I like the furniture. I think if you painted your room a medium gold color the furniture would look as though "it belonged". And as a plus, your extra chairs would have color contrast with the wall. I think a gold wall color would also enhance the beautiful area rug you have.

You also need some accessories on it. A single wooden box just doesn't do it.

I'm picturing a lamp on one end and a large vase with greenery on the other.
Then add a few books stacked kinda in front of the lamp with small lantern candle on top of them. In front of the greenery, I'd add 3 family pictures, framed the same way, but in different sizes.

IMO, it would be a shame to paint these lovely pieces. Work with them first before you give up on them.

Good heavens don't paint that!!!!
It's lovely quality furniture and if you paint it you will have something that looks like you refurbished a Craig's List find.
That painted white chair doesn't go....what's under the paint?
And I agree with Mona....add lamps a few dresser jars, a tray and put the box int he dining room.

The furniture is lovely as is, so hopefully you won't destroy it by painting it! You might consider finding or making some heavy, chunky type antiqued or crackle finished candle holders in a creamy ivory or lightly painted color, along with a lamp and some other suitable accessories for the dresser.

Thanks for the input. The chair is an oddball that ended up there when I needed something to stand on, and there it sits. It ends up being a catchall for stuff that should be put away, so I really should take it out of there. The chair was finished in that color at the factory, probably birch plywood or something underneath the paint. The other upholstered piece is an old vanity bench.

I did have a nice ceramic toile-painted lamp on the dresser, but it got knocked over and broke, and I haven't replaced it yet. I agree the dresser needs some accessories, but I'm reluctant to clutter up the top of it with stuff that serves no purpose and needs to be dusted. Maybe a new lamp and a plant in a nice cachepot.

I also want to take down the heavy drapes and put up some lightweight cotton curtains for summer, but I really need a wall color or the whole room looks washed out.

I think you guys are right about not painting the furniture. They're good quality, solidly built, no mdf, dovetailed drawers, they were a good buy at a manufacturer's outlet when we lived near High Point, NC. It's just that they look kind of severe and formal, and I'm craving a less stodgy look.

Here's the other piece in the room.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I think you could do a british colonial west indies look with the furniture- that would lighten up the feel.
It would be a huge mistake to paint them.

Agree about not painting the furniture. I'd also keep it. Looks like there's a good bit of storage and that's something most new dressers lack terrible.

I agree to paint the wall a gold tone (or something with a little more color and warmth) and change out your curtains.

One of the reasons you think your furniture is severe and stodgy looking is that your accessorys are severe and stodgy looking. I know you say no cluttery stuff....but just try setting out several things...a plant, lamp, vase with some silk flowers and see if it makes your stuff feel softer to you...I think you might be surprised....and sometimes it's worth dusting for a look you like.
Linda C

If you can swap out those white plastic miniblinds, I think it would make a big difference. The chest is lovely--a better color paint would make a change as well.

The room is not bad per se, but it seems very stark. The trim could be changed from a bright white by applying a clear finish, tinted with yellow brown to make it more an ivory color. You could also put a chinoiserie wall paper on the walls of what ever color you like or a monkey wallpaper with curtains that match. Or paint the walls with wide stripes, maybe like alternating light orange gold and darker orange gold. Then a large still life or Degas if you like. In other words, warm colors would help. I'm no decorator, but just thought I'd throw a few ideas out there. From some of the pictures I've seen of this site many of the posters are very good.

Try Laura Ashley gold #3... :)

You could also do more of an antique painted finish rather than just painting? Start by painting the piece white, and antique w/raw umber. You'll get a nice sort of 'golden' off-white when finished. Your dresser(s) have a lot of areas to catch the antiquing which will highlight the total effect. Also, if you have a big enough closet, have you thought of putting one of the dressers in it? It makes for a room that isn't so 'dresser heavy'. ;o)

Thanks. The blinds are actually 2" wood blinds. I think the white blinds add to the boring washed-out look, but they provide excellent light and privacy control without completely blocking the views, so I think they'll stay for now. Closets in the house are small (built 1837) so furniture won't fit, also making their storage capacity really useful.

I've got a lot of "stuff" in other areas of the house, I'm going to try moving some things to the dresser. Also will experiment with some paint colors when I can. I'm in the middle of scraping down the kitchen wainscoting and woodwork, and have to finish that before I can start another painting project. Another bedroom is painted in BM Lemongrass, a gold color. This room was a cool beige when we moved in, but the current color (chosen by a professional decorator) is not working, though I am a fan of neutral backgrounds.

If I could change everything I have, I'd probably be doing painted pieces and an uncluttered Gustavian look, but I can't replace everything, so....maybe in the next house when we downsize.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll post some results when I have them.
Jo

No no no no no!!! Please don't paint!
Here's what I would do, to de-stodgify the room.

Gold would look nice, but it's a very Georgian color, and will not pull the room away from the traditional look. Because the room is small, and the furniture very warm in color, I'd start by painting the walls and the ceiling a luscious warm gray like BMoore Affinity "wish" - AF-680 or "thunder" - AF-685, with "mascarpone" - AF-20 trim. They are modern and classic at the same time, and will make the finish on your lovely furniture glow.

It's counterintuitive but true that a rich color enlarges a small room by making the plane changes at the corners fade, and the walls and ceiling recede into the background.

I'd replace the blinds with a tortoise-shell bamboo shade (you can get nice ones in places like B B & Beyond). Then I would take away the drapery, and replace it with generous (a width and a half) linen curtains hung ceiling to floor out to the side of the windows by at least 18", with just enough on the inside edge to cover the window trim. I'd use an fabric with a bold but open trellis or vine-and-leaf or simple stripe pattern in black (or if you want color, deep coral or terra cotta or dark gold) on cream...one color only.

I'd set a pair of very simple tall slender black lamps with small cream shades on the ends of the dresser (check Restoration Hardware for an idea of what I mean), and I'd find a narrow but long rectangular mirror in a simple gold-and-silver leaf frame and hang that horizontally over the chest-on-chest to open the wall and add light

I'd find a 16X20 standing picture frame with a fairly thin but a bit fancy carved molding, paint it white, put a mirror in it, and put it in the center of the dresser. I'd put a flat, plain, slim rectangular china platter in a dramatic ethnic or modern pattern with nothing on it in front of the mirror, or I might add some rather plain silver-lidded crystal jars, or perhaps some pretty perfume bottles.

Then I would use black-and-white enlargements of photos, perhaps of family, or any black-and-white images that please you, with large, off-white mats and slender black frames (which you can find easily at Ben Franklin or the like) to furnish the walls.

Instant (well, almost) modernization, no loss of that lovely furniture and that elegant bed, and a streamlined, sophisticated environment.

Boy, I got into that, didn't I!!

I agree with the majority--don't paint the pieces. That wood is gorgeous, and painting it doesn't seem like it would solve your issues. If you do try to sell them, I think you'll get far more for them in their current finish.

If they are taking up too much space, could you put the chest on chest in a different room? Or perhaps changing out your bed for something less substantial (maybe an upholstered headboard, no footboard) might help achieve the look you have in mind.

I love bronwynsmom's various suggestions for accessorizing and bringing in mirrors, different window treatments, etc. I may be using some of those tips myself as I have a similar set of furniture (will do a different bedroom post when I have time).

Good luck with your decisions!