I don't know if the peacock is 'too formal' but it is a different style than the furniture. One says Asian to me the rest says Americana. Mixing can work but you need another hit or two of the Asian. I see why you swapped out the light fixture. The previous one was hug waaay too high but I do think you could do better than what you have now. Maybe try it w/o the shades and a bulb that looks more like a flame?

The style of your dining room appears fairly consistent. Nothing seems too jarring. Historically pieces in a home would have been acquired over time and from different sources and even different eras if the home was occupied for a long period of time. You pieces do seem rather traditional but if that is your style then I think you have been successful.

Yes, my style is definitely traditional. I’m attracted to English country/cottage style but with less clutter, however I’m having to work with furnishings I already have as well. The house itself is a vintage colonial with good bones.

You seem to favor the traditional, and you clearly love blue. We're seeing ONE room in your home.

Google up some dining areas you love. .... it's nearly limitless especially in blue which is a favorite in traditional spaces.

Just to give some context. I’m redecorating the living room right now, waiting for new sofa and fabric to reupholster chairs, etc. but it basically looks like this.

Family room from RE listing photos.

Living room, chair fabric being changed.

Kitchen before I moved the light fixture. wondering if I should put it back and get something else for dining room.

Living room, old upholstery being replaced. need to figure out how to dress the small windows, but that’s another post. AC unit is gone from window and table and lamp are gone.

Family room with nice window seat and dog.

The first thing I might attack? The "ship lap" detail .......which does not suit the home, or the lovely window !! . Wainscoting in a more traditional style........maybe some deep blue walls above, or a wispy and pale periwinkle, all trim remains white?

More like this than the ship

If this is the only dining area in your home ( all purpose, no eat in kitchen ) you have a nice start- neither too formal, or too casual.

I think it's all looking lovely so far (minus the tablecloth, which you mentioned was temporary).

While the chandelier is fine over your dining table, you might find something better. That chandelier looked very nice in the kitchen.

I would paint the walls above chair rail SW Topsail (a pale blue). It will make your white wood work look fabulous. Not a fan of the peacock in that setting. Lastly, I would change out the shades on the chandelier, too white against cream chandelier.

The additional pictures you posted are very informing ! I'd say take your TIME. Don't attempt to "do" every room at once! You've got a lovely home, your style well suited to your location. You may even want to consider bringing on an interior designer who shares your love of tradition. It can be the absolute best money spent, and avoid regrets up the road.

The kitchen chandelier was perfect in the kitchen, get something perfect for the dining room and put that back in the kitchen. The screen doesn't relate to anything else in the room. Neither the style or colors have anything to do with the rest of the room.

Stop buying and doing until you have a solid plan for the whole home renovation.

List all of the rooms in the home,

list what will have to stay and what you want to change

list the furniture you have for each room. Look through your art and decor and think about where they are going to fit into your new home.

Decide on a general color palette based on the colors that must stay and your personal color preferences.

Mock up boards with pictures of furniture and art and colors for each room and align them next to one another in the same order as you would walk through your home.

How do the items in each room relate to one another? How do the colors and styles from one room to the adjoining rooms relate to one another? Everything doesn't need to be the same, but they should be similar enough that they don't feel out of place.

If your not sure about how to go about planning the changes you may save yourself a lot of grief and money by hiring an interior designer to guide you through the process.

Each item on its own is very nice, but room has an identity crisis, Suggest thinking about how you want the room to feel and its character. I think addressing the walls will have the biggest impact and would tie the room together.

Suggest light floral wallpaper, reupholstered seats and a lovely chandelier.

Maybe rethink the plate rack and how the side table and dining tables are accessorized.

It’s important to think big picture. The room itself is lovely and once coordinated it will be stunning. Good luck.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I’m trying to use a 50 year accumulation of furniture, art, accessories, china, etc. that have been through 7 moves. Some things work in various rooms, others not so much. My taste has changed over the years, but we are retired and this is probably our last large home before the stairs are an issue. Maybe 10 years? I’ll have to make do mostly with what I have. We downsized 6 years ago, and then upsized 2 years ago, so I’m having to replace some of the nice things I sold or donated. I’m buying on fb and thrifting, so I’m limited to what I can find there for the most part. I did order a new sofa and upholstery fabric for the LR. Much of my furniture is either vintage or antique.

The shiplap is original to the house, about 70 years old, and runs through several rooms, so I don’t want to replace it. I may have to keep to a more informal style, or at least keep its rustic style in mind. I felt ok about the direction I was going in until the screen went up in the dining room. As much as I like it, it feels out of place to me. Maybe a new wall color would make it work better, or I may be able to use it in the primary bedroom instead. The husband will be unhappy if I try to resell it, unless I make a profit or break even. I plan on recovering the DR chairs soon.

I’ve worked with decorators several times in the past. I’ve tried to find an interior designer/decorator in our new town, but as soon as I reveal that I don’t plan on buying a lot of furniture and custom drapery, they don’t return my calls.

I have photoshop, and make mood boards and sample boards when making changes. I will be repainting, but the house needed a LOT of work both inside and out and I’ve put the purely aesthetic stuff on the back burner until now. I’m a little overwhelmed by the amount of decorating I need to do.

Please don't listen to the instructions to stop buying what you need and want. Last year I furnished an 11 room old house from NOTHING (I moved in from abroad with my laptop) and between consignment stores and vintage shopping online, I did it all and it was great for two reasons: It looks like I've lived here forever and the older furniture is so much more comfortable. And yes: In my dining room I have an Italian corridor bench from a palazzo in le Marche, a 200 year old swiss table, a french side board, a spanish wine cabinet plus modern art on the walls and an Icon of St George.

So back to your dining room:

I think the only thing that doesn't work is the hutch. How about this?

https://www.chairish.com/product/3506296/vintage-american-classical-two-tiles-display-wooden-shelf

The point is , there is no need to tackle it all at once. There are also designers who will work with you on even a limited consultation basis,,,,,by the hour. Someone who can help you incorporate the old with the necessary new.

If the screen bothers you? Take it down! Consider the labels on various rooms........you are not required to use any room ( exceptions for kitchen and baths ) as it was used by a prior owner, or by its label on a floor plan.......which you might consider posting?

Also might be worth a trip to West Hartford consignment . Or Wethersfield? You never know......

https://www.revivalhomestore.com/

https://gillettefurnitureconsignment.com/

PS: What a great family room. Love the window seat. I would have hard time resisting wine and gold in that room, but anything is going to look great.

I forgot to mention I think chandeliers are the hardest thing to get right. I actually skipped one in my dining room in favor of portable table lamps and a floor lamp. But it's a different space. Anyway, I hope you find something charming or unobtrusive for your dining room.

@Saypoint zone 6 CT I've loved all the decor in the houses you've given us a peek at over the years. I can totally understand feeling overwhelmed and also just wanting to get it done!

Do you have a friend with similar taste that can come to the house and look at things with a fresh eye and make suggestions?

https://www.lijodecor.com/products/elh26162-parkhill?aidc=sbar&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2qKmBhCfARIsAFy8buLLpcG5IjU51QlyxmBS53-LQKLMxRHWs_CZbMpDFYcjX9lUvkTzoUsaAv89EALw_wcB

https://www.build.com/product/summary/1856102?uid=4392894&jmtest=gg-gbav2_4392894&inv=1&&&&&&source=gg-gba-pla_4392894!c1710656075!a66879169156!dc!ng&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2qKmBhCfARIsAFy8buI8lkR0hvuAo1YYHs2qWf3RIofzUtF5u-t-xp7jCYFOsybzLC_LUssaAttPEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.build.com/product/summary/1853470?uid=4386529&jmtest=gg-gbav2_4386529&inv=1&&&&&&source=gg-gba-pla_4386529!c1711171879!a67979266278!dc!ng&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2qKmBhCfARIsAFy8buJihhKFTFOeBadeWXErBKD8aaMzSEjZ65KY0ZjZjAUoJF4mYvYIO8oaAqJSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.build.com/product/summary/1853470?uid=4386529&jmtest=gg-gbav2_4386529&inv=1&&&&&&source=gg-gba-pla_4386529!c1711171879!a67979266278!dc!ng&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2qKmBhCfARIsAFy8buJihhKFTFOeBadeWXErBKD8aaMzSEjZ65KY0ZjZjAUoJF4mYvYIO8oaAqJSEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

go for it ;)

https://www.couleurnature.com/collections/blue-french-tablecloths/products/french-tablecloth-jardin-blue-vert?variant=42511316385944

Have you tried the hutch top on the wall where the peacock is? then maybe you could find something smaller, art-wise, for over that console table (like the picture that hung there before!), or even add a table lamp for atmosphere.

Agree with most folks that you have a wonderful decorating style overall. Also, that the chandelier looked great in the kitchen and is off-kilter here. Lemme rustle around and see if I can find anything here that fits the country feel.

Mixing furniture styles is like cooking or assembling a meal.

I like strawberries. I like tomato sauce. I can't mix the two together in a food dish and expect a good outcome. The elements have to complement one another.

It's the same with room decoration. Your table is lovely in the dining room, (except for the tablecloth. Please do not use them except when serving a meal).

The repositioned chandelier works in the space. The art does not. The table and chairs make a bold statement and this particular Chinese screen doesn't quite work in the space. Perhaps framed botanicals could pull in the color of the view into the room successfully.

Years ago I used a Chinese screen in a dining room that made a stronger statement than yours, see below. This element would have worked in your dining room.

Well, I dunno. You could get different effects. (Please hang any of them lower than your current -- 30ish inches off the table is good.)

Here's one that's still sort of French country, but which has more presence because of the mix of metals, etc.

LALUZ 6-Light Shabby-Chic French Country Wooden Chandeliers Retro-white Wooden · More Info

Here's another in that vein, whose swirls might harmonize a bit with your chairs.

LNC 6-Light Distressed Wood French Country and Farmhouse Candle Chandelier · More Info

Here are some options to take that a tad more transitional without fighting what's there...

Kichler Dover 9 Light 2 Tier Chandelier in Tannery Bronze · More Info

Progress Lighting Drum Shade 5-Light, Chain Hung Fixture, Antique Bronze · More Info

Forged Black 8 - Light Shaded Simply Rustic Chandelier · More Info

Aged Brass 8 - Light Shaded Simply Sophisticated Chandelier · More Info

I especially like this next one, for some reason, although it might be large.

Inspire Collection 9-Light Chandelier, Antique Bronze · More Info

Mirren 6-Light Chandelier, Imperial Bronze · More Info

If you wanted an eclectic feel, you could throw in something modern for contrast, but I think that your taste is consistent enough that something above is likely to help you find a good direction. Just in case, a couple of offerings.

LNC 8-Light Antique Candle-Style Modern Chaderlier 36"H · More Info

Generation Lighting 3139109 Hettinger 9 Light 30"W Pillar Candle - Bronze · More Info

6-Light Chandelier, Matte Black, Natural Brass · More Info

Livex Lighting Satin Brass 6-Light Chandelier · More Info

Good luck!

Here is recipe from Bon Appetit for Spaghetti with Strawberry Tomato Sauce

"Considering that tomato is a fruit, the addition of strawberries isn’t that strange in this sauce from Rose's Luxury. The sauce should be quite spicy, which tempers the berries’ sweetness."

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spaghetti-with-strawberry-tomato-sauce

Seriously, trust your instincts. What you've got is great to begin with, full of romance, so don't inhibit yourself. I learned the hard way that I'd rather end up giving a few mis-bought items to charity than pay a decorator to tell me everything should look like a bowl of oatmeal, an industrial gray parking lot, or the house next door.

Wow, thanks for all of the suggestions! A lot to think about, and photoshop onto my room.

There is no one nearby who can eyeball my stuff, we moved a couple of hours away from our last home and the people who are close by have no taste, lol.

I could actually use just lamps in the DR. We rarely entertain at night, family are usually here during the day and when it’s just the grandkids we eat in the kitchen anyway. The current chandelier is 30 inches from the tabletop exactly, but I think moving it back to the kitchen is a good idea.

The decorators I worked with in the past did tend to push their ideas rather than listen to what I thought I wanted, and I’m not confident enough in my skills to push back. I do it every time and often have regrets. I’ve been living with a rug I don’t like for 20 years and couldn’t bring myself to replace it because it was expensive.

The wall shelf is a bit deep to put on a wall with nothing under it, I’m afraid people will be knocking into it. I do like the one my twocents suggested, and it’s affordable.

You can hang plates on a wall with NO shelf.........

That's a simple console. Add a mirror above , flank with the bolder plates or no plates, or use the plates elsewhere.

The LAST thing I would do is buy a wood anything to hang above it

I'm glad to see someone else with a traditional style in a traditional home.

The screen is lovely, but needs to go somewhere else. That is a clever use of the console table to cover the heating unit. Rather than the plate rack, I would hang plates with some art and a couple of candle sconces.. I bet you have quite a collection of plates already. Get them out and set them on the table. If they don't coordinate, China plates can be picked for cheap on Ebay and at garage sales. I would hang them on the wall over the console table and find another place for the plate rack. A wall mirror will reflect light and make the space seem larger.

I would either wallpaper the room or paint it a color that coordinates with your plate collection and art work. I like french blue for this room. Lean a little French country. This way you could keep the chandelier right where it is.

Let's hear it for traditional design. Why throw good things out because the new fashion is for the inside of your house to look like a barn?

I may try the screen in the bedroom or try to resell it along with the plate rack, which seems a bit heavy to me for the spot it’s in. I have a lot of plates, Blue Willow, fine china, a couple of pretty dessert sets, mostly picked up at flea markets and antique shops over the years. Also have a lot of framed prints and paintings that are still not up.

I browse pinterest for images of traditional rooms and save the ones I like for future reference, so lots of inspiration. The DH has conniptions when I bring more things home, good thing I can move the light fixtures myself and most often hang up whatever needs hanging without him.

I have a set of three quite large botanical prints that I picked up but they have burgundy mats. The flowers are sort of burgundy and pink with green foliage and I was planning on painting the mats green. Here’s one photoshopped before and after. I was going to use them somewhere else but maybe the dining room would work. They’re about 26x36. Maybe too big.

What a gem of a home! It’s infinitely more classic, charming and well proportioned than 99.9% of the generic builds I see on this site. I see nothing wrong with any of the furniture or artwork, it just needs some styling.

Keep in mind that during the Chippendale/Queen Anne/Georgian period there was a craze for all things Asian, so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the Japanese piece. If you don't really like it there, that's one thing, but for anyone to criticize it for not being "appropriate" shows a lack of knowledge of design history.

I love the idea of a blue and white wallpaper--one of the suggestions is Brunschwig & Fils "Bird and Thistle," which is a classic and still going strong. It would really pump up the volume in the dining room. There are loads more--blue toile in lots of different patterns from B & F, Schumacher, Thibaut, Lee Jofa, etc., if you aren't wild about the bird/thistle pattern.

Thanks, Diana. Yes, I was in love with the house the minute I saw it, and we bought it even though it was ”as is” and a short sale. It has amazing light inside. We almost became homeless when our old house was sold and the new purchase nearly fell through at the last minute. Thought we were going to have to go camping for a few months. We have spent a small fortune on repairs and major improvements, but it’s in a good location and I know we’ll get it back on resale someday. DH and I were just talking about putting in an elevator to get ourselves upstairs, lol.

Rotted undersized exterior trim, funky two car garage with hinged doors, miserable landscaping, leaking roof, dead trees, poison ivy everywhere. And that’s just on the outside. The inside wasn’t a whole lot better. Toilets didn’t flush, rotten bathroom floor, no central ac in most of the house, chimney crumbling, ugly kitchen cabinet finish, worn hardwoods, you name it. The list of things to do was over 70 items long when we bought it two years ago. Just about everything is done.

Now I need to make the inside pretty!

That garage must be so inconvenient but boy do I love how it looks. Feels like if I opened it, I’d find a horse and carriage inside.

You’ve done a fantastic job on the house.

For everyone who hates the checkered tablecloth, could you explain what about it seems off to you? I thought it was cool but I’m not a designer.

Wow, just wow, can I move in??? It looks like you've done an amazing job already, and as many have commented, don't try to do it all at once.

Some more thoughts on your dining room--

• I'd nix the tablecloth, dining rooms with a beautiful wood table look so much better than having a table cloth. Even when entertaining, chargers and/or place mats are a prettier, more sophisticated look. Can we get a peek at your table?
• Regarding the chandelier, if you have some extra $$, check out Period Lighting Fixtures (Massachusetts) or Authentic Designs (Vermont) for appropriate chandeliers that work well with your Chippendale style, which btw looks like a country Chippendale rather than a more formal one.
• I love the horizontal paneling, and if it's consistent throughout the house, that's a winner.
• I'd consider painting the trim a dark color, complementary to whatever wallpaper you select. It's a great look that has fallen out of fashion for the past 20 or so years, but needs to come back!

Here are some of my favorite traditional dining rooms:

Selkirk Ledge · More Info

Wayne Renovation · More Info

Chestnut Hill - Comm · More Info

2010 Colorado Homes & Lifestyles "Home of the Year" · More Info

Client Dining Room · More Info

Cozy Coastal Beach House · More Info

Kathleen Burke Design · More Info

Warrens Point Renovation · More Info

Austin Patterson Disston Architects · More Info

The garage is not inconvenient at all. We knocked out the wall and joined all three bays together, and there is a door that opens into the house, near the kitchen and pantry. I just drive in and close the door behind me.

Here’s the table naked. It’s made by Hickory White from the Old Savannah collection. We lived right next to High Point, NC for several years and I bought a fair amount of furniture while we were there. I bought these about 25 years ago, and the chair seats are definitely due for new covers. The table is tiger maple with nice reeded legs. It doesn’t look this orange in natural light. The chair legs are square and straight, no cabriole or foot. There is a spider under it, hence the mesmerized dog. I usually keep it covered because our most frequent guests are the kids and grandkids, and none of them have any table manners. Tablecloth goes in the washer and dryer. 😋

The wainscoting is random width boards, and is used in several rooms.

The last photo you posted is one that is already in my inspiration album. Gorgeous.

Several rooms in the house have painted trim and white walls, done by a PO.

Thanks for the photos and the sources for lighting, will check them out.

When I moved the chandelier to the DR, I put this one in the kitchen in its place. The seller said it was custom made in Kennebunkport. It’s a little smaller by a couple of inches than the other one, and I have it over a counter height table/island thingie. The colors coordinate well with my green painted cabinets. I could swap them.

Tiger maple, be still my heart! We have a large credenza and a small bench in tiger maple by Eldred Wheeler. Love their pieces--they went out of business a while ago, since American-style and made furniture isn't in demand at present. Ditto for D.R. Dimes. So sad.

I have an Eldred Wheeler sideboard that someone is going to have to pry out of my cold dead hands : )

Hahaha!