Chairs can be pulled out easily when the rug is the correct size. It's your choice as to whether or not you want to use one.

It would be helpful if you could take a couple of pictures at eye level, instead from up above.

Lil is doing better than I am, because I'm having trouble making heads or tails out of that photo.

Jay, congratulations on the new house, but please take several photos from just outside the room and post those, not from a bird's eye view : ) . What would also help a lot is a diagram of the room with any and all openings -- windows, doorways, adjacent rooms, etc.

Also, do you live alone? With a partner, roommate, child? How many people use the dining room regularly? Do you have company often?

i tried to upload several but it wont let me X( .. heres more (live alone with frequently company)

How big is the space, Jay?

What are those black boxes behind the table by the window in your last picture? Are you using, or do you need to use, the dining room as an office?

Is "the void" the area by the pony wall or is there more "empty" space? Also, what's on the other side of the pony wall?

Empty space isn't always a bad thing -- you don't need to stuff or decorate all the empty space : ) .

so thats a wine cooler and a junk cabinet there temporarily. i plan to move the cabinet to my office but will keep the wine fridge. the thing is the tall two storey ceiling makes it look really empty and weird.. i added a rough sketch in the main post, gracias!!

Aha. I think Houzz doesn't always let people post too many pictures in the first post, not sure why. Ugh.

Your room should be able to take a rug approximately 8' x 10'. This blog post is helpful,

https://www.rugandhome.com/blogs/decorating-guide/17369272-rugs-101-selecting-a-rug-size

You could have a long shallow console table by the pony wall. There's an outlet, so you could have a pair of buffet lamps on the table. In the middle, you could have some trays for mail, keys, etc. because it looks like the pony wall is near your front door, if there's no other space by the front door for a small table. Do you need a place to store parcels, coming or going? You could get a console table with a shelf at the bottom, and put some baskets on the shelf to store the parcels. Or you could get a console that accommodates the wine cooler underneath it.

And if you move the wine cooler out of that corner, you could put a plant there. What directions do the three windows, and one window, face? That will help determine whether or not you need a low light plant.

I would lower the painting.

Do you need or want curtains or shades on the windows?

Hi, Jay J. A couple of thoughts: Your art work looks to be hung a little high. Art work in a room where you will be seated is best hung at seated eye level to be enjoyed and for comfort. Semi sheer drapery would dress your windows and add some softness. A rug would do the same. There appears to be enough room for a sideboard against the chimney wall. There very useful for a variety of reasons and can really make a dining room feel finished.

One main point, until we get better perspectives on your space. No matter the height of ceilings, we decorate below 9’ and take care in dining areas to keep accents and art at eye level. Center of art for example at around 60-65”. We also hang chandeliers approx 30-34” above table top. Love your fixture but it appears it is hung too high as well. Lines of sight into the room will help us define where the “focal point” is. Then we can figure out layout etc.

When there's enough space, it's very common to have some kind of storage piece in a dining room. A sideboard, hutch, or liquor cabinet could be a useful addition to the room. A tall piece like a hutch might help with the perception of excess vertical space (though Flo is right about not needing to fill wall space above human level). Sideboards are nice because you can add buffet lamps for visual interest and to get a bit of layered lighting in the room.

Thanks all, here are some better pictures, So I jumped the gun and bought a sideboard (online again :/ ) and the large painting would be about 15 inch above the top of that, the chandelier is about 42 inch above the table, just a lot of vertical space! now looking to do something with the pony wall, windows , plants and rug, what color / texture/size? thanks !! * the windows are south facing, any recommendations for hard to kill , tall, pet safe plants??

Thanks all, here are some better pictures, So I jumped the gun and bought a sideboard (online again :/ ) and the large painting would be about 15 inch above the top of that

You want the painting just a few inches higher than the top of the sideboard/console. 15" is much too high, especially because it takes the top of the painting to your second floor.

the chandelier is about 42 inch above the table

Lower the chandelier so it looks and is more a part of the table/dining area, and not just floating overhead disconnected.

just a lot of vertical space!

A lot of this is just the nature of a taller space. But you need to decorate on a human scale for the humans who live in and visit the space, or it just looks very odd, and you and others will notice that something feels off but might not realize just what that is.

now looking to do something with the pony wall

Now that you have the sideboard, do you need more storage? If you have to have the wine cooler in the dining room, I would find some sort of cabinet or table where you can put the wine cooler underneath it.

windows , plants and rug, what color / texture/size? thanks !! *

Can you measure to see how well an 8' x 10' rug would fit? The nice thing about most reputable rug stores is that they'll let you try out the rug in your space and return it for free if it doesn't work. I'm a big fan of 100 percent wool rugs, they're tough, wear well, and clean easily.

I would try to work some teal and light colors into the rug because all of your furniture in this small space is very, very dark and reads as black if it isn't actually. Something like this maybe,

https://esalerugs.com/light-blue-8x10-nepal-oriental-rug-22451934

the windows are south facing

For curtains/shades, do you need something for privacy and/or glare, or just for looks?

any recommendations for hard to kill , tall, pet safe plants??

Most palms are non-toxic and pet safe, and a few are hard-to-kill.

If you have an Ikea near you, look for one of these,

Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans),

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70120061/

If you don't have experience growing houseplants, you might just want to give yourself a budget and permission to buy several plants a year. Give the old ailing one to friend with a green thumb to rescue/resuscitate : ) .

Your photos are almost adequate, but I want to see the brick wall. That wall and the great windows give this the potential for a really great space.

Take the placemats off the table. No placemats, no tablecloth unless you're actually getting ready to eat.

You can have a simple runner with an art bowl in the middle of the table. I might put a huge plant in this corner and move the art to over the sideboard. I also might leave the chandelier at the height you've got it.

You can do better on the sideboard, BTW.

I'm not sure anything needs to be done with the pony wall. It looks like the entry is on the other side. Any possibility of just removing it?

Thanks !! a little skewed due to panorama, cant do any removal of the wall as of now. I like the sideboard but the price is making me sweat, where can i get something similar (this house will likely be rented out furnished in a few years? Also, the table looks so much better with the mats off..

I'd have to paint the pink drawer, but for $285 and a 4+ star review, I could do that.

I didn't realize the brick wasn't a full wall. Now I am totally disoriented in your room. Where do you plan to put the sideboard?

This is a really great house, BTW.

Congrats on your new home. Love your light fixture. My daughter has the same one in her entry.

Thanks :) Its a great old house from the 70s. The brick is an exposed chimney that goes all the way up to the slanted roof. The side board goes below the art.. i still dont know what to put by the pony wall, as of now, plan to leave the brick as is..

I'd have to paint the pink drawer, but for $285 and a 4+ star review, I could do that.

Paint the pink drawer a dark teal and you have the perfect accent piece for the space : ) .

Gorgeous design. Have you considered window treatments?

Quick update and thanks to everyone's help!

I decided to not get a drawer but got plants instead. and a rug.

I don't think I've ever seen a coffee table in a dining room. I'm curious as to what informed your decision.

I always like the addition of plants to a room and it looks like you've got great light, so they should be happy in there.

I can't tell for certain, but it looks like your rug might not be positioned properly(?) You want to make sure there is room for the chairs to scoot back and remain fully on the rug. 30" beyond the table edge is a good rule of thumb.

Actually, I think the coffee table is pretty inspired. I like the low decor next to the pony wall.

I like your table and the bench and the chairs opposite the bench, but I might look for taller chairs for the head and the foot of the table...you do have some vertical space to fill! The room is crying out for a buffet, but take your time and find something quirky and maybe even 70’s...I think you’ve made a really good start.

Thanks all. Its a low media console, perfect for the space.i ll keep looking for a buffet though. thanks for all the great suggestions.

Oh dear lord, I love this room, and what you've done. Colors, materials, textures, look great to me. I would go with a big rug, dark neutral. Lighter than the floor but still pretty dark so as not to contrast. If you feel like an area needs something, maybe a plant? You have plenty of room for a bird of Paradise, fiddle leaf fig (so on trend) or a large planter with a snake plant. Or, or or!

Hi Jay. Nicely done. Have you considered changing your foyer light to a larger one. Also, paint your front doors, maybe a sea grass color or dark moss. Lastly, I would hang market lights on your fence outside. It would create a beautiful back drop at night for entertaining.