I would get rug, no table cloth and wall art or mirror above the buffet plus couple lamps one a sides.

Some idea

Thanks! Would you go with traditional or modern art? If I did one large piece, what height/width do you think would fit, given the slanted ceiling and that the buffet is 7ft? i should have explained that those two circles on the wall are power. I was trying to decide whether to try lights there or just cover them.

I would also think about reupholstering the chair cushions with a more modern, perhaps more colorful fabric. It depends on what you choose for rug & art. Can't tell from the photo...are those "circles" electrical boxes where you could place wall sconces? If so, they might look a little high for sconces, not sure from photo. If your buffet is 7 feet, there are "rules" for the size of art to go above it, similar to rules for hanging art behind a sofa. Someone on here may know those off the top of their head but you can also google that yourself. I'd do a colorful abstract but you can also have a a nicely done picture wall, wallpaper feature wall or a mural. For me, nothing dates a room like a table cloth. Get rid of it & find some interesting table item. Do that after your choices for rug, upholstery, art, paint or whatever other changes you eventually decide to make.

I would go with transitional style.Let me try modern wall art , modern lamps and modern rug.

I like the idea of Asian art that BeverlyFLADeziner posted. I think the electrical boxes are way too high. I would rather see table lamps on the buffet.

I think chandelier does not belong to this space. What you guys are thinking about it?

I suggest adding wallpaper and removing the table cloth.

Have you considered painting the buffet a fun , bright high gloss color like cobalt blue or hot pink?!?

More

Hang one piece of large, modern art over the buffet - no gallery wall. No sconces as the electrical boxes are too high on the wall. Get a large colorful rug and a big centerpiece (contemporary piece of art glass such as a bowl) for your dining room table. No tablecloth.

I agree with celerygirl: no tablecloth, art over buffet, rug on the floor (4’ longer and 4’ wider than the measurement of the table (when fully extended, if you use it fully extended) to allow room for pulling chairs out or in without having to jump the edge of the rug.

The electrical boxes are likely for picture lights NOT sconces

Love the crane wallpaper ilikefriday posted. Have you thought about painting your DR furniture? Deep red or black gloss? Then your option to embrace a more modern/glam style is much more open. Painting the set black would be my first move.

Thank you all so much for the suggestions! I loved the art-hanging ideas, which really helped me see the scale. BeverlyFLADezinr, I lthink you're right about the picture lights. I also like the idea of the curtain panels.

Celerygirl, I liked the rectangular idea for the chandelier. Thoughts on how to know the right size? The ceiling is about 12' there (14 at the peak of the vault).

Wallpaper seems intriguing but the dining room wall extends above the doorway to the kitchen, which is modern and would look odd with wallpaper (white shaker with walnut island and some glass fronts) Would it make sense to wallpaper the dining room just to the top of the doorway but not above? I had thought about moldings with wallpaper in them, but the slanted roof shape stymied me.

Okay to the tablecloth -- clearly no one likes them! My problem is that our table has a wood apron on the table edges but not on the leaves. I like to leave the table set up for its most frequent use of 6-8 people, but that requires using 1-2 leaves and the gap in the apron looks kind of weird. Any ideas to handle that, other than a cloth? And for my curiosity, do any of you ever use cloths when serving dinner, or always place mats? Do you have favorite ways to protect wood tops from scratches, given that doilies are also outdated? And is it too much dark wood in the room if the table top is exposed?

I love the patina and inlay on the 1927 furniture, so I won't be painting it. So, given that the wood tone stays, should I repeat that brown tone anywhere else, maybe in the frames or art?

Thanks again so much! You are all really helping me think things through.

Take full lined drapes to ceiling height. Take advantage of the existing electrical connections to install sconces (to highlight art) over the sideboard.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5910985/i-m-done-here-are-the-reveal-pictures#n=19

Here's what another Houzzer recently did, just to inspire your traditional bent!

They had traditional architecture though. The challenge, to me, is making antiques look at home in a modern space.

l like your set.
Keep the Chandelier, it goes well with it but put a more modern or distressed large mirror to contrast a bit. NO table cloth please.
Add modern table lamps or large candle holders

Agree with kahnjc, the challenge is to bridge a traditional dining set in such a big, open, contemporary space. The rendition I like the most is second from celery, with the gallery wall and modern rug in blue. I think both help to fill the space. Perhaps it could help divide the wall in two (two colors, wainscoting and color, wainscoting and paper) but we need to see all the open space to figure out. No tablecloth and yes to drapes. A tall sculptural plant also.

Also a sculptural light fixture could help

In the corner, between window and buffet, where one chair is against wall

I like the modern elements; am wondering about need to introduce a second traditional element so the dining set doesn’t look odd man out... Maybe modern rug, modern seat fabric, maybe transitional curtains... and mix of aged and modern art? Would it work to have stark modern next to traditional art on the wall? Or is that too busy? Also, where were you imagining the plant?

One gallery wall I’ve seen a couple of times and love so much is a mix of modern and old portraits

Of course the dark wall helps a lot

Modern landscape photographs with naturalist prints

I’m wrestling with similar issue....contemporary new build about to break ground, family heirloom mahogany Queen Anne dining table from the late 1800s and chairs that I love. I am considering adding some black detailing to the apron of the table - something along the lines of a Greek key design. And I’ll pull that same black into my buffet piece, though I haven’t quite figured out how yet. I’ve also switched out some of my chairs for a more modern, fully upholstered style. Agree with the suggestions re tablecloth (You could hire a woodworker to make aprons for the leaves you want to leave in all the time ) and oversized art. (Either Asian or modern could work, depending on your taste.) Please do not match frames to the furniture!