See if you like the American Home Collection from Hickory White.

Here is a link that might be useful: HW American Home

I love the Stanley Provincia set, very appropriate looking for your home style and it doesn't look over-sized. Would this set fall within your budget?

I'm sorry I don't know anything about the buffet.

Check World Market's tables and chairs.

They are heavy and dark, but not overly ornate ... and even have extensions.

I'm impressed with the one we bought (the Ajara), although I'm still looking for chairs.

Here is a link that might be useful: World MArket site

I think you and your hubby need to figure out a style first and then search it out. This site has some lovely stuff but I'm not sure of the prices:

http://www.frenchheritage.com/Templates/collectionDetail.cfm?ProductID=2384&CategoryID=10

This site gives you some good examples of different types of legs and what style they would be:

http://www.tablelegs.com/indexold.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Table Leg Styles

Your home sounds lovely. My advice would be to focus on the table first and not to search for an entire set. I agree to get something medium weight; not too clunky and not too delicate. A European style would be perfect, one that is expandable with leaves.

You need to see a lot of table styles and when you find the right one you will know it. I would go to a website like Rose Furniture or Lexington Furniture (which is posted above) and really study the different styles.

Once you find the table, then I would look at chairs. I would look at fully upholstered chairs (no wood trim) and exposed wood legs and possibly a curved top. This style looks more European than a straight top. This way you don't have to match the chairs to the table and it will be easy to select the right proportions, fabric and price since there are many dining chair vendors out there.

Some good suggestions above. I would also look at Harden and Nichols & Stone.

Thank you all for the input/insight! Thanks dktrahan for the link to the table legs. Our style for this home is definitely Tuscan, but also incorporating French & British Colonial elements. We are more into an eclectic look. Plus the house kind of forces that, as it's Tuscan in style (arches, etc) but also has more traditional touches like crown moulding and white painted cupboards and built-ins.

Kathypass, I just saw IRL photos of the Provincia chairs (someone had them on craigslist) and unfortunately I wasn't as impressed. I know it was just a photo but the chairs were just kind of blah. :( I still like the table, though.

Lazygardens - thanks for the input. I've also seen some surprisingly nice tables at World Market. But none of them extend large enough for us. We do a lot of entertaining and need to be able to seat 10 (or more!).

Lizh - thanks for the other manufacturer recommendations. I honestly hadn't even heard of those two! As far as your chair suggestions, I found a set I liked before I read your post, and the chairs are an exact match for your suggestions! LOL

John, thanks for the link to the HW line. It wasn't exactly what we are looking for (though it IS lovely!), but it led us to the set attached!

Everyone, what do you think of this set? Is it classic enough to last awhile? It's a bit more than we intended to spend (isn't that ALWAYS the case?)

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1525546}}

That's a gorgeous set and it seems to match your requirements. The table is very refined and the chairs tone it down a notch to fit nicely with your decorating scheme.

De

I kinda like the Stanley table with the Bassett chairs. The Stanley chairs seemed too much. Bassett table is pretty, I love the pedestals, but once you get a lot of chairs around the table, you don't see them anyway.

What I picture in your dining room is something from the Milling Road collection from Baker. Unfortunately it's a different (ie, higher) price point than Bassett, but you could get ideas, and maybe even find it discounted somewhere.

Good luck! I spent years looking for my dining room furniture, but last year I finally took the plunge, and am very happy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Milling Road

Sweetbean

I just went through this in our small 11'x11' DR that was largely over furnished with a lot of "this n that" - part of our entire home reno was out with it ALL! Yea
DR set, 2 sideboards - one that matched the set, on that was a beast & did not - a PIANO , a beautiful built in

I searched, searched , searched - DON"T give up - You will find a table/chairs

I scoured all ads, and Craigslist - what I found were LOTS of DR Sets - I'm close to NYC and found people giving high quality sets away - I think people are moving away from formal DRs blowing kitchens into DRs
So my advice is don't settle - live without and enjoy the hunt I did.

I found a Duncan Phyfe Mahogany set which is really what I wanted - our house dutch col 1930 so it suited the home as well as the small scale of our DR - it was dirty, dirty dirty - I'm still working on cleaning waxing -It is really well made & found incredible fabrics on ebay that were really reasonable - so they will get a big face lift. The owners were asking $2,200 for the set - DR table, 4 side chairs, 2 arms - mirror ,sideboard, and tall china cab
I didn't want the china cab (we have lovely built in) got them to $1300
Dh thought i was crazy - wait til he sees it in DR

Here is a pic in the prior owners DR

In my almost completed DR

chair w/proposed fabric sitting on it

Guess I wanted to inspire you - I know the furnishings aren't your choice but to illustrate they are out there - get on a mission

Link to craigslist

good luck
eileen

Here is a link that might be useful: Craigslist

When you make a big purchase like a large dining room set, don't forget to consider how the set will perform and look over many years. Specifically, I wouldn't purchase a table where the diners could scuff the legs and feet with their shoes. I much prefer tables with legs at the corners or edges, since people can't really step on those.

The Stanley Provincia is a nice set, but the way the bases are constructed I fear they would get very scuffed over time, especially since you do lots of entertaining.

I have some square and rectangular Lane occasional tables that over the years have been chipped on the corners to the point where they are now trashed. And this is in a very careful household, I don't know how all those dings happened! So, watch out for square corners.

Sometimes it takes years to find just the right furniture. My family was in the furniture business (cousins still are) since 1920 and even they had trouble finding just the right items for their own homes at times. Don't forget to try second-hand furniture stores, newspaper ads, estate sales. Good luck!

What about American Drew?? We recently ordered a set (Cherry Grove - small round pedestal & 6 chairs) from Blacks Furniture in High Point got a great price - quality seems to be pretty good at a great price. It is delivered next week - can't wait!

Here is a link that might be useful: American Drew - Dining Rooms

Thank you all so much for your replies!!! Eileen, your Duncan Phyfe set is lovely! We have one ourselves. It's the only thing that would fit in our "dining corner" in our old house! It currently lives in the kitchen, as it's too delicate for the scale of our new dining room. I also love the fabric and wallcoverings you've chosen. Be sure to post the final photos!

Beshel, the set you've purchased is lovely, too! I've poked around the site a bit and there are some great pieces there -- I have added a few to my design folder, in the hope that a used one appears in the future.

Dianne, we have the same concern about a pedestal table. HOWEVER, we've decided we can live with those concerns because I have some very good news to report (Thanks for the encouragement, everyone!!!):

We found the exact Hickory White table I posted above for less than HALF of what Lexington quoted. It's a floor sample, and like new.

Once the room's all done I'll have to post pictures. There's lots to be done yet.