It is the room's rigidity that makes it look office-y. Everything is squared off, pressed and starched.

I'd suggest curtains on the window and instead if the mirror, some colourful art. And a bigger plant, like a potted palm, wouldn't hurt. That, plus a little bit of colour in some pottery or something will pretty much do the trick, I think.

we have the wall between the windows we plan on adding artwork to.

Really could use a rug under the table...I like the Mitchell Gold powershag in gargoyle. Silvery richness and easy to clean :)

The plant is a bit small. Doesn't really add to the room. So I would remove it and just leave the corner empty.

here's one idea for warming up yr dining room space


black and white photos


narrow standing lamps flanking the buffet..maybe

An area rug with some soft curves in the pattern would look really nice.

A different shaped piece (either a mirror or art) above the buffet, maybe a tall lamp... (I just quickly picked some examples from the lampsplus website to show you how it could look)

I would use a large beautiful piece of art over the buffet.

It will take a rug 4' longer and wider than the table, which might run it into the wall. Use painter's tape to "vision" it on your floor. It does look a lot like a conference table. A wider, longer more colorful runner could minimize a bit of that. Have you considered a round mirror over the buffet? After the seasonal decor is put away, consider adding more white ceramic pieces with their roundness to the table decor.

The table is 122" long. We have 2 leaves in it full time because of our large family. It is hard finding a rug long enough.

Should you want a rug, you can think about going for FLOR tiles to create a rug in the size you need:
http://www.flor.com/shop-categories

I personally hate a rug in any dining room (but that's just me). You could get a piece of carpet and have the edges bound if you want a long rug. Beautiful room, just needs a few touches. Large rounds mirror over buffet. Art between windows. Curtain panels.

Hmm, first time I've seen a room that could use some clutter.
Really, I think it's fabulous in it's own way.

The plant is the wrong scale, adding a slim tree would help. Also you may want to consider a round mirror to break up all the rectilinear lines in this space. Then experiment with the plant you have in first photo, try it on top of the console to left, with white vases balance to right of round mirror. Key is you have to keep trying different combos until it "feels right", all the best!

Okay... round mirror then (although I'm a fan of something square or rectangular, but vertical). With all your square lines I think it would be best to add round shapes with items like vases (as you've done) or lamps. A round mirror will stand out too much in my opinion.

What about adding a plant such as a piece lily and a tree (a live one) in the corner?? As beautiful as the hardwoods are, that awesomely long table needs a rug under it.

I think your room looks stunning !!!

I really like your neutral color scheme, and your wood floors look fabulous - no rug needed. I think the missing link in your room are some organic and curved shapes. As others have mentioned, everything is square or rectangular. Curtains will go a long way to soften the look.

Here is the opposite side of the room. Pic taken a few weeks earlier when we had our Halloween décor up.

I still say a beautiful piece of art will bring some color and interest into the room.

I absolutely LOVE your room. I think you need straight window panels (stationary) hung 8" above your windows and a large piece of artwork between the two windows. In my opinion you will be DONE! I loved the uncluttered look. I think you have done a wonderful job on your room!

The mirror above the buffet is too large. A smaller one as suggested by Carolins is more in line. Dining room is beautiful.

Definitely a smaller mirror - round or square or unique shape. Add some hanging crystals to the lamp to Add sparkle to the room... Combine that with mirror 1 and you have a beautiful, elegant and modern space. For a more sophisticated and modern space use mirror 2 and for a more fun updated look mirror 3:)

Aha now that I see the whole pic of the dinning, definitely silk drapes to soften it up. Mirror above the buffet and a large colorful painting on the large wall or you can do 2 paintings side by side... I just got done remodeling my dinning room and I completely understand your dilemma...

Art,rug and drapes.

"Art" might make it look more office-y. I mean there are already plenty of tasteful objects in the dining room, try to change it up. What about family portraits??

We have a wall of family portraits on the left side of the room ... (left of our drapes).

I don't think the mirror works. It's beautiful, but I think it would look nice if you hung some artwork in that space and put the mirror on another wall.

Here is a better wide shot of the room. We will be putting a piece of artwork between the 2 windows. It is too narrow to put the buffet there. We really like the mirror and it was a pain hanging up. We will work around it.

I was just browsing and came across this topic here, "What's on Your Dining Table" and the dining room was a dark blue. Would have never thought of that color but it looked fantastic. Check it out! And also, have you considered painting yours? Or at least that long wall as an accent??

You are off to a great start. The plant is too small of scale to sit on the floor, and the extreme "pointiness" of the leaves too harsh. If you want a plant, a large Fiddle Leaf fig would look good. A series of 3 coordinating art pieces on long wall would look nice, or a grouping of 6.
Black & white photography, or modern abstract series by same artist. After the holidays invest in an interesting art glass bowl for table.

The simplicity of stationary side panels as a window treatment
In a linen will add some warmth. It is a very nice room!

If the light is replaced with another pendant light, it would look much better. The color of the chair fabric looks like the same as the light's cover. You should give some color in your dining room. Also, you might want to change the mirror. Here is some examples!

I love your room. Art on the big wall will be perfect and a round mirror would be nice if you want to change. I wouldn't do a rug. If you decide you want one, you can go to a carpet store - find a carpet sample you like - and order it cut and bound in the size you need. Some curtains on your windows would be nice. I like your ceiling fixture and your vase collection on the buffet.

The first thing i think of is to add curtains, preferably ones with a luxurious sheen. A little sheen can knock out a stodgy office vibe quite quickly. Some art work, specifically photography, would add a more livable aesthetic to the room. Family pictures are a quick way to create that 'home' feel without a significant investment; however, if you want to avoid the '80s dining room vibe you may get with full color images, go black & white on canvas. Good luck, it's a great space.