Oh I know how you feel! I am frozen with finishing my living room, mainly because of one of my cats. I made some lovely plaid drapes and would like to get two new chairs. But my sweet Emma will scratch on the furniture despite having scratching posts and those corrugated box things with catnip. I've tried the squirt bottle with water, which helps for a short time, but then she's right back at it. There's now a small spot on the back of the sofa with threads sticking out. I just don't think I want the added stress with new chairs but what I have now doesn't work. So I spend a lot of time outside with my roses instead of making a decision. My DH just shakes his head. Good luck! You've gotten lots of good advice. Take your time and buy what you love. Maybe you'll find a painting or rug that will inspire you. I'm so sorry for all of you hurt by this lousy economy. My son lost his job at the first of the year. Luckily he is single, no kids, but he's still living on a fraction of what he made before. I'm just thankful we're in a position to help him out, if needed.

trish-I hope you see this, you posted almost a week ago, I have not been on these boards for a few days! Can you PLEASE take a picture of the furniture and post it? I am dying to see it in another setting. Do you think the DR set was in the house originally? What year was your house built? What color are the seats...and are they the same at your neighbor's house across the street? Where do you live? Ok, so my DH actually had possession of *HIS* dining room set, that was exactly like MINE...up until the mid nineties. His mom had saved it (parents are divorced). He tried to sell it at one point, and refinshed the top and spruced it up nicely. I think he was asking 1k for the whole set...hutch, table, chairs...and he had NO ONE buy it. They would come, look, offer him 200 bucks, he just couldn't (wouldn't, I suppose, LOL) sell it at that price. Then again, this was BEFORE the internet. He didn't reach too many potential buyers with his ad in the paper. I was kind of happy, cuz I said, "Good, let's keep it for the extra chairs and leaf and just store the rest of it!" His office has a warehouse/storage area, so that's why I considered it...I am not a believer in paying good money to store more "things." But since it is available, we do it sometimes. Well, at this time, his dad did not have a DR table so DH just put it there to keep it, and so his dad would have a table. A few months later, one of his sisters moved in, brought her own stuff...and GAVE AWAY the hutch and two end chairs...and PUT THE TABLE OUT BY THE CURB FOR BULK PICKUP! *fanning self* I was LIVID! I still talk about it to this day, but my DH keeps saying, "Let it go, honey!!" I think he is mad too, but also embarrassed. SO...remember...just a few years ago, I saw this table for sale on a grocery store bulletin board, and the whole set with hutch was in the $200 range...maybe $250? It really is heavy duty, solid wood. BUT...apparently very common and mass produced! I would just like to know a little more about it. I cannot find any name on it as to who made it, where it is from originally, etc. BTW...his sister moved out a few months later, and once again, DH''s dad was left with no table. *sigh*

C'mon, everyone was supposed to vote for #1's!? LOL j/k. Sorry took me awhile to get back, kids have been sick so took me awhile. Appreciate all the comments/suggestions. A few of you have me seriously thinking about the "too much going on thing" on the base of table one. I can see how with chair legs and the wainscotting that it it could be look like a beavers damn down below. All of the chairs shown do come in sidechairs. I just grabbed the endchairs, but would definitely go without arms on the sides. Between tables 2 and 3, I think I like 3 better. I looked at the detail/top view of table 2 and it's got some funky curves/corners on the actual table top itself. Table 3 is from the Kings Row collection of Hickory White, as is the sideboard. Normally, I'm far from wanting anything ornate, but for some reason I kinda like the sideboard with the feet. As a few folks have noted, it would definitely need to be flanked with substantial lamps or sconces and a hefty painting or mirrior. (haven't gotten that far yet). I do like the chairs les suggested (Terri's), but the wood on Table 3 is darker and I'm not sure how the lighter wood of the chairs would contrast with the table. I'm not a fan of our lighter floors, so wanted to go with a darker wood as opposed to blending. Suppose we could do table 3, with chair 2 (sidechairs) and figure something out on the ends. I need to price table 3 and chair 2, but table 1 was $2400 and chair 1 was $510, I think the others are going down in price which is good. The buffet in the room right now is a dresser that will disappear when we get furniture. (my head is spinning). Our initial choice was going to be the following, but have heard not so great things about Bernhardt furniture quality. Also, Im not a huge fan of the rings on the legs of the table/chairs. or the scrolls on the sideboard feet, but it was liveable. I think table 3 and chair two (way top above) probably dress this room better. Any suggestions...I need therapy! Have looked at most every maker and can't make a lousy decision. Where's premier?...tell me "whats up" lol. (looking for the dining room wrecking ball)

Agree that the Lilly palette would be a committment. Everything would need to be so bright. Or white. Too confining for me. Since I have the one week reprieve, I have decided to work on the frame of the second chair. Go for a bit lighter/brighter/clearer than the first. I think I overshot the antiquing glazing and that is what is bothering me. Worn = good; dingey, not so much. I do like the fern-y fabric, but it might be wiser to use an insert that covers coral, green and blue . I'll check around once more for a swoon-able fabric. I just need 2/3 yard, so not a budget buster. I did cut the fern-y fabric at class, but those pieces can evolve into a pair of pillows, so no waste. Colorwise, I have EK's Gustavian Grey in a room here and I think something close to that pale bluish greenish aquaish greyish chameleon color on the walls would make a good unifying base for the three areas. (The window alcove, living and dining areas are a continuous 30 ft space). The color is close to that in the Frenchie picture with my clone couch above. I think there is enough coral now in the framework: couches in the middle area, chair back inserts and wicker cushions in the alcove at one end, and there is a little coral in the dining room chair fabric at the other end. Maybe a touch more in a small accessory or two. Enough to make it work, but not enough to drive the palette if I change the couches later. Good plan. DH has been bugging me to pick out some yarns as he's ready to start crocheting throws. I am assigning him a light blue that trends a touch aqua to start. Nice with the wall color. Appreciate your helping me think this through. Feels like the color plan is coming together. Two years seems like a long time, but there is a LOT of upholstering, sewing, crocheting, artwork and furniture painting/refinishing to do. Thanks!