Agree with the above poster. Also, at first look...everything comes across as being “caramel”....floor, furniture and walls. You need some contrast in your neutrals. I would repaint the room...a nice creamy color...that would make both the floors and your very attractive furniture stand out. Get an app that shows what a change of paint can do for your room.

Thanks for the suggestion! What colors or style for artwork would you suggest? If I did swap out rug any thoughts on what might look best?

Do you like the table and buffet.

Not my favorite but don’t have funds to replace now :(

I feel your room looks dull because of your wall color. I would suggest a light teal color in the same tone as your drapes. I agree with others that you should probably change the rug to one that is at least 2’ larger on all sides so chairs can be pulled out and not fall off the rug. I would change the chandelier and get rid of the tchotchkes. I would suggest a nice statement piece for the table.

The furniture disappears into the wall colour. Pick a colour you like (or wear) - using either a pastel version or very deep version - and paint the walls. Try a foil or high gloss paint on the ceiling.
If you have a jumbo budget, you could put a DeGournay, Anthropologie, Papiers peints or Zuber mural on all walls. There are a number Of companies that create custom murals based on your photo or artwork.

Remove all the items that are sitting on the floor, the small family photo and the table decor and runner. Replace the rug with one that is 36-42" bigger than the table top all around. Re-upholster the head chair seats with the same teal as the other chairs. Get a swatch of that fabric to take with you to the paint store and change the wall color for some drama that will richen it all up.

I agree that the wood on the furniture, flooring, and wall color are too similar and think painting the walls a light color would help. Will the china hutch fit on the other wall? It seems crowded between the windows. Instead I'd put a small console "drinks" table and a vertical hanging picture between the windows. In some of my houses, I've angled the dining table corner to corner so it doesn't feel so formal but that won't work in every room (or personal taste). The teal chairs a great touch!

Hi Ang-

I love your teal color chairs, and you can use that as the starting point for the whole room.

First, I would paint the walls. Not the wood trim, keep that, put the walls in a white color. Not too yellow a white, though, because too much yellow-cram would not look could with the teal.

Take the cushion out of the host chairs and recover them. It is super-easy to do.

Go to a fabric store that sells upholstery weight polyester velvet.

If you cannot find the exact same color teal as your chairs, then get a print velvet or multicolor velvet or cut velvet and use that. Be sure to keep in mind a secondary color that you will want to use in the room. When you see the fabrics, you will know what colors will go with the teal. I would suggest taking the teal chair with you to the fabric store.

Here a a few-

Don't flip out about the price, because you are only getting a small amount.

There are instructions online how to it. All you need is the fabric, and a muslin piece under it, and a staple gun and paper to draw the outline on first.

Whatever moss is hanging from the dining room fixture, get rid of it.

Get rid of all those little things on the dining room table and have one larger thing, such as flowers in a vase, a flowering plant, or even long leaves in a glass vase, but they have to be live. No dried or dead leaves or stems.

So that means the long twigs in the large vase on the floor has to go too.

Get rid of the runner too, it just distracts from the beauty of the chairs.

You have too many things in the china cabinet, it looks like a store house. The things in there need to be displayed attractively, and what can't be, needs to find another home. Cups should not be stacked on top of each other like that.

Please purchase acrylic plate stands so that you can display your china appropriately.

If you have extra cups and saucers there are stands for those.

You can have get stands to vertically display platters, and you can put bowls and teapots and tureens in there as well, but it should not look crowded.

Your house isn't a store, and really, you fill up your serving pieces in the kitchen anyway.

I would take everything out and then put things back, and find a home for the rest.

For art, you can look at many websites for what tickles for fancy.

If you don't even know where to start, you can go here

https://www.greatbigcanvas.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3YH-qtS03gIVieiaCh3ayQGtEAAYASAAEgI-FfD_BwE

and select the size piece you are looking for, and select blue, and you will have thousands of thing with blue in it including teal, that will coordinate with your very favorite color, in every style of art imaginable.

Save the rug for last until you have picked the art.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the great information! I Look forward to getting started!

The walls, floor and furniture are all I color. Changing the wall color will have a huge impact. The teal is a great color to work with

The china cabinet is too large to fit between the curtains. The drapes can't even hang straight. Is there a larger wall? Maybe the one we can't see?

If it must stay there then pull it away from the wall several inches so it doesn't disrupt the drapes.

The teal was a good choice for a color pop. Don't over do it. No more teal. Light but neutral walls would look great.

Hi Ang-

I just noticed, leelee is correct that the china cabinet is too large for the space between the windows.

Does it fit comfortably on the wall where you now have the family photo? (I am not good at the measurement thing just by eyeballing, as you can tell. I keep a tape measure in my automobile at all times!) If not, is there another wall in the room that works?

I was thinking about art- although art with teal in it would be great, if you have something that is from your culture/background that is the right size for the space you want to put it, that is great too, whatever color it is, and its colors can be integrated by combining the colors of that thing whatever it is with the teal in the fabric of your two host chairs.

Your pieces can be art or a scroll or fabric that is framed.

Sometimes people have inherited embroidered pieces that their grandmothers or great-grandmothers have made, or very old beautiful handmade clothing from another country.

These things can be taken to professional framers and mounted and framed in an archival way so they will be preserved, and their beauty enjoyed by you and your guests, rather than stuffed away in a box somewhere.

If you do this, don't forget to get ultraviolet blocking so there is no fading of material, and use acrylic or plexiglass not real glass if you live in an area with earthquakes or hurricanes or tornadoes where things can fall down.

Art for beside the glass doors. I don't think the china cabinet would work there because too many panes. Can you show a picture of the two other walls?

Ang Ves, I understand and respect your feeling on keeping the family heirloom rug in your home. I would feel the same way. —-HOWEVER, you did imply you could potentially use it somewhere else in your home. I think investing in a larger , but equally important , lighter colored rug could make the single biggest impact in lightening and updating your room. The rug I am sending, I feel, would give your furniture and dining room a whole different feel/ look. — Also, in looking for fabrics for your head chairs , I think a soft spring green incorporated with your blue drapery and the beautiful peacock teal of you chairs would be a great accent color for a pop in the room . I would edit the tabletop decor to one floral ( and maybe include your crystal candle holders ) . Best of luck and have fun, Ang.

Meant to include your room next to the rug for a better visual -

I need more coffee today :) -

Idea

I agree with most comments - new paint, bigger rug (the largest that will fit so the chairs have plenty of room on it). And pick your rug first - it will be the bossiest thing in the room. Do you really need all those drapes? Because I think where you have the China cabinet is a good place for it - nice balance. A different window treatment that doesn’t interfere with the China cabinet. If you chose turquoise paint, not turquoise fabric on the windows. Also, some interesting fabric on the end chairs - AFTER you pick you rug.

Here are the other sides of the room. As you can see not much wall space. I did find this picture however...does it work better?

Here are the other walls in the room. As you can see not many options for wall space. I found this other picture...does this work better? Thanks so much for everyone‘s help!!

Can't really tell from the pics you posted, but maybe the table needs to be turned the other directions. Can't tell if there is enough room. The wall seems too small for that china cabinet. Is there another wall for this.

Rugs are too small and walls are too too dark.

Hi Ang. I can see from your new pictures that this is a very challenging space particularly from the standpoint of changing the paint color. This dining room is directly adjacent to the kitchen where the wall color looks in the yellow family. And your half wall looks like it connects to your entry. You really haven’t commented about some of the ideas that have been proposed and what you might be willing to undertake. That would be helpful going forward.

Thank you for all the suggestions and comments. I didn’t plan on changing wall color which is why I added the teal hoping it would work well with the carmel color on the walls. I do understand there’s not much contrast between the floor, furniture and walls but the room does open to the kitchen where walls are a mustard/yellow. So that’s where my challenge lies. I know the rug is too small so am looking at replacing and I did put a larger piece of artwork on the wall. I am also looking for a nice large centerpiece as well as material for the two head chairs but not sure what else I can do. I appreciate everyone’s help and I am excited to make the changes. One last question, I want to replace the stools in the kitchen but am also struggling with what color and style to go with since they are so close to the dining room I don’t want the stools and the dining room (teal) chairs to clash. I was thinking black was the safe choice but are there other options for the kitchen counter stools?

Like the others have expressed, lighten up the wall color. Dramatic impact. And lighting switch-a-roo.

If you want to try something completely different? What about banded Roman shades instead of the drapery? Then the china cabinet would fit sweetly where it currently is.

I would get rid off of some of the objects in the room: floor vase, the painting, the table ornaments. The lighting would go next, maybe something a little more modern. And repaint the walls with another color, it’s too strong. Maybe an intense white might do the trick.

Making some suggestion that don’t involve making big changes that you want to avoid doing. The biggest impact in my opinion will be to lighten things up. Windows-I included a pic of sheer drapes with the proper fullness. If you can, add additional sheer panels to the windows and remove the teal drapes. The sheers should go across the entire window. Pull the China cabinet out a few inches to allow the. To fall properly. You already know to replace your rug with a lighter one like Nicci suggested perhaps. Arrange the China and glasses in the cabinet like someone suggested so it looks interesting. Please remove the small objects and small pictures on the right of the China cabinet including the stool and plant and pictures on the ledge. A cleaner look will rest your eye and when you get used to it, I think you will like it. A nice centerpiece on the table to compliment your room. I have also included a couple suggestions for counter stools for the kitchen island. I like the X back stool since there is so much wood tone in the kitchen and the black will work as you suggested. It doesn’t swivel but don’t know how important that is. Good luck.