We recently bought our first home, a townhouse in the DC 'burbs. The house has great square footage and natural light, but we're not loving the 80's feel with the honey oak cabinets and banisters and brass light fixtures. Attached is a photo of our dining room, which I'd like to be the first "finished" room. It is on the main level of our house, which is an open concept living-dining space. (The living room is to the right. To the left is an opening into our kitchen.) To save some money, I'm planning on keeping the table, but staining the top a dark walnut and painting the legs white. I'd like suggestions on: (1) paint color, and specifically, whether to paint the area below the chair rail a different color, (2) dining chairs, (3) window treatment, (4) light fixture, and (5) finishing touches like art and perhaps a buffet. We like the Ikea DC cherry blossom art you see sitting on the floor, and I'd like to paint the frame black. I'm not sure if this is the right place for this piece though. As far as style, my husband and I like a modern, urban, West-Elm style look, though he does like traditional elements such as crown molding. (And for what it's worth, my husband is a major cheapskate so the less something costs the easier it will be to convince him!) Thanks for any ideas!