I had one very similar to it -- rescued from a barn, refinished by my then-spouse; it was much loved (he kept it when we split). I never felt that it didn't fit in with my more traditional pieces; I thought it was perfectly proportioned and even though this "heavy" Jacobean style, it was quite graceful.

I think it goes very well with other details in your décor -- the fireplace surround, the tufted velvet chaise -- just with that table & chairs (I like the idea of simple upholstered side chairs, but if you have the original set of chairs use them) now you will have to always be sure to keep other décor item less ornate or fussy. It is all about balance.

You all are beyond helpful!! Thank you for reaffirming this decision for me; it's not a dining set I would ever choose for our home, but we both do like it - knowing that there's a way to make it all work in here makes me feel much more at ease with the idea of brining it in!

I'll keep you all posted when it's here and we're in the process of deciding on a chandelier. LOVE the idea of an iron one, decoenthusiaste - thanks! :)

suezbell: Very cool idea, I like covering the edges - I'm sure that would make it look a lot more complete! Thanks for this!

Oh, and it does come with side chairs as well - I just don't have pictures of those. They do match the set! We'll take those as well, we can always swap them out later if we decide to do so.

Very smart. This set has great character and, as others have mentioned, isn't some inexpensive 70's knockoff. It's got real detail and some elegant craftsmanship. Think you're wise to consider a fully upholstered cushion integration, too. And textured-weave in a linen-like finish that's neutral is a great update here. Just make sure that whatever fabric you select has a very high rub-rating for durability (and Scotchguard the heck out of it). An upholsterer will take one of your chairs as a sample to cut boards that fit and then foam and fabric-wrap them for install. A welt trim usually makes a very handsome, finished edge that compliments ornate furniture like this, too. I just redid my dining room chairs before the holidays and it gives them a whole new lease on life. Cheers!

I had a nearly identical table with one armchair and five side chairs. It was a family set from the 1920's. Hauled it around, house to house, state to state, for years. I always felt it classed up my house even though they were very different in style. I finally let it go when I moved to my current home only because it wouldn't fit in the house. I still own the china cabinet and hutch that came along with the table and chairs, although I'm ready to let the hutch migrate to a new home.

OP, I will warn you that because of the way the legs are constructed it's somewhat uncomfortable to seat more than four at the table. With the extensions pulled out guests wind up either straddling the bulky legs or sitting on the edge of the table. It obviously was designed for looks, rather than the comfort of diners. Keep that in mind when you swap out the chairs -- I think you'll need some that are very low profile.

Love the details, not the chairs so much though. Might be cool to refinish the top and paint the legs and sides off white, then distress them. Here’s an inspiration photo. The table was remade by Greg Navage - see thenavagepatch.com

Following… Your home is beautiful this table is a masterpiece loving it

This dining set is great. It has character and history and yes, it will work in your house.
Before you take it to a professional refinisher you can clean it yourself with some 0000 steel wool and Lemon Oil. That will help remove any surface dirt. Always wipe it thoroughly with a clean cotton rag afterwards.
I would NOT bleach it out. The color of the wood is part of its design and charm.
All the advice about getting the chair seats covered is great. I vote for a fabulous fabric in lieu of something neutral and safe. That would be your last decision.

You will love it and everyone will comment on such a unique piece of furniture in your home. It’s a treasure!

Excited to see what you end up doing. I think the table is great.

I had a set like that for 30 years, buffet and chest. I loved it. I had search for years to find it. My husband and I were ready for a change (you think after 30 years?). I tried to convince my husband it would look amazing painted white or black. He couldn’t be convinced. Luckily our son loved it as well so we get to visit it. I now love my farm table made from the floor of a distillery in Scotland with just as much passion.

I love it. I agree with the comments about using a great chandelier in your style, having it deep cleaned and bleached...it would look awesome lightened. Also the idea of upholstered chairs on the sides and the originals on the ends.

Where did you get your living room table from? I have the same rug and looking

The set is beautiful and sentimental. I agree with athomeeileen on just replacing the side chairs. When you start chandelier shopping you will need something fairly substantial to work with such a vast table. Good luck!

I don't know about the OP's, but my similar table was definitely not "vast". It is a heavy style, but not necessarily big. Just my opinion, but I don't think an ornate chandelier will help the table blend with the rest of the furnishings.

Thank you all very much for your thoughts and feedback! Super helpful! :)

einportlandor: Thanks for the warning, I absolutely see what you mean and will have to find a way to deal with it. Won't be our daily table. The only thing is, we do need it to fit at least 6 people - which may be tough to do with that leg positioning. Will have to experiment with chairs!

sparkplug1126: The glass table is from Houzz, hubby ordered - will have to see if he still has the seller's info.

Seldens Furniture: I do tend to like traditional, ornate, and crystal chandeliers (boy do I love crystal lol)... but not sure what will work best to incorporate that table into the style of our home.

Any ideas on rugs as well would be welcomed. We're waiting to get the table here, gathering some ideas in the meantime.

Hope everyone's enjoying the Thanksgiving weekend!

I too would not have chosen that style table and chairs, but it would work great in your home! Having family heirlooms is what gives a home character and personality. To tie it in with your living/family room, use the same color palette of taupe, blue and gold. I'd add some pattern too, in the seat upholstery, area rug and/or window coverings.

Here are some options:

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC: Thanks very much for your ideas, I have a light blue and taupe rug I have to pull out of storage that may work! :))

So, chandeliers: I have three crystals ones in the kitchen (one large, two small)... and I'm trying not to do anything too traditional or fussy in the dining room now with this table in there.

Would something like this work? Simple and elegant?

Or should it be even simpler with straighter lines like this...

Any other chandelier ideas welcome! Thanks everyone! :)

I like the second one you posted. It has a kind of Medieval/Tudor style that would work nicely with your furniture.

I really like the first one much better than the second. The second does seem to echo the style of the table, but doesn't really work to tie it together with the rest of the room -- too medieval (or southern California Spanish colonial). I think the first is also a better transition from crystal in the kitchen.

Totally love it. The family story and ties make it a must in my mind. Please don't change it by painting or whitewashing. I think it works fine with your other furniture.

This is an awesome table. DON'T BLEACH IT. If you lighten it up, it will no longer look Tudor (the throne actually looks more Tudor). Whatever the period, you will ruin it. Those features are typically with wood the color you have.

The current tone of the table-top looks well-loved and beautiful. I would give the detail on the legs, etc. an especially good dusting. You might look up how to do it right. Lemon oil might really do some wonders, but I'm not an expert.

I vote for the last chandelier, but it might need to be a bit heavier looking and not so dainty. My idea would be to try to echo one (only one) of the features in the table decoration. Are those pineapples? Acorns? The rounded spools or dentals might be a nice detail, too.

You may be able to get a perfect chandelier handcrafted at your local forge.

And, if you ever celebrate a birthday there, I reckon the birthday child gets to sit on the throne. You'll be very popular in the neighborhood....

When you pull out both leaves, is the table true horizontal or is that photo a little wonky? If the table isn’t horizontal, it needs a bit of work. Once it’s fixed, with your upholstered side chairs and fancy head chairs, use the set and enjoy it and the memories.
Show us photos of the fabrics you think you might use on the chairs and we will help you make a room you will enjoy.

I loved the flavor of these rooms.......just tossing them in the mix for you to think about...

Classic again with washed wood

Washed wood as suggested

highly stylized but loved the slip covers on chairs to lighten up the room, loved the deep ceiling color for drama and the white walls and curtains and the rug...not so much all the ornate wrought iron though.....simple change there.Lo

Loved the rustic strength of this room, again vivid art, black, white and rustic wood to soften the whole look.

Nice detail on ceiling for a more rustic look using white finished along with wood finishes......

Your set is lovely! Go for it!

Spend the money to have it refinished and the chairs reupholstered - it will freshen up and look great. If it’s a family keepsake worth the money IMO. Looks like it would fit well with your home.

Beautiful but aside from the obvious seat replacement, I would paint the walls a color that Really makes this furniture stand out! Either something light OR my choice would be Peacock/Lagoon Teal. If that is too much for you then put up wainscoting in a white or cream and add that pop of color above. I did the walls using Lagoon for a client w very dark victorian dining furniture and EVERYONE loves it! No cushions but added a great rug beneath to marry the colors. Also, put mirrors across from the windows to pull light across the room. Wish I had a photo but they got transferred out of the country shortly afterwards. Be sure you post what you decide upon.

I agree that the chairs should be covered in an interesting pattern that enhances the charm of the set.

Thanks so much everyone! We got the set over to our place, and the table is in beautiful condition!! The chairs, on the other hand, not so much...

We'll be restoring the chairs because the wood is quite beautiful (neither one of us is interested in bleaching it), and getting them upholstered.

We did decide to go with a patterned upholstery fabric as opposed to a solid... and the pattern will have to coordinate with the linen tufted parsons chairs we ordered. This set came with 4 chairs (hubby says it used to have 6 chairs -- 2 captain and 4 side... but we somehow ended up with just the 1 captain and 3 side chairs, not sure what happened to all the rest). We do need a total of 8 seats at the table anyway, so we decided to make it all work with the additional 4 upholstered chairs.

Once they're delivered, we'll be able to look for a patterned fabric that'll coordinate with the material on those new chairs. I'll post back once we have fabric swatches and the chairs and are in the process of narrowing everything down.

So far, very happy with the decision to take this set... it really is beautiful, solidly built, and I can't wait to use it! Thanks again for your helpful feedback; you all are wonderful! :)

Further updates to come!

Great news! Filling in chairs and looking for fabrics will be fun keep us in the loop!

Got an update!! :)

The chairs are now upholstered, the rug and chandelier are in... and the room is really starting to come together! Hardwood floors and nicer baseboards coming up sometime in the near future, but for now... this is what we're working with...

The rug still needs to flatten out a bit.

We did add matching nailhead details onto both the upholstered chairs, and the new upholstery on the inherited chairs. This works to tie them together, and also works well with the chandelier - here's a better pic of that (I love the crystals because they really help this fixture work with the kitchen chandeliers, as you'll see once I post some pics from the kitchen):

Obviously some Christmas decor happening... once that's gone, I'll be needing help with accessories.

Specifically, I'll need help figuring out what sconces to put on either side of that buffet enclave.

And artwork, as well.

I'll take/post more pics from different angles... for now, check out the before from when we first moved in (I'll wait to post these in before/after once I get some help with final touches ;))...

Thanks for all your thoughts and help thus far!

I love it, but then I love history and family attachments to items. Maybe a bench on one side, maybe castors on table and some of chairs? You might be able to use this piece in different rooms (if portable). It could hang against a wall until you need it for dining and then you pull it out, (large console like). Houzz friends have given some very good advice on how to make it yours.

Wow, great job, anomoley! I love your room--the chairs, rug and chandelier all work beautifully together. (I'd love to see a closeup of the fabric on the chairs ;) And the blue damask wallpaper adds a subtle pattern.

After the holidays, I'd start working on window treatments--they really add a nice finishing touch to a room, especially a dining room.

Everything is beautiful. You did a great job. I too would like to see a close up of the chair fabric. Are you planning on a buffet server in that alcove?

That room looks amazing. It’s barely recognizable from the original. I’m so glad you kept that great set and gave it an update.
You’ll enjoy the holiday that much more knowing there is an heirloom in the room.

The table is so beautiful in your room! And the wallpaper is gorgeous. You did a great job taking something that you didn’t care for and making it your style! And love that new memories will be added to the family table.

Just because hubby “inherited” the set does not mean you must use it. Fortunately, your home and furnishings are not extremely modern, and the dining set can be adapted with a little effort: upholstered seats within your color scheme. Old things are often of better quality than some new things. If you have no other dining furniture, clean it up and use it for a while. If you just don’t like it, you can donate it to a thrift shop.

Beautiful use of a family heirloom. Much nicer than something new

Thanks so much everyone; the room is starting to feel right to me... but I'm no designer so never know what actually works - you all are so helpful! :)

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC: Thank you very much! Here's a closeup of a chair so you can see the pattern we'd chosen close up. It's a Jacobean inspired print that ties in creams, terracotta, and the blue of the walls. We chose this material partly because it works well with the linen upholstered chairs.

Now, window treatments - I couldn't agree more, and this is one area with which I need help in this room, because those ceilings are LOW and I don't know how to avoid bringing attention to them.

They are only 8 feet at the highest point (where the chandelier hangs), so about 7 feet by that window. Lowest anywhere in the house! I'm thinking they must've done that to add that architectural ceiling detail.

I'll post pics from the entryway, there is a vaulted ceiling just outside of this room... not sure if that would provide enough of a contrast to where calling attention to this window would become a non-issue. =-/

Sandybean: Thank you! I'm thinking a sideboard of some sort for that enclave; not rushing with that, I'll wait 'till I come across something I really love. :)

felizlady: We did actually decide to keep the set, thanks in part to the feedback we'd gotten here - and we couldn't be happier with it. You can see how we incorporated it if you scroll up to my last post just a couple above yours.

I'll be back with some more pics and possibly sconce as well as window treatment ideas. :)

Very pretty room. You and your husband made beautiful choices in fabric, wallpaper, chairs, rug...

I think just simple linen panels to match your chairs. I would also be tempted to paint the inner most part of the ceiling a very light blue almost white. Hope you find the perfect sideboard. It's a beautiful room.

Anomoley--I just LOVE that fabric. I'm a big fan of Jacobean prints and that one is just lovely.

You do have a challenge with the window treatments because of the ceiling. I probably would seek out someone who makes custom curtains for direction on this. The room is so beautiful that having professional custom made curtains would be the icing on the cake. There are a lot of women who do this kind of business out of their homes, and they usually are fairly reasonable. They are very knowledgeable about fabrics, hardware and design, and can really make something special for you.

Your fabric choice is perfect! Thanks for coming back to show us the room.

The table is going to live very nicely there!

Cheryl Smith: That top part of the ceiling actually is painted a pale blue! Great minds! ;)

I really like the look of linen panels there - here's a mockup I did! And the sconces are just an idea...

Another sconce idea:

And a photo from slightly further away, encompassing that vaulted ceiling I still don't know if I should do something to accentuate (floor will be getting changed to a hardwood)...

Any thoughts/ideas/feedback appreciated as always. :)

just a quick note to say how nice the table set came out and how well it looks in your room!

any chance you could try this color on the ceiling in the tray? love Van Deusen. Or maybe along the steps of the tray ceiling? I think against a bright white, it would pop, and coordinate w/the rug well.

Don't be afraid to incorporate this unusual dining set into your home ! It has all these values ..personal history and memories ...and I think it's a great conversation piece ..just dress it up in style .., chandelier ...maybe a big ornate mirror on the wall ...to reflect light and the new chandelier .....you can bring out the silver candelabras...or a silver tray ...to dress it up when entertaining or just a wonderful large vase of white tulips or lilies ......I would make it my heirloom dining rom and have fun with it ...imagine the Christmas decorations on the table ...the lights reflecting ...very interesting pieces ...two of these chairs and perhaps benches with velvet cushions ..to match the cushions on seat ...in gold or purple ...or if you can match the pillows ...or anything daring !!!!!!

You answered your own post “Ornate/antique dining set... is it really so bad?” with a resounding “No“!! The table and newly recovered chairs look beautiful in their lovely new setting. Enjoy!

If a piece holds special memories I vote for using it and incorporating into a home!

The dark metal (iron?) sconces in the second photo are a very nice choice with your chandelier. And the linen curtain panels look good--you just need to figure out what hardware to use to mount them.

Beth H. :This is an interesting idea! I mocked it up and it does look pretty... may be giving this a try! Thank you! :)

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC: Thank you so much for all of your input, you are wonderful! <3

Thanks for the kind words, anomoley! It's easy to help out when the poster genuinely is interested in creating a beautiful room, and takes advice in the spirit in which it's given.

And Beth H.'s idea of the dark ceiling looks wonderful!