I forgot to include a picture of the chandelier so you can see if it would fit with my dining room.
thanks!

Oh my goodness, the chandelier is gorgeous, who cares if it's the right size. LOL I've been looking at thousands of light fixtures and never came across one that beautiful. May I ask where it's from and who makes it?

Your rooms are very pretty. My vote is for the wheat. Your drapes are also very pretty. Please don't forget to post a photo if you decide to get the chandellier.

I don't think you asked for this unsolicited advice, but I think you need to bring in a third color into the room for some drama. It's very pretty with all the gold, but a centerpiece with a third color incorporated would give it a little unexpected zing. Also, if you can do away with the table cloth, a runner with a table scap would be smart looking. Then again, if you use it daily that might now be a good idea.

If you get that chandelier it won't matter if you have bra's hanging from the windows and dish towels for placemates, because the only thing people will notice is that beauty. HA!

As far as the size, I know there are rules, but I can't put my hands on them right now. Someone will maybe post a link.

Is that the Bagatelle chadelier by schonbek? It's a bit pricey- for much less you might want to check out the madison 6 light chandelier by Schonbek on 1800lightin.com- another beautiful choice for much less money.
My vote is also for the wheat.

What size is the chandy you have now? That might help you decide.

The one you have picked is lovely, but also a pretty heavy, formal piece for the somewhat less-ornate furnishings you have, so I think I would opt for the smaller one.

Whatever you do, when you get the chandy in, be sure you take off the lace tablecloth so that the chandelier can sparkle and reflect on your pretty tabletop!

I would also love to see you put the other side chairs on the side of the table (another leaf to go in first?) and use the armchairs on the ends of the table for a more formal, weightier feel. It appears that you have room to do that.

I hope you don't mind, but I can't resist looking at room arrangements. Have you ever considered moving the glass cabinet to where the sideboard is now, and putting the piano on that side wall? I would also take down that little curio cabinet on the wall, and find a smaller wall spot for that, perhaps between the front windows where the framed piece is now, if there is room - hard to tell on the monitor. Then you could use two framed art pieces, similar in size to the silver ones, on either side of the glass cabinet.

If the piano is moved, you could put the pretty upholstered chairs in the LR down where the piano is, with a nice table and lamp between them.

The sideboard could perhaps go against the wall on the right side where the one upholstered chair is now, with the antique wood mirror hanging over it that is currently to the left of the glass cabinet.

I think that would open up the rooms to one another for entertaining, which I am betting you do with elegance, judging by the chandy you are putting in. Plus you will be able to sit in the LR and admire the new fixture!

I went searching for that chand and found it does come in a smaller size and that may address Les' concern about the size.

The chandelier is gorgeous. What I've read says measure the width of the table and subtract 12".

Wow thank you all for your suggestions!!

Brutuses - I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to put another color in that room!! I also feel that it needs something. It is very boring with all that wood and golden drapes. I will take the table cloth off and just use the table - I normally do but my sister gave me the mirrored tray for the holiday and I felt I had to use it. I normally put "stuff" in the apothecary jar but just hadn't gotten around to loading it. I normally do a theme like I had a Christmas scape in there.

DH and I love the chandelier. Yes it is pricey but it will match our new foyer lights we are getting (they have a bowl too). I just was curious to know if the 26 inch would be too large on that table. The one we have now from the builder is 21 inches.

Les, to answer all of your suggestions. I don't want to move the big china cabinet to the other wall bc the cabinet has curved glass and for some reason - perhaps my mother- always was harping on us to watch the glass when we sat at the table at her house. LOL So I put it on that wall to keep it safe! LOL
I can add the extra leaf - I actually have 2 extra leaves - but the room is so small that the person sitting near the kitchen door (me) is right up against the wall and if I put those stupid arm chairs it makes getting up even tougher! So that is why I put them on the side - would love to get rid of them. DH likes his when we entertain but I usually put the other arm chair on the side by the window in the middle.

I know that curio cabinet is toooo small for that big wall. The chippendale mirror is supposed to go over the small buffet (they were my great aunts and are probably 80 years old). I suppose I could move the mirror back to where it belongs over the buffet. There isn't much wall space for the curio - it can't fit on the wall between the windows nor next to the chair on the foyer side. When we paint I will have them take it down and fill the hole.

The piano belongs to my DD and hopefully she will get married and move it into her new home. LOL Then I plan to move those chairs over by the windows - if I am not too old by then. LOL

Here is a pic of the big china cabinet. Suggestions as to what to put above it?

Thanks!

Brutuses - I forgot to ask what color do you think I could use in there?

Also, I picked up the Desert Tan BM paint sample tonight so I can test it to see if it would look ok. If it does, I will ask EK to make a full spectrum out of it.
I also picked up a sample of Peanut Shell and Roxbury caramel to see if that will work in the MBR - but that is a whole 'nuther thread!!

Here are a few more pictures which might help.

From the front door.

The light for the foyer inside the door.

That's a lovely dining room set! I would stick with the smaller chandy because otherwise when someone walks in there the room will be dominated by the chandelier and I think it will make your table look out of proportion.

The dining room could really use a colorful oriental-type area rug to set it off. When I look at your photos I see alot of tans/beiges and there's really no other color in there to complement the tan/white color scheme.

And maybe a colorful throw on one of the chairs in the LR?

Are you going to paint the LR/DR or just the DR? If just the DR, where are you going to cut off the new color on the shared wall where it becomes the LR? (Did I miss this info above and if I did, my apologies!)

My two cents. Your drapes are very pretty too. (from another rare person who still likes drapes.)

What about black, red or colbalt blue? I think all those colors would give a pop of color and compliment the gold. I swear I just love that color gold in your drapes. Can you tell me something about them, i.e., where you purchased them? Were they store bought or custom?

Did you see the 21" version of your chandelier?

You should arrange things the way you prefer, but from the pix it appears that the glass cabinet is not any deeper than the sideboard piece, at least judging in relation to the chairs sitting by each of them.

I just noticed, in your additional pix, that the wainscot stops just past the one window - is that supposed to be the end of the dining room, where you will change wall colors? If that is the case, I would seriously look at adding a strip of decorative moulding that runs floor to ceiling to the right of that last wainscot panel, to create a clear divide.

And then, all the more reason that the piano would be perfect to the right of that, in that large wall space. It would extend your living room, and if you moved the chairs to the window, and added another chair in that corner where the one upholstered chair currently sits, you would make that middle 'no man's land' feel like a part of the living room. In fact, I am thinking that you could put the curio above the piano there. You might even be able to use the two host chairs for the dining set in the piano area to create more useful seating for the LR when you entertain.

I have one other thought for you. You might consider turning the DR table to run the other way in the space, and then put the glass cabinet on the wall by the kitchen entry, where the mirror is now.

Whatever you decide, please share pix when you are done! It is fun to see the finished product.

Brutuses - cobalt blue would be perfect! DH has blue in his office across the foyer with blue drapes with navy gold buttons. I think I will try and find something like that.
The drapes were custom made from Silk Supply in Sterling, VA. They are an amazing place - family owned and so helpful. The ones in this room are goblet pleats and the ones in DH's study are inverted pleats with his old navy buttons sewn at the top. I will find a picture later.

I was planning on painting the entire room front to back in the same color bc I couldn't figure out how to separate the two rooms with paint. Interersting about adding the molding to separate them though.

Les, I know you are so helpful in your suggestions but I can't turn the dining room table either. :( I like to extend it when I have company and it really goes into that no man's land area. It is just an awkward room - the whole house is awkward!! :( The china cabinet is a little deeper than the sideboard. You do have a great eye!

Well, more to think about. Need to run but will find a pic of the drapes later!

Brutuses - here is the close-up of the dupionis in DH's study.

Hoyamom, i'm in LOVE with the Bagatelle Collection! I'm planning to use two of the 'less ornate' styles over the breakfast bar.

http://www.lampsplus.com/Products/Chandeliers/Usage_Mini@Chandelier/page_3/68135/

I'm debating on using one over the table, but am wondering if I can afford 3 of them! LOL I think if I ever sold the house I would take them with me! ;o)

Just an FYI- Lowe's sells Bagatelle pendant knock offs for less than $100, I bought 2 for my bedroom.

Polly~are you kidding?? I will get there this weekend to take a peek! I saw several fixtures from the collection at Home Expo, and the prices are a lot less than the prices on line. If i'm not mistaken, the one I want is almost $100 less.

I really like the style of the chandelier because it is very unique - sort of antique-like. It isn't all crystal where it would be too formal bc like Les said, my area is not formal. I was totally surprised that DH liked it but then again, it was his suggestion to look at crystal chandeliers.
I am still undecided whether to use the 21 inch or the 26 inch. The room is really 12x12 and the table is 42 inches wide. I just measured the builders light and it measures 23 across. DH thinks the 26 inch one would look ok. It is a bigger room when you add "no mans land" so we'd have to factor that in.

Just some thoughts....

hoyamom, thanks for the information on the drapes and posting the photo of the blues. They are gorgeous also. Yes, that blue would look dynamite in your dining and living rooms. I'm going to Silk Suplly web site right now to look around.