Here is a close-up of end chairs, table without tablecloth and mirror I would like to find a place for.

I like your previous rug so I would shoot for something similar. Can you recover the chair seats? It's not a difficult task, it'll take longer to find a fabric you love, likely. If you turned the table the other direction, would those end chairs fit better?

Would your husband be satisfied with a runner and place mats instead of a full table cloth? You'd at least be able to see some of the pretty wood and still have the surfaces used protected. If not, go with a somewhat smaller table cloth, that one hangs down too far, you want the table dressed but not looking like it's wearing a dress. lol

I love the lightness of the room but the windows do seem to need some color.

I'm not sure if that mirror goes with the bar cabinet, have you tried it there to see what you think?

Pretty room. The light fixture is lovely.

2-My husband is tied to that table yet wants to protect it so I am stuck with always using a table cloth, which to me, is akin to wrapping your sofa is plastic. Do you think u can make this room work with a table cloth?

We have a 19th century mahogany table, and we live on a farm with two kids, 19 and 21, and then our third, the eldest comes home sometimes on weekends and takes up residence at the end of the table with her laptop for work. So I keep it covered with a block print tablecloth -- similar to yours -- and also wicker/rattan placemats. I like the look, and I like keeping the table safe for daily use : ) .

Do you like/love your tablecloth? It helps if you find one you really, really like.

1-room is small and doesn't feel like a dining room yet. I'm wonder if wall treatments would help (wallpaper, board and batten, dramatic wall color, etc)

I might paint, but not until deciding on a rug and other elements in the room.

4- Can we these end chairs in there? my husband is attached to them and they are beautiful but I think the space is too small.

I'm not exactly clear on the dimensions of the room. Could you post a room layout with measurements?

5-Can I do a mirror over the bar or would art be better? I have attached a picture of the mirror I would like to use and would add some black elsewhere in the room to tie it in.

I'm not quite sure how the bar relates to the rest of the room.

You can hang a mirror or art.

6-new chairs or can these be salvaged? I don't think they are the direction I want to go.

Are you talking about the frame or the seat? You can always recover them.

Would you consider glass for protecting your table? Top is very pretty. 4 chairs are best.. Can you put armed one in a corny?

I agree, a charming room.

Thanks for everyone's comments! Hopefully I can address them all in one post.

The window treatments need to stay as they are new. I really originally wanted drapery but we live in the city and our street is very walkable so we decided top down/button up Roman shades were the best option for giving us privacy (but letting light in). I would be up for layering drapery though.

I would be open to placemats and a runner and I think a glass top would work really well. I will run these ideas by my husband. We do have banquette dining in our kitchen so we don't eat here everyday. I do have 3 messy kids (4,3,1years) who color here every day though. I love the practicality of an old tablecloth because if it gets marked up I don't care...and totally agree looking at the pictures that it looks like the table is wearing a dress (lol). I'll have to get a smaller one. I have been eyeing a lighter Jacquard one from Williams and Sonoma I'll need to find a post.

I'll post a picture of the chairs once I get a moment to take a picture. The color is the same as the table and bar and I think I need a different finish, plus they seem a little more "casual" in their style and finish.

As far as the bar, that little alcove we plan on eventually putting in a built-in bar. But I hope the bar is neutral and has clean enough lines to "go" for now since it fits our needs and we like it locks and has built ins inside. I'll post another close-up picture.

I also included a snapshot of the room layout and dimensions.

Oh and last thing, I have two of the end chairs, ones just in another room for now.

I think the tablecloth looks fine. My three kids are each about 18 months apart, so I remember that stage, with three kids four and under, all at the table for arts and crafts and making a mess : ) . This is just a season, so enjoy it while it's here. And a tablecloth will help your husband enjoy it more too lol. I will say that I have a collection of oilcloth and coated cotton tablecloths that are wipeable and I love them, even now that my youngest is 19.

It may be that a tablecloth will look more "purposeful" if it co-ordinates (not matches) with the rug and chair seats.

I'll post a picture of the chairs once I get a moment to take a picture. The color is the same as the table and bar and I think I need a different finish, plus they seem a little more "casual" in their style and finish.

I'd keep an eye out maybe for some chairs with a painted finish, in a style similar to the end chairs. Can you use something like Chairish to find some chairs?

That's true, I do have to remember that. In a few years I can make it more what I want and for now I can let them play freely without hovering worrying they will ruin something

I took a picture of the chair and a closer up of the finish. My husband picked up some fabric years ago he wanted to recover them with but I don't know if it really improve them that much, it does go with the velvet on the end chairs though.

I agree a painted finish would look nice, I am also partial to caned chairs. I'll have to check out Chairish's dining chairs more. I love looking on EBTH too. I was hoping maybe if I went with black chairs or some upholstery it might tie into that mirror but I know it's more on the fancy side and this rooms currently more casual. I do need love that mirror though and I am running out of spaces for it.

I'll have to check out Chairish's dining chairs more. I love looking on EBTH too.

I'm not very good at remembering them all because we don't have that here in rural western Canada : ).

I was hoping maybe if I went with black chairs or some upholstery it might tie into that mirror but I know it's more on the fancy side and this rooms currently more casual.

You could even do a dark/navy blue -- I see you have some blues in your Dining Room idea board -- and that would work too.

I do need love that mirror though and I am running out of spaces for it.

If you love it, use it!

following

Have you considered turning the table in the other direction?

Becky-I fell down the Charish rabbit hole last night and now I have found about 100 chairs I want but don't need. I do like the ones below a lot though.

That's a bummer some of the places don't ship to Western Canda but it is so beautiful up there, lucky you!

ctlane-I will have to try switching the table the other way, I noticed the the room layout it has it that way as well.

Very nice room! I like your table, but I think a round table may work better. I have little kids and covered my wood dining table with glass. It works pretty well, but spills can sometimes get under the glass (I’ve slipped a paper towel underneath to quickly soak it up and it’s fine). But anything will clean off the glass.

If you keep the table, I like the end chairs and would just reupholster them and look for new side chairs that are more casual and have lower backs. Your light fixture is beautiful, so I’d keep that as well. Add some colorful artwork and you’re done!

I wonder if I could mix in a more modern chair (like a wishbone chair) with the end chairs or if it's best to stick to more traditional chairs? But I'm probably getting ahead of myself and should start on a rug.

Thanks Val! It's good to hear your viewpoint on the glass top too. I have also wondered about a round table in here as well but for now this one stays since my husband is partial to it. I agree some bold art would be nice but I also like the current ones up there and how they mimic the off centered window.

I don't see a kitchen, is it close enough that this room actually gets used as a dining room? How often? You mentioned it is supposed to be a bedroom.

What does this room actually function as? Dining room or art space for kids? It would help our answers if we knew that.

Also wanted to add that my seats are wrapped in pleather (but looks like leather) and they’re so easy to Wipe with the kids.

RN, it mostly gets used at drawing space since we eat as a family in the kitchen. but we do use this space when we have people over as another place to eat. and also as more a banquette table when we have a large gathering for people to get food.

Our layout is not tradition but the kitchen is still pretty close, our house is a bungalow so I don't mind walking an extra 10 steps to go from kitchen to dining. I'm standing in my dining room in the below picture and you can see kitchen around corner. The hall way also leads to the backside of kitchen.

I tried moving the table as was suggested. I took pictures of both arrangements from different angles, not sure what works best. switching the table makes it seems like it juts into hallway but maybe a larger rug would make it seem like it's not spilling out of the room.

If you turn the table to see how it looks, you have to turn the rug too : ) .

I'm confused -- where exactly is that buffet table with the larger mirror? Is that part of the dining room too?

I know, I thought about that but I was moving everything myself plus the rug is too small regardless so I decided to save myself the work. I think the rug needs an extra foot on each side (8x10ish).

the table is outside our dining room since it doesn't fit, it's directly across from our entry. I marked it below in red, shows whole main floor layout.

Although now I'm wondering if that other rug would work in there if I switched the table orientation. I think it's aprox 8x11ft. I can measure when I get home.

Aha, got it : ) .

I feel as if the table juts out too far too...it might be alright but I think I see that the opening is framed out at the ceiling? That creates a room, imho.

penny-correct, room has a cased opening.

I measured our old rug and it is too long the other way as well, it would go past the casement.

Do you need/prefer a rug? I'm thinking kids and art do not do so well with rugs...(although we have dogs so we just deal with it and have a carpet cleaning machine)..

Is there enough room for the stackback of drapes on the right as you're facing the windows? I actually like your blinds in there and think white drapes would look lovely and airy...

I feel as if the 2 chairs work with the table, but the bar works with the 4 chairs...

Hmmmm. Maybe better to just keep all the furniture for the time being and decorate around it.

I've also had a glass top and had liquids seep underneath. Kind of annoying to deal with (I didn't, at the time, have those rubberized spacers that would have helped) but I still prefer that to a tablecloth.

I would hang the mirror....It will add some interest (unless you want to do shelves...

Will you be painting or is it staying this color?

My husband definitely likes a rug for floor protection. I could go either way but tend to prefer one for the extra color.

Hmm...I actually don't think there is enough room in the right for a curtain rod, there is about 5in only and I like to space my curtains so they can be fully open.

I'd be open to painting but could only do 3 of the walls as one of the walls there is not an end point and goes directly to the hallway. I'm also open to a wall treatment, such as molding or (possibly) wallpaper.

What about if you painted the inside of the closet? Just throwing an idea out to get started on a color theme....For example if you did a dark-ish blue (I see your blue garden stools)...or you could wallpaper in there...

I might be biased as my dining room is blue chinoiserie-esque :)

A bit like this...

I know you have plans for a bar, but some shelves could be temporary and house a collection of thrifted white dishes or pitchers or some other tchotchkes...the cabinet could stay...

penny-I would actually love a blue or green chinoise wallpaper...goals right there! I like the idea of painting it too.

We have decided to keep the living room carpet in there so the dining room carpet needs to work with it. I was looking at rugs and I don't think a premade one will work great either. I think I should have about 12in of wood showing on each side of the rug so I think I'm just have one cut. My husband and I liked this wool one, it's plain but has some texture. It's about a shade or two darker than our window treatments. I have the sample next to our current rug and then in top of the adjoining room rug.

I'm worried about it being a little plain but I think it would allow us to do something else fun in the room.

I also found these dining chairs on Craigslist, they are quite a steal. Thoughts?

Forgot to mention, I like the idea of shelves in there but there is a window on the side, not sure if you can see it? I could maybe only do one lower self below it otherwise they wouldn't go wall to wall.

I love those chairs!

Nice chairs and rugs.

I'm always happy to see people choosing wool because it wears like iron, which is helpful in a dining room.

I agree, I prefer natural materials and think wool will wear well in the dining room... especially with little kids.

I emailed about the chairs and she had previously already responded to someone else, if that falls thru she will get back to me. They were only $100! Feeling bummed on that one.

That just means there's something better in store around the corner : ) .

Rug has been ordered and the chairs were sold to someone else. I will update when we get the rug in.

Rug is in, I think the new size helps the room feel bigger. But the room is feeling very neutral and needs some personality. I'm thinking some upholstered chairs or some that have unique touches will help. Different table cloth would as well.

I'm still exploring idea of wallpaper, board and batten wainscoting or a different wall color. I also included another picture of the niche that shows the window better in there.

I just saw these and liked the shape, might added some needed contrast or maybe too matchup with the table?

Given the shape, I would definitely want to sit in those first before buying. I'm not sure how comfortable they would be, and for kids, the shape might cause them to lean too far back and have a hard time reaching the table.

Good point Becky!

As for where I am at not, basically the exact same spot. But I finally have some inspiration that I believe will give me some direction. I've been talking about wanting to possibly do a chinoise wallpaper in here but I think using a similar fabric on the chairs would give me that vibe and insert some personality color in here. Below is with white background but I am considering a blue to add some additional color and I have quite a bit of soft blue in the adjoining room.

I'm currently on the search for 2nd hand chairs since this style is so popular versus paying more at a regular store that I would then have to reupholster anyways.. I'd be up for leaving chairs natural or possibly lacquering them in a color...

I think painting the little nook a color from the fabric, maybe in a shade or two darker, could also work. I'd still like to use that Murano mirror in there.

That's where I am at now, I'll post again once I find chairs that work. Open to any suggestions till then.

@Hutchae84 Zone 8b/PNW That's a gorgeous room and you have some great suggestions there! We would love to help you with room layout and other suggestions by creating a mock-up of your room so you can make all the changes virtually before making changes or investing in new furniture. Here is a layout we made for another user. If you'd like us to create one for you...