Have you tried turning the table the other way so that it is parallel to the window? Once you get the hardwood, I think a nice rug will really tie the room together. Some panel window treatments to match will look nice as well. Good luck with your decorating!

Yes turn the table when you are done with the floor ,I will take a look to see what I can come up with .

When I tried that it leaves a very narrow space for the buffet. I used the footstool in the picture to show what the depth of the buffet is.
Thanks so much for your suggestions.

You might try turning the table like granite grannie says, but put it closer to the window. If the window sill is about the height of your chair bottoms you could create a very beautiful and charming banquette. Instead of a sofa have an ottoman/bench made for in front of the window. Find just the right fabric to drape the window with valance and side panels going to the floor. Put a matching table cloth on the table and cover the chair bottoms to match or coordinate. If your down stairs area is coordinated use extra chairs elsewhere until you need them. Keep one chair on each end of the table. Swag the chandelier to hang over the table. When not in use it will serve as a cool place to read a book or even a game table. This isn't totally your situation but it illustrates what I suggest. Good luck. Bill

The room looks a little off balance with the table not centered under the light. I know you are trying to make room, but would it work to move the table under it? Then it would also be centered with the window.

Nice suggestion from Gantt's above. Also I like your furniture and see why you want to keep the pieces. Can you put the buffet at the window and move the table and chairs closer to the doorway to the room? The end chair could even move out into the living room area when it is used. Or you can put 2 chairs on each side and one in the front corner (currently not visible in the pictures)...I only see 5 chairs. Is this a seldom used dining area or an everyday place? Might make a difference how you arrange things.

I would want to keep that furniture, too, but I think centering the table in front of the window and under the light are more important. Could you just replace the table with a round one and set it diagonally so the chairs pull back toward the corners of the room? We do this in my small breakfast room, since there are only four of us most of the time.
Or, could you put up panels on either side of the window and put the buffet in front of the window? If the buffet is long enough it might look good. You could turn the table the other direction and still center it under the fixture. Symmetry is always nice.
Show us what you come up with and good luck with the new floor!

Thanks for the help. The table is actually at its smallest as you see it. It normally sits 8. It has a center piece that I can remove. I have tried centering it under the light (I like symmetry too!) but feel like when we have guests, everyone is trying to make room for others to get by. I will try putting the table closer to the window as Gantt said above to see how that would look. The windows are long and have the shutters all the way down, but that way I will still get the symmetry. I was going to try to put a bench seat on the right wall and put the table the long way and swag the light, but not sure how that would look. I have seen a lot of small spaces with round tables, which does seem to fit nicely, but still trying to work with what I have. Believe it or not that table is 20 years old. We just had the top refinished. I've never put drapes around my Plantation shutters, so curious how that may look. Its not a very used area, but I love having a dining room and decorate the buffet and table for the seasons. Thanks again for all the ideas!

One other thought......as the buffet is such a fun piece to have in that room, too, and the shutters are just sooo striking!! Is there any way to center the table under the light BUT have it diagonally in the room? That would also mean the buffet would most likely not be centered on the wall, either, but wanted to mention this to you.

Just trying to "think outside the box" : Do you think it might work to switch your dining and the living? (Assuming that is the room you are taking the photo from)? Or, could at least the buffet, be moved to the other room, to the wall that is shown to the right of the dining?

abbyjean - i will try that. The table is wide, but possibly could work. pcmom1 - too funny. That is where it has been for the last year. I love it in that room because there is plenty of space. My husband on the other hand would like that room for another living area. Its a really bright room and I think he believes it is being wasted by a dining room we rarely use. He also thinks its awkward to walk through the living room to the dining room. Although it doesn't bother me in the least. I told him I would try to figure something out.....and here I am :)

hmmm thats an interesting thought! I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of rearranging done. Love all the ideas I haven't thought of!

WOW!!! Decoenthusiaste I applaud that suggestion!!! Unusual idea - will be interesting to see what meeshl3 thinks of it!!

Hope it works out!

Can the buffet sit at the window and can you move the light fixture, or replace it? Have you considered building in a banquette seat at the window, sit the table in front of it, place chairs as needed at the table with extras placed elsewhere? Consider building an "L" design in front of the window and along the wall. It may require moving the light fixture or replace with track spotlights. Good luck
[houzz=]
[houzz=]

Sounds like you want a formal dining to dress up for the holidays: and I totally get it. But here is just another thought. If the chandy was replaced with a fan or canned lights (so it didn't scream dining room), then table could be pushed up to window or a wall and the room used as a craft room/office most of the time.

Room could be rearranged into a dining area when needed, but used more the rest of the time. You could put in french doors at the entrance to hide any projects and to give you some quiet and privacy.

Getting rid of that chair rail is a great start. It cinches in the room like a tight belt making feel extra small. I know you just painted it and the color looks nice but if you went with a more colorful hue in the same value the color would make a statement that raises the room out of the ordinary and you won't see it as being so plain. I would also use a more horizontal ceiling lamp, center it above the table and bring it much closer to the table top. Combining with the horizontality of the table it will create a more horizontal reference making the room feel wider.

I wonder if placing the credenza under the window would give more room. I would turn the table the length of the window.opposite of the credenza and add a lighter colored chandelier. sheer curtians would also be pretty and accent your beautiful credenza. I hope I helped.

I like decoenthusiast idea - you would be using both pieces of furniture, and your table could go under the light, as it should!

The dining room is only going to work with the table centered, regardless of whether it's closer to the wiindows or not. A narrow banquet in front of the windows to accommodate the table end would be stylish. I love the idea of banquets, but I'm not sure how they actually do in reality. Plan on moving the chandy in that case.

There may not be room for the buffet in that room. It's a terrific piece and has to get used somewhere, so decoenthusiast's idea may be your best option. Just plan on the dining room appearing spacious. With a rug under the table, it will look pulled together.

Good morning! Well, we worked a few different ways and it seems we have two options. If we put the buffet under the window it will come height wise to the chair rail which would be ok I think. We could keep the table smaller and still have space to extend when we have larger gatherings. This would keep the chairs enough room to pull out on the sides. I was actually going to paint the living and dining room in coordinating greys and use yellow as an accent. Hubby would like to keep the green color (the tape was painting the trim) so I either need to work on him or find a palette that incorporates both. May move mirror to the opposite wall if necessary and add a large piece of art on the mirror wall. ( you see it when you walk in the house). Looking for some fun bling in these two rooms so may do a very neutral palate, change the dining room chandelier and put some sort of living room ceiling light in. I really liked the idea of putting the buffet in the living room but it is too wide and we wouldn't be able to really get around it. The second one that looked neat was bringing the table closer to the window and turning it. It made a cut little area. My only concern is that the room may seem off balance having the buffet off centered. This has been such great help!

Oops. Forgot this photo Ill send a pic when done if anyone is interested. Floors should be in next week!

That chandelier should be no higher than 36" above the table. You may need to lower it. If you are so inclined, replacing it with something with more "bulk" would make the room look less empty. I can't recall if you expressed an opinion about it.

You may need to lower your art as well. Think eye level when you're seated and adjust to the chair rail. Two inches may make a huge difference.

I searched "small dining rooms" for chandys. This may not be to your taste. But you can have a serious chandy that makes a "fashion statement."

Don't give up! My dining room is only 11x11.3 and look what I have in it----not by choice-holding on to extra furniture for daughters when they get houses-LOL

and even more furniture that doesn't show in this pic-LOL

Just reread all the posts. Looks to me like your best solution, if you want to keep the buffet in the room, is to place it against the window and then to center your table, only turn it 90 degrees. Can you do that and post a picture?

Went to a friend's house last night for dinner and she fit in her table by putting it on the room's diagonal. That always is the longest measurement in the room. Actually, in her space it looked very nice. You might as well try that too. It is a way to free up more wall space for your buffet.

PS: You and I have almost the same dining table and chairs, except took my room into a more formal french country direction (chair rail has a solid red wallpaper below and a small fleur de lis print above, silk panels on window, etc.). My room is 10 feet six inches by 14 feet 6 inches. So I only had room for table and corner cabinets. I decided to go with the dramatic jewel box look. Thinking you are going for a lighter look.

I do like the art in place of the mirror.

Pcmom1 I will do that and post a picture! We came from a big old farmhouse and I was more French country decor there. I am trying to incorporate a fresh look. Going more toward neutrals. House2514 I wish I had your extra foot. That is what this room is missing. The great ideas keep coming!

Ok, so here is what it looks like with the table turned. Which way do you think looks better?

I am liking the way this looks, maybe because it fills the room. Might not be so practical, as it would be tight to get folks around the table. What do you think? Is the buffet in front of the window? I don't see it.

Are you planning on something on the wall under the chair rail? I was thinking a white beadboard might look nice and fill the room without crowding it. Can you lower the chady down some. Think I have heard that between 30 to 34 inches above table is ideal. I do think it will look better.

More I look at the table this way, more I like it!

Think the window would look very good with some simple linen off white panels to frame it.

My son, hubby and I kept going back and forth between the two photos. I think this way does fill out the room more. My son says without the Chairs on either end it looks like a boardroom lol. If we needed the 8 person table we would then just turn it. That would be rarely. I think the room fills better this way. We haven't put the buffet yet because it s sooo heavy. Once the floors are in I will take pictures to show. I've never put drapery around plantation shutters, but I do see how it could fill the room more.

I keep going back and forth with those 2 pics, too! Love how you have flowers on the table! You are itching to be done, aren't you!!! When did you say the floor is coming? You may change your mind on the table when the floor is in and the buffet moved. THAT will be a huge change in there and moving the table a couple of times will be a minor thing then. Stand across from the doorway and take a look inside the room and then go in the room and WALK AROUND and see what works the best. Either way will be fine.

Hey there! Its been a while.....After about a month and a half and a half dozen hardwood flooring samples that didn't match when the actual wood came in......my wood floors are going in today! .....while we are waiting hubby is painting the front living room (which opens to the DR) hallway down and up and stairway in Revere Pewter. After 3 months of trying to figure out a gray color that wasn't too gray, or too purple, or too yellow, I think I've found it. Stay tuned for after pics!