response to cpaul whose post is ugly to the extreme. As several of us have said, cannot wait to see the room when your new things arrive!

Ignore cpaul! I really like your space. I like the three vases of flowers on the table, and while I like the more minimal sideboard, I also thought the lamp and photos there looked just fine. The thing I love about a sideboard is that it's easy to change things up as the seasons change or for the holidays. Can't wait to see your room with the new drapes and chandelier.

BTW, I grew up with 6 siblings and we loved it - and we love it even more now when we all get together. It's a bit hectic and crowded now that most are married and have kids, but we enjoy each other's company and we wouldn't have it any other way!

Stephanie, you’re my hero!

Stephanie, I was simply trying to get you to move past what was posted and how it made you feel and not to move on. I didn't expect for you (to what seem like your coming down on me) to feel I dismissed how you felt and hence I posted not to delete. No harm no foul. I just didn't want you to go away or delete by a comment that was not welcomed by you. It was more of an olive branch to continue than anything.

Thank you for the olive branch Porter. I appreciate that. I'm planning to buy two more similar ginger jars of slightly different heights (for the white buffet) and a dough bowl to fill with moss covered balls, or maybe just lemons (for the table). Now that a few people mentioned the competing woods in the room- should I get rid of or re-locate the console table with the metal legs? If so, any suggestions of what to put there? The white buffet is new and will stay. Also the hardwood floors will mostly be covered up with a rug soon.

I think 3 ginger jars on the buffet will look great Stephanie.

FWIW, I've been on houzz for a very long time. Unfortunately, people make comments all the time without reading a word of what the OP said or the subsequent comments. Also, people make comments on things that were never a part of the original dilemma. Yes, it's very annoying. But don't let that stop you from getting advice from the great people who truly want to help. Lots of those people on this site.

I agree, 3 ginger jars would look very pretty. I would personally wait until your chandelier is up and your new curtains are in then I'd step back and take a look as that will really warm up the room. Then re visit what you might want to do on the wall with the with the wood console table. Have and your designer selected a chandelier yet?

I love the table and the floors btw!

This is the light fixture going in the room.

I like that... Visual Comforts? How long is it and how long is the table? The table looks to be very long and this is a linear light?

Dimensions of light

Thank you Stephanie... how long is the table.... I just want to be certain that it is long enough is all. I realize you hired somebody to help with the curtains/rug and light so I bet it's fine... yet the table looks super long (which I do love)!

Just an example.... a 72" table would accommodate a 40 to 42" nicely.

I'm sorry, it should be about half the length of the table! I'm sure he or she got it right! Just trying to make sure you got the right length as from the photo the table is really gloriously long!

Table length- 92", extends to 112".

That's just shy of half of the 92" so roughly 46" would be half. Sound great!!

Stephanie, when will your light fixture go up and your drapes. I realize the curtains are being made. Please post when they are done so then the console table you were considering relocating or can be addressed. I think with the curtains in and the light fixture giving the room some warmth it will be a good point to start on that if you like..... for now, it's just some Ginger Jars? :) Have a nice day and please post when you have them!

Back up the chairs a bit, three or four inches from the table.

I made some changes. Still waiting on the light fixture unfortunately.

Just in Dillards and they had some pretty French looking multiglazed pottery that was quite pretty; rustic but the shine of the glaze dressed it up a bit....it was in the giftwares china dept. You might like that......but I like something white in it to relate to your chandelier and to the art frames in the room..they look lonely! Love your room; very cool.

Looking good! The table is so pretty.