It's a lovely house, but there have been some renovations along the way that have not stayed true to the character of the house. From what I can see, the kitchen is one, and that china cabinet is too. I don't think you should feel you need to keep it.

I assume this is your furniture shown in the space? If so, I don't think the table works with the credenza. You certainly can go more modern if you choose, but if you keep the table, I think the credenza needs to go. Your decision on furniture will impact what light you choose.

The other thing I would do right away is remove the wallpaper from the wall below the chair rail and above the picture rail. You can paint the picture rail and above the same color as the ceiling if you like.

Replace flooring with wood or tile.
Paint hutch bright white.
Add decorative wainscoting looking trim under chair rail, paint white, then refresh the top paint, possibly going for a creamy light brown.
Add a larger drum ceiling fixture, which can look contemporary or classic depending on what's in the room with it.
Remove the green stuff from on top of hutch. In my opinion adding greenery there makes it instantly look like 1990.

The best place to start is on the walls, especially below the chair rail. Doesn't do anything for the room. You can really put any color there given the neutral colors in the room.

The cabinet is not great but OK. I'd remove the chachkis on the top.

Others are better at picking a chandelier than I am, but yeah, needs to go.

The china cabinet is lovely and functional. Why is anything popular and tasteful in the 90's automatically BAD now?

It's not BAD, it's dated. Do you wear the same thing you did 24 years ago? Have the same giant hair with four inch bangs? Then why would you want your home to look like it did 24 years ago? Not bad, but could be so much more updated

I don't find the wall unit all that bad I think it kind of goes with the DR set. I would for sure remove the trim on the walls and paint the entire space one color. As far as the light fixture if you want to give it a bit of a modern twist why not a little bling. Lower most of the art work, paint the other piece of furniture the same color as the wall unit, take the stuff off the wall unit, if possible remove the top section and replace with an awesome mirror.Make sure you hang the fixture about 65" from the floor to the bottom and then make sure it reflects in the mirror. Put a nice center piece on the table , maybe a long low class piece with a color from one of the paintings or fresh flowers all the time..Does this room have windows , if so some sumptuous faux silk drapes hung on a nice wood rod to match your table. I personally still like a small puddle on the floor with drapes, pick a color that is in your art work for the fabric. A couple of these vases with flowers would be beautiful maybe one on the buffet too.

Simplify. Remove dust catchers from the top of the china cabinet, lower the art and replace the one on the back wall with something more vibrant, find one or two simple glass pendants that are period appropriate, paint richer colors.

If there really is no way to unmount that break front, then I suggest painting it--after you find the perfect round table and position it under a new, updated light fixture. Are there wood floors under there? Losing the carpet and replacing with a rug would be nice.

I would start with a new fabric to cover your chairs, but it has to be a fabric you really love that has multiple colors in it. Take one of the lighter of those colors and have the hutch painted with it. Then pick two tones of another of the colors in the fabric, one really pale and the other a medium one, to use for your walls with the pale one on top and the darker below. You can test this using one of the color machine at a paint store. See how this looks. There are rules about how big and how low the chandelier should be. These might help you in your choice. I like a chandelier that is about 2/3 rds the size of the width of the table across its diameter. It should hang about 33 inches above your table.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful suggestions! I am new to Houzz and am so appreciative of your help. Groveraxle, thanks for helping me visualize some changes. I'm excited! The wall paper will be history next week. Painting white above the picture rail. Will add new vibrant painting. like the idea of cool modern mirror in place of the small pictures. Credenza will be taken out. next questions...My husband is being very resistant to painting the hutch, so what wall colors should I choose so it all works together? Suggestion of a classy light fixture with a small amount of bling.

I would not do anything to make the china cabinet stand out. Best thing would be to remove it. My guess is someone somewhere along the line thought attaching a mass produced cabinet to the wall would mimic a craftsman built in. They were wrong.

I would paint it dark--get hubby to go on a fishing trip and do it then--which will tend to make it recede.

Glad you agree to remove wallpaper from below the chair railing. Paint walls all the same color. If hubby won't paint hutch - do something to the back of it (paint or wallpaper) to add contrast. I'd also change hardware. If you can afford it - I'd pull out the carpet and replace with hardwood. And change light fixture to a fun drum fixture.