My room is 14 feet on the sliding door wall and about 10 feet at the end of the display cabinet. The area opposite the sliding glass doors is open to the foyer and great room.

So, an 8 X 12 should work if I am clear about the shape of your room.

That rug seems all wrong, particularly the color. And the table seems too small for the room.

The walls are very dramatic, so I would go for more of a tone on tone room with perhaps a lighter color rug to play off the walls. I would also go rectangle vs the shape you have, to match the shape of your room. Finding a rug to blend with the walls is very difficult. You may want to prepare yourself to adjust the wall color according to the rug you end up with. Also, it looks like you got the shiny eggshell paint, I think I'd go with a flat paint instead. Also, I've found that when a room is that dark, the ceiling looks nicer with a very soft shade of the same color vs a white or cream. The look still comes out very light, but the feel is warmer and all encompassing.

Chandelier is stunning. WOW. Let that lead you.

I would add sheer curtains in an off white or white (too coordinate with the glass in the light) with a textured pattern in them, i.e. stripes or circles, etc. to bring a bit of softness to the room

You've got a great start for a very dramatic room. I look forward to seeing where you go from here.

I had not thought about picking the rug first. That is a good idea. I agree that my current table and rug are right for the space. These are from a previous house and just don't fit the new location.

judyg, love the idea of the drapery rod being stained the same as the cabinets. I was looking at bronze ones to match the light fixture, but it blended in too much. The paint is a custom blend, so I don't have a name.

With the stained wood trim, wood flooring, and fairly dark color on the walls, I'd select a natural colored rug and draperies as shown below. Atop the rug, please consider the Restoration Hardware table, also shown below. If you approve these items, we can look for chairs to go with the table.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

here's some

Could you paint the cabinets?

I would go with silver and grey in this room

The cabinets have been recently custom made and the stain color was selected to blend with the wood wall. I am very happy with the way it turned out. The chandelier is also new. While gray is currently a popular color, I want a change since I have lived with it before. The wood in the house is what me fall in love with my house, so I want to keep the wood look. I do like the idea of the style of the ultra suede chairs.

Carolyn,Thanks for your suggestions, but I think the table is a little too industrial looking for me. Since the dining room is visible from my foyer, I guess I want a little more glam. I think I am more on the modern/contemporary side. Maybe a little mid-century modern. LOL Heck, I don't know! Kinda like a basic little black dress with a little jewelry!

Thanks, beverett. It's just as important to know what you don't like as what you do, so I appreciate your comments. Now I'll do some more looking. With all the wood you have in the room, you could use a glass table. Or maybe a black wood table with glass insert, or a table with a white top.

Carolyn, OOOOO I like the Luxury Rectangular Wood and Glass Top table. I think we are in the same direction now.

Okay !
then we will take another direction ....we will go green.
The reason why I asked if you had the intention of painting the cabinets was just an information for myself ,a lot of people seem to be painting everything lately and I didn't know what your intentions were .
The cabinets are modern and very nice too ,so I have another idea ,and that is to have a table made with the same wood . When we had our kitchen cabinets build for our old house I got them to make me a table to match them and everything looked nice together .

]

Glad you like it, bev. Now let's all look for chairs to go with it. I like the looks of the first chair but the price seems just too good. The second chair costs over $2000 each, but I like the style so maybe we can find it for much less tomorrow. I'm off to bed now. Good night.

I love the armchair below ($174 from Overstock), and you could be democratic and give everyone an armchair. I also like the second chair, which at $82 is somewhat less expensive than the $2000 lookalike above. I would not mix the two because the 2nd one is 40" high, considerably higher than the first which is only 31" high. I love the lines of the first and the height of the second.

Is there any chance of getting you to reconsider this color for the dining room? It opens up to a greenhouse- I think this color is not flowing with the harmony of the home. Awaiting your answer :)

Purple is an appetite killer, so I hope all the diners are dieting! It certainly isn't registering as eggplant on my monitor. However, red, an appetite stimulator, may make for some exciting accents in this room!

If purple is an appetite killer then most people should paint their kitchen and dining rooms purple ,look at all the money that we would save on groceries. And to think that I painted mine red !

I like the purple it has potential if some brightness is brought ti n ,that black table and rug are the ones that trow us off , once items are added to it it will get a personality that looks Majestic

I think you'll need more than just the chandelier to properly light this room. Some wall sconces or recessed lighting to highlight your purple walls and your new built-ins would be beneficial.

Margo, the greenhouse will be replaced within the year with a little sitting room. In person, the purple really seems to complement the wood tones of the room, but if there is a better color, please suggest it. I do think there is potential with the purple, and everyone's suggestions are making me think outside of my limited imagination.

Let me try to explain myself...When I think of painting a wall a very dramatic color ie: purple, navy, dark brown, I tend to want to bring on the bling and glamour. Mirrors, crystal, leather, etc creating drama and romance. I see a wood wall in the photo with the wood slats on the diagonal ,kind of a lodge feel. All the wood in your dining room with the dark hardware says the same more reserved. You have a wonderful room and maybe I am way off. Remember we only get to comment on the one or two photo's we get to see and the monitor does not always do justice. What I would suggest is irrelevant, my answers are always how the room talks to me. YOU are very gracious in your responses, ME a bit of a devil's advocate...

Bev, perhaps to lighten the room you could reconsider that glass dining table I showed you which would allow a light colored rug to show through. However, the additional lighting which I suggested can help to conquer the dark look that others are fearing.

OK- I had to go watch HGTV Design Star- but all I thought about was this room. I have thought and thought, and I came up with my final answer, but you may want to continue to poll the audience or phone a friend ;) Since the wall space to cover is minimal, I would put a wall covering of GRASS CLOTH. I love the photo of the 3 windows on the wood wall looking at all the greenery. It would add texture, warmth, and the possibilities would be endless to decorate. Peace out!

I would suggest painting the walls a neutral color and update your area rug, then add your furniture .

I do like the texture that grass cloth has and I use it in my foyer. In the dining room, there is approximately three feet of wall on each side of the sliding glass doors (one side going to the wood wall and one going to the cabinet. If I hang drapery panels high and wide as judyg suggested, then there isn't much wall color to be seen whether it is grass cloth, purple or neutral.

To me, the room in person has enough light. In addition to the natural light, I have 360 watts of light in the chandelier. I also have under cabinet lighting as well as lighting in the display case. As much as I would like to photograph the space without the black table and dark rug, the solid marble table is too heavy for me to move. Both are going when I find a buyer for the table. Maybe I need to concentrate on selecting the right rug and panels first so that we can see if lighting remains a concern. I do like green with the purple....

Aaah, I understand. You are going with draperies, once again I was on a different path.:)

Margo, I just need decorative panels beside the sliding glass doors, not full drapes that close. When I remodel and take out the sliders, I still want to have the panels in place. Sorry for the confusion...

Suggestions for rug and drapery panels?

Just found this picture- you like purple and green right?

Notice the sea grass rug too. Now what to put for panels...I will keep looking ;)

Great illustration, Margo!

Thanks for the "vision," Margo. I was surprised with the sea grass rug with this grouping.

Any other thoughts on drapery panels or rugs? Someone suggested that I go with solid velvet purple to match my walls, but I think it won't add enough interest. I ditched vertical blinds that were up previously. I just need the right direction...

Maybe?

Thank you for your suggestion. I never thought that it would be this hard to find curtains for the dark purple. I tried to find this color on Cheery Curtains, but I am not certain that I found it. This picture looks like a cream background which I like since I think it would better blend with my wood walls and my counter top. On the site, I selected the linen color. It looks the same colors in the design, but with a white background. I am trying to check on their return policy since it is hard to judge color on computer screens.

I just went and checked the website. The background looks beige on my screen. Why don't you request a sample, they offer that option. These drapes grow on me and they are duponi silk;)

Thanks for your help! I'll look into it.

I would recommend going with Grommet Drapery panels for the windows this way when the drapery is open the drapes stack tightly so you don't lose the view out.

http://www.blindsdirectcanada.com/drapery-toronto/panels/grommet-drapery.html

great danish sideboard available on http://vintagebydounia.com/collections/furniture/products/danish-credenza-ii

Thanks for the suggestion of style of panels. I do like the look of the compact ripple fold. It is just finding the right material.
Nice sideboard. I can imagine using it as a media cabinet.

Here are two ready made panels that I recently found locally. It is the best of what I could find in my limited area.

Guys opinion :-). Green contrast can work. Perhaps gaze through door/ windows and see if any predominate shades from the garden can be picked up. The gray as contrast is too 80's in my eye.

When I used a dark color against a bright window wall, the contrast of the bright sunlight made the wall color hard to appreciate - almost black. Are you having that experience? If you will enjoy the room mostly in the evening, or it is a northern window it may not be a critical issue to you.

Because of that, I would consider knocking the color on that wall a couple notches more muted, so the color is appreciated more, and would also select a ceiling color several steps from white- either toward your eggplant or toward the complimenting color you ultimately settle on.

I note the loose tailoring of the drape as posted in a picture by Modern residence, the fullness is fun.

Hi beverett1- I like the red curtains, rather royal. I came across this photo and love it . Just wanted to share. I could see this with your red curtains too ;) along with a couple other red elements.

The first panel may not have photographed well. It is plum with a little cream. It does not have any gray in it. I like the red while my husband likes the plum. I have 8 foot ceilings and both of these are 84", so I don't know if they are long enough. We will be visiting a couple of out-of-town fabric stores while we see if we can find compatible rugs. I like judyg's rug suggestion of Purple Tabriz Over-Dyed Rug. I'm hoping something will jump out. At least, I feel as if I am making progress even if it is slow.

Beverett- planning the greenhouse to become another seating/sun room just off the dining room, I would think ahead how you would coordinate the 2 spaces. The garden outside the windows on the wood side of the room shows a lovely green landscape. The view thru those 3 windows looks like a painting. Think about using some of the green and gold shades, line and shapes of nature on a neutral background in a pattern of faux silk Grommet drapery panels. Your future sitting room could follow colors now in the dining room in lighter tonal values. The drapery panels pattern colors could be used in varying tones in pillows and upholstery in the sitting room. The future sitting room can be informal.

Dining chairs with soft green suede chair seats (coordinating withe the drapery colors) would be nice with the wood and glass table you like. A rectangular neutral wool and jute rug bound in the purple tone of the wall color would pull the room together. This flow of color and style would flow nicely into the seating area using lighter color values of the dining room. Your dining room room can be more formal with silver candlesticks and a silver bowl on the dining table filled with flowers and objects for various seasons.

Above all, your dining room and future sitting area should coordinate color wise! Good luck -- I would love to see the finished room/s.

house4mjh, you have given me a lot to consider which I have not thought about before. Thank you.