I actually don't mind the color and think it's a good base to work off of. You can add your blue thru curtains (as you mentioned), a colorful rug under the table, chair cushions, table runner, artwork on walls...

I like the new paint color with your furniture. Blue curtains or perhaps a blue and yellow print for the curtains would be lovely. You can get a longer rod that allows the curtains to be pulled back completely off the window. Today's trend is to mount the curtain rod near the ceiling.

Are you changing the chandelier? That could make a huge change in the appearance of the room.

I just bought the light. Does it look bad?

This is the light up close

That is pretty!

You have absolutely beautiful furniture. The wall color should work fine with it. (I do see a wedgewood blue wall color with a blue carpet as being ideal. Sigh......)

CARPET: if the rug is tan, it might work ok. If the rug is gray, it should definitely be changed. Wood floors with a deep red oriental carpet would be ideal. (Karastan Red Sarouk or Persian Vase - tea washed). Your furniture with tan and red with lots of white accents should look outstanding.

DRAPES: You have a lot of great choices. Based upon colors in the oriental carpet, red, blue, or white drapes would all work well. With only one window, a white drape will give the most light. For more formal, install drapes with a valance. For less formal, consider a cloth valence with decorative folds down the sides of the upper half of the window. Consider chair cushions in a coordinated fabric to the drapes. A damask fabric would be beautiful and stylistically great for drapes and chairs.

TABLE: A large blue and white Peony bowl on an oriental stand would look nice. Add a brass candlestick on each side of the bowl for balance. Use all six chairs around table, two on each side, one on end. Buy a plant stand or candle stand for corners currently occupied by chairs.

CHINA HUTCH: Display some of your china plates or a collection of brass chargers to bring lightness to that area.

ART WORK: Frame pictures with a simple gilt frame and white mats. Consider reframing and moving current lovely picture to another wall. Replace it with a much larger oil landscape with a slightly more ornate gilt frame. Create some type of balanced picture arrangement on each side of hutch. A brass plate rail with brightly colored plates might be nice (blue and white, blue and gold, red and gold, etc.).

WALL: A white chair rail might be nice in this room with the additional possibility of white plantation shutters.

Create a sample board with your wall color and experiment with colors that spark against the tan background. After choosing the primary color (rug?), then select one or two accent colors. [My choice: tan wall, Red Sarouk rug, white and gilt (brass), with deep Prussian blue accents.

Best wishes. You have some beautiful furniture and a nice room. Have fun. Please show us your finished room.

Why not put the blue you so desire on the ceiling as a comprimise:)

We have a variety of chandeliers that would fit your space nicely, please let me know if you have any questions. www.hubbardtonforge.com

The light shown wants a new home.

The chandelier does not go with the room at all, and it is creating shadows and glare! Perhaps you can move it into the foyer or hallway and get something like the above ones from Hubbardton

I am going with Hubbardton on the light. The pattern the current light emits is tough. Go with their beautiful lights, rich light colored wood floor, muted blue should be ok and area rug to accent under the table.

Your chandelier lends itself to Hollywood Regency glam style, but not to your dining room furniture. Go with the iron ones suggested.

I agree that the fixture you just purchased is wrong for the furniture. The Hubbardton Forge fixture styles shown are the way to go.

if you use draperies GO LONG... install them close to the ceiling and have them go to the floor. It will make the room seem taller. Also, if you make them wide enough you can extend the width of the rod more to make the window look wider.

Also some crown moulding might give the room a nicer feel - but install that BEFORE you install the draperies.

If you go with a Hubbardton Forge chandelier, the one suggested by Cleokitty will fit in with the Colonial style of your furniture. If you decide to use a forged chandelier, I suggest using other forged and/or black accessories rather than brass. To be consistent, use small black frames with white mats on the art work as well - similar to your current painting.

If you like brass accessories, then a medium-sized six-arm brass Colonial Chandelier would look wonderful. I agree that the current light fixture is the wrong style for the furniture. Perhaps, it can go in the entryway.

Your furniture allows you to go many different ways. I think the first basic decision is to decide whether you want a more formal or a more informal Colonial look. All other decisions will flow from this basic decision.

FORMAL: oriental rug, brass chandelier, brass accents, gilt framed art work, drapes with valance - damask or velvet materials. (Georgian Colonial style - Chippendale, Sheraton, Adams, Queen Anne)
INFORMAL: forged chandelier, forged accents, black framed art work, rug - solid, striped, floral, or multi-colored, curtains rather than drapes, printed cottons - chintz, polished cotton, plaids, floral, or solid. (Early American style).

I suggest searching dining rooms through both Houzz and Google for Colonial Williamsburg, Georgian, Chippendale, Sheraton, Adams, Colonial, Early American, Harden Furniture, Henkel Harris Furniture, Hickory Chair Furniture, Ethan Allen Furniture, and Kelly furniture to assist in making this basic decision.

Our contiguous living room, entry, and dining room are solidly formal Colonial with mahogany and cherry furniture. Our breakfast room, den, and bedrooms lean more towards Early American furniture made of fruitwood or maple wood. The two styles can co-exist in separate rooms of the same house.

You are fortunate that your china hutch, table, and chairs can go in either direction.

Thank you all for the super ideas. I am so upset with myself about the chandelier. I looked and looked until my eyes crossed. It was from potterybarn and I can't return it because it was a final sale item. I could put it on eBay. I wish I had posted this before I purchased it.:(

Your chandelier may look stunning in your hallway entranceway or at the top of a landing. It's fine, just a better style as suggested would suit your dining room style.

I bet you can sell it in a minute, it's truly beautiful.

What about using your 4 armless chairs at the table (2 on each side) and get 2 upholstered chairs for each end. You could put your arm chairs on each side of the china cabinet and yes, the beautiful chandy does need to go.... I do love it though!

I hate to have to be the "Spelling Police" but everyone seems to spell dining with two L's when there's only one.

you mean two N's...

Oops, sorry (:

Why not try lowering the light fixture before giving it up! Try bulbs that give off blue-white light, too. It is more modern than the furniture and the curtains you have now. I think the color of the walls accentuates the yellow light the chandelier is giving off. You might consider keeping it but putting it in a more open area, like others have suggested. I love the idea of a colorful rug and other accessories that will bring life into this room and make your husband's color choice make you smile!

Oh, and don't be upset with yourself about the chandelier!

I just looked at the picture with the print on the wall. Green appears to look great against the wall color. Add more green to the room.

Unless you are trying to create a scene from American history, I think the light adds a glamorous touch to an otherwise predictable room. I say, keep it!

I agree with bellesum- why not play up the chandy with some silk curtains.

I am going to put stuff like this on my table and keep my chandelier. It's all about expressing yourself in design and I am a little bit old fashion with a touch of sparkling light:)

NOW, that's the spirt!! ;))