Misecretary- Yup, cedar overload. The only window we have in the kitchen is a small one above the sink that doesn’t get direct sunlight till about 5pm and only in the summer (it faces NW)

please excuse the mess. Getting dinner ready.

We plan on doing all new shaker cabinets once the foundation is fixed.

There is a small window in the laundry (where the door leads) but it only lights up the kitchen a little.

it works. i've painted dozens of pieces. for your bench top, I'd coat it w/one or two coats of poly instead of the wax finish they usually recommend.

if you get a soft white, and one of the blue/green (like duck egg) you can mix the two and get your own mix color.

super easy.

At one time I had one of those 'bridges' across the top of my window. When we removed that, it made a huge difference But then again my kitchen window faces east and I didn't have the cute things across the top as you do.

What about a fake window, built with the same material as the wall and inside is a custom subtle mural painted with a picture of the country? Blue sky, clouds and rolling hills...

I agree with getting rid of the rug. Also, the tablecloth needs to go...add a glass top or refinish the table top. Keep the boards, they are charming! How about a plate collection of the wall, I see Polish Pottery. I removed the upper cabinet doors, painted the inside of the cabinets, and put my dishes in a kitchen just like this one. You need doors on the lower level of the cabinets, I made mine from recycled ones. My theme was red, white, and black. I found great black and white tiles at Ikea. With antiques, I think a color from your dishes would be great for the cabinets, and leave those wall boards white for now. Once you get the foundation fixed, things will be so much better!

Good that you found artwork for now. But as others have mentioned something larger would be better. Ideally some art that you really love and will enjoy looking at.
DEFINITELY avoid mirrors, generic “wall decor” or anything else that just acts as a filler, and doesn’t add beauty, interest, or personality to your home.

You've got great texture on the wall. Sounds like you like the cottage look - me too! Some suggest a large painting flanked by sconces. That would look good. But I think that the cottage look might be maintained better with smaller things.

There's a couple magazines that might be worth picking up to get some ideas of what you really like. There's one about Flea Markets and others about Cottage looks. If that's the look you're wanting to create, look for inspiration there. A lot of the people here like modern, transitional and contemporary homes and are giving you ideas that fit that look. I don't think you're wanting that look.

Also, what do you like in colors? I love lots of white with pops of bright colors. Didn't realize that til someone else told me that's what I was showing her at a time when I was trying to figure out wall colors. So I also started tearing out photo's of homes/rooms I liked, then when I went through them I could see she was right. Don't turn your cute cottage into a contemporary masterpiece - it will cost you a lot of money, and won't hit the mark of what you were wanting...

https://www.bhg.com/decorating/decorating-style/cottage/

Just a thought to ponder... Some cottage looks can be very busy/cluttered, others more sparse. Another thing to ponder while figuring the final wall look...

I’d move the hutch somewhere else or get a round table you can paint. Also, paring down on “stuff” all around the kitchen would be helpful.

I like the changes you have made so far. To me the most transformative part was removing the table cloth so that there is the contrast of the wood with the white/cream walls. The painting looks great, and if you do dress the table, I would focus on pulling out colours in the painting.

Coming back to ponder: could the hutch be moved to the wall where the painting is, and the table turned the other way (longways) in front of it? With the bench on the kitchen side, so no chairs in the way.

Or, the hutch in the corner, with the table angled longways in front of it? It’s hard to tell exact size/space in pictures, so maybe those ideas are not possible.

Your house looks so cute! When I saw the large cow picture suggestion, I thought of these quilts. There are some really colorful patterns: squirrels, foxes, elephants etc. they look easy and fun to make.

How about some live plants hanging on the wall above your table? You can get flat sided plant pots, for example. For more light, consider Solatubes. They are great!

I like mixing up lines. Consider a round table instead, if or when you can. It'll give you more room to move around in and soften things up.

Thanks for the awesome ideas every e! I’m going to tweak a few things this week and them I’ll post some pics

Keeping a vintage feel to your kitchen is great but it looks like you could use more storage. Maybe you could move the beautiful sideboard to another spot and have a wall of more storage , kitchen cabinets. Refinish the table and chairs it would become the focal point of the kitchen and family hub just like would have been back in the day. Use art on the side wall where the sideboard is now.

Turn the table around, if possible. Run it the long length of the wall. Move the hutch out if necessary. wood shelves and a nice piece of art centred on the long wall. A big round clock or large art piece on the small wall where the hutch is now and what would become the end seating for the table The table needs to run the long way of the wall.

I‘d go with no rug at all.

personally a large pedestal table would look wonderful and a different light what is there is now fades in with the white wall. Check craigslist for the table and /or place a bench along the wall for seating with chairs around the outside if that makes sense, also add a large tall potted plant for color

I like your artwork. Putting it in a larger whte frame, with a larger matte around the print itself, might be just the trick. Or maybe just paint the existing frame white, or do something like this

Then you might put the vertical Bakery sign on the other side of the painting, next to the buffet/sideboard. Where the bakery sign was, how about some herbs?

Black and White Enamel 3-Piece Wall Planter Set · More Info

How about a tablecloth in a style that complements the artwork, and using one of the colors in the new tablecloth for a runner on the buffet.

I also suggest taking the light fixture a bit higher, and if it's not an important heirloom, consider if maybe painting the framework white would be interesting, or a pale tint. .

What are you doing for storage for things like pots and pans, baking sheets, colanders...

You could use that wall space to hang a bunch of those sorts of items arranged in a pleasing way instead of doing art.

and here's a rug suggestion

Safavieh Cape Cod Collection CAP353 Rug, Natural/Blue, 8'x10' · More Info

Blank wall solutions for the kind of wall you have: Hang a colorful quilt (would also be insulating), use old plates with an oval placement, or a large round clock. Printers drawers with collections.

Amy, if the house was built in the 20's, chances are that underneath all that cedar (good move painting it) is lathe and plaster not drywall. I like the artwork, and you could do a gallery wall of smaller pictures, artwork etc. around it, not everything needs a frame.

I would take the art from above the buffet and move it into a collage of pieces at the end of the table. A few well chosen farmhouse style objects along with another picture or two. Your buffet is beautiful and ornate. I think the picture above it clutters that space.

I'd make it a gallery wall with a mixture of family pics and pieces that tie in with that bakery sign you already have. And with little ones, I'd get rid of the rug completely. It's so much easier to clean a hard floor. We had carpet under our table in one house we lived in when our kids were small. We had almost saved up enough to put in new flooring when my husband's job required a move. I had tried to keep it clean but I realized as we were moving out that the carpet had started to smell a bit. Cleaning the surface hadn't been quite enough.

I also have the main dining area in my kitchen in an older bungalow/farm house. I like the buffet, it's beautiful. The table does not seem of fit the space. Perhaps consider a round table. Art for the wall, but just a couple of large pieces with sconces to either side. Please no "word signs" on the wall. I have found having a lot of objects on the wall or on shelves in a kitchen lends itself to a lot of cleaning.

ignore rules about what to put on your walls. Put what you like there -- plants, words, a lot of anything or just one thing. Then don't invite people who don't like that to dinner. Simple!

Since you have a cottage style room....how about a quilt? They make nice hangers for quilts that don't damage the fabric and you could probably get by with a twin or full-size. I did that for years as an inexpensive way to warm up a wall and people always loved them. (Check out Goodwill or thrift shops.....sometimes they have just the perfect thing. Or order one ….Penney's, Company Store, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.)

I love the idea of a quilt! It would fit the farmhouse feel of the room.

I love quilts, but not so much in a small-ish kitchen/dining room. Things get splashed, odors, etc.

I totally agree that a round table would suit the space more but I’ve only got a clearance of 9ft 4in from the front of the hutch (which unfortunately can’t be moved to another part of the house) and the front edge of the counteron the other side of the room

We have 5 people in the family and a 45” diameter table (probably the biggest we could fit to allow chair/bench space) doesn’t seem like it would fit us all comfortably.

I may have to take everyone down to Ikea so see how we’d fit around one.

I’m thinking of going this route for a light fixer

I'd worry about the wall before the table, which would probably be a bigger expense. Once you have some interest on that wall, the table might not be as much an issue.

What’s ur dimensions in each space?

In ur kitchen.. what’s the width from window wall to opposite side?

I would use ur dining table as a make shift island which on sink side is prep space and on other side.. great for serving the kids their meals.. it accommodates all 5 of you.. u can leave table as is or u can sand the table top down and keep it natural.. and wax it so it doesn’t absorb stains.. ours is over 35 years old.. we refuse to get rid of it.. we bought it from a gardener who had it for 25 +years before and now we have had it for 10, ourselves.. our boys have spilled red Gatorade, lemonade, wrote on it with sharpie marker..u name it.. it takes the beating.. it’s wonderful..

Depending on ur budget.. u can remove all the upper cabinets and ur ship lap is ur backsplash, painted white.. natural wood planks to house plates, cups, bowls, platters, etc.. have ur lowers be navy or black or green.. or white.. ur color schematic will determine ur countertop.. which is ultimately defined by budget, too.. or u can do upper to ceiling and lowers.. all defined by budget..

.. our first house was a 1910 1,050 sq ft. Our kitchen was 6x8.... we had Home Depot do a rendering for us that was well worth our money.. around $75.. We ended up going with Home Depot cabinets (they had a Xmas 35% off special) and did Kraftmaid floor to ceiling, creme color with mushroom glaze.. we couldn’t fit an island in our kitchen so we ate every day in the dining room..

On a very serious budget.. I would suggest to approach this all very differently.. need a few more pics of how kitchen leads to dining and how kitchen leads to family and kitchen to mud area.. u can make something special out of what u have.. but u will need a good, creative carpenter.

Mnalatter- From window to table wall is 13ft 4in, Hutch to hall opening is 13ft 6in

This is how it opens to the hall if you’re looking from the living room. Bathroom is on the left

We actually use the table as an island of sorts, especially now that our benches came in. :)

Have you considered just moving some furnishings around? (On graph paper first to save yourself some sore muscles.)

Mirrors in dining spaces are considered good Feng Shui and can brighten up a space substantially if placed reflecting a light source.

Amy- I have that light fixture in my dining area and love it! I get compliments on it all the time. I suggest that if you go with it have a dimmer installed at the same time.

I second the idea of a quilt or some pretty plates.

I’ve been putting murals on my dining room wall for years. Now I want to put brick face on it.

Beautiful hutch/buffet. You should remove plaque from above and small side pics. They just clutter up that wall.
Yes,use chalk paint to paint table base(as suggested)
I think the wall is charming painted white.
Many great suggestions offered in post.
Good luck. Post "after" pics !

I would pit board and batten on the wall and then hang one large picture with nature of course. Take a beautiful photo outside and have it blown ip and framed. There are websites thst will do this gir $100

Love it, great room and choices so far. Go with your gut, do what you love, do you. It won’t be wrong!

Why not find a large piece of art that you love and hang it on your large wall? Or, take a family photo have it enlarged (really large like poster size) and hang it. I am not a fan of small pictures or signs all over a wall. I think a larger one makes more of a statement.

The elephant in the room is a table shape & size that just doesn't work. You need something smaller, or square or round. I really dislike those signs that are so popular now...unless they're authentic, vintage AND suit the demeanor of the room. Your "bakery" sign is long & narrow & pushed off to the side of the wall. It looks awkward there & should be hung on a smaller wall. Is that your kitchen with the "antiques" sign over the bulkhead? I think that sign might look good on dining area wall. Remove that foliage from the light fixture. No tablecloth.

Do you think some pictures on that wall are a good idea?