Janelle Beals of the old "Isabella and Max Rooms" blog changed the finish of her restoration hardware dining table to great effect. Her blog has been taken down, but I see remnants of that blog post in a google search. It looks like she may have used liming wax?

If it's anything like our table it will get that relaxed rustic look all too soon, just from daily use! It is very close to your floor colour though. Maybe a colourful rug? And/or painted chairs to break up the wood table and floor.

PS it does look beautiful, you did great work :-)

If you love the dark chairs, I agree with Lars about the cerused finish.... Would you consider changing the chairs? Lighter color chairs, preferably with wipeable seats considering the ages of your kids, would break up the dark on dark finishes of the table and floor.

Congrats on the new house!!

I like the look. In the photos the legs of the chairs look great with the table.

You can scotch guard the upholstery for kid protection.

If you do end up deciding on a rug, I used to use those felt back vinyl tableclothes as dropclothes under my kids. They are easy to shake off and fold up between uses, can pop in the wash easily, and are cheap to replace if they tear.

Do you have any plans for accent colours in the kitchen yet? Or pillows, throws, curtains? Knowing that would help us throw out some pretty rug ideas :)

I'll toss out a couple of rug ideas, just for fun :) They will all be from Houzz because that's just easier for me; there are lots of good sites to check though.