Kimberly, I have always loved this room. I really like the new chandelier too! A couple of things come to mind-- one, I love the cabinet but I think it needs to be another color. It kind of blends in so the contents are what catches your attention. I think you could go lots of directions-- a brick red, black, a purple-indigo. I'd avoid a blue in the same range as you are using elsewhere in the room. You need the interest of another color, I think.

I also think a rug would help-- even just a smaller round rug by the bergere chair. Something to add color on the floor.

I am not sure what I would do on the mantle, but I think you need something a little more country rustic.. and I think it needs to either be bigger or more visually weighty. I do like the vases but they are pretty light for the room. Perhaps you can keep one vase and add two bulkier candlesticks?

Another way to bring in some color is to swap out the throw on the bergere chair. Orange, yellow, red-- something in contrast to the cool blue.

Again, I love the room -- please don't change out your chairs. I really do think smallish changes will make a big difference-- and no, I don't think the slipcovers look sloppy! I think they look homey.

I, too, love your room, and I really love your chandelier!

I second funkyart's suggestion to paint the bookcase a color.

And I would look around to add another easy chair on the other side of the window to the other chair, and perhaps an ottoman so that I would have a seating group. I think it would help to fill in the room in a nice way, and you could add accent pillows and a blanket. Craig's list sometimes has some really good deals on stuff like that.

I think your slipcovers look fine. And I think some round candle pillars in some wood holders could add color accents to your mantle. I like your mirror there.

You have a beautiful DR!

Your room is very charming and the basic elements are just fine. The chandelier and slipcovers definitely don't need to be changed. I would probably be inclined to paint the cabinet the color of your window trim. I probably would do without the suitcases and have a small stand there with a green plant that drapes over. I think you're right that the books in the cabinet don't seem quite right there. Whatever is in the bottom of the cabinet doesn't work for me either. Looking at the cabinet again I would paint the back of it that now has stripes a solid cream. Those stripes somehow interfere with the stripes on the chaircovers, which I love. I'd probably fill the cabinet with cream and cream and white dishes. The bird painting looks lonely. Do you have another one that could be put below that one? The yellow flowers add a nice touch of color. How about a yellow or blue and yellow throw on the chair? A yellow bowl on the little table next to the bergere instead of the blue one would also to color cohesiveness. I think a cohesive color scheme of blue, cream and yellow might be the answer. This is not a room you want to fill with lots of color. Some green plants as accents, including perhaps on top of the cabinet, would be all you would need.

I like your dining room - especially the chandelier, and I think the slip covered chairs add color and texture even better than would a plain upholstered chair. But if you feel like re-arranging, you could try the larger suitcases under the window next to the upholstered lounge chair, and the smaller suitcases on top of the cabinet.

I agree about painting the cabinet interior, altho' I'm not sure what color. More height on top of the cabinet would be dramatic -- if not suitcases, then maybe some of your plates artfully hung on the wall above. The cookbooks might work if stacked horizontally in a couple of piles, rather than leaning vertically. When you find your artwork for over fireplace, the pretty vases could migrate into the cabinet.

The small lamp table near the lounge chair might work as a plant stand on the fireplace corner nearest the kitchen. Then maybe add a floor lamp or wall sconce behind the lounge chair. I like the dining chairs as they are, but you could try rotating the chairs so they are not aligned with fireplace and door, just to see how it looks. If you have a leaf for the table, you could also use the lounge chair at the head of the table for a casual mix.

Just some easy things to try to see if anything strikes your fancy. Good luck!

Kimberly,

I am going to disagree with everyone else on painting the cabinet - I think it is charming as is and I think it looks great with your slipcovers (which I love.)

The only suggestion I would add, would be perhaps some window treatments to soften the contrast between the window trim and the wall color. I think if you had some fabric on that side of the room it would really fill in that area and look nice. I'm thinking of panels....

Best wishes....
AMAC

Kimberly,

The bones of the room look great so far. I love the homey look of the slipcovers and the new chandelier is very attractive. I would love to see the cabinet painted, preferably a distressed black, or a dark red might work, too.

I'd also put out some more of your plates for display on the cabinet shelves, and instead of having all the cookbooks standing up, have some of them stacked, too. Oh, I see that suggestion was already made! Yes, a large plant on top of the cabinet would look great, or you could put the basket that's on the lowest shelf up on top of the cabinet, with some fabric napkins or placemats draped over the sides to add texture and color. Then you could move the cookbooks down behind the glass and keep display plates and dishes out on the open shelving.

I like the suitcases where they are, but would put the plant on top them over on the tray table that's by the door. The two bird paintings on each side of the door look nicely balanced just as they are.

Simple straight panel curtains at the windows would add warmth to the room, my choice would be to hang them on black wooden rods. You're off to a great start and the room is really beginning to look warm and inviting!

I think you have a great room, too!!

This is what comes to mind for me......paint the beadboard inside the cab blue & put the white ironstone in the upper shelves. Big old baskets on top of the bookshelf.
Do you have another chair? Will it fit in there? If so, I would add another comfy chair so 2 people can have am coffee with paper or such and use the trunks as a table in between the 2 chairs with the lamp.
I see you have another print on the other side of the door....put them together & look for a larger Audubon print for another wall.
Simple roman shades on all the windows since drapes wouldn't work for the door & the window on the staircase.

Smiles:)

Thank you very much, everyone, for your nice comments and great ideas. I will try to respond to everything.....

Painting the cabinet - this cabinet replaced a tall, narrower cabinet that was black. I liked the black in the room until we put this gold cabinet in. When I bought this gold one, I intended to paint it something else, however, the room feel so much larger and more open with a much lighter color cabinet. The black stops your eye rather abruptly. I'm not opposed to painting, but I will need to find the right color.

The "stripes" in the back of the cabinet are actually beadboard. I will have to look at it closely, but I think even if I paint it, the striping will still be evident. But I see what you mean, ingrid, about it being repetitive of the chairs!

We do have two of the blue chairs, and I originally intended to use them both there, but it feels really crowded. I thought to keep looking for some other style of chair where I can fit in two.

I will look for rug, maybe some candlesticks - and possibly something more rustic for the mantle. The mirror finish is similar to the chandelier finish, but I think the mirror might look too contemporary or sleek with everything else.

Will also play with the bird prints and see how they look stacked on one side with something else on the other. Sorry, my photos don't give a true picture of the room with the door open. AND, will work on the contents of the shelves. I don't LOVE what is down below, but the extra storage for my spare dishes has been nice.

You've all given me some great homework, so I will do my best to continue making progress so your efforts were not in vain. ;) THANKS VERY MUCH!!

Kimberly, you have such a lovely room and great furnishings. Not to mention the view. Beautiful! I love the buttery yellow cabinet. If I did anything to it at all I'd paint the interior a faded/washed-out denim blue. Too dark might give the same effect you said the black cabinet did, but a light blue could help the back stand out from your wall color.
As for the cookbooks....could they fit in the basket? If not standing up then with their open edge down so you'd still be able to read the backs easily?
Well here. I did a bit of a virtual for you. I've laundry to get to or I would have finished it, but I think you get the idea. The blue isn't just what I wanted. It's hard to get just the right shades of colors using MSPaint.
{{!gwi}}

The items in the cabinet are just things I pulled from you photos to give you an idea of the books below and plates above. Not the exact way I would have put them either. I'm not as talented with virtuals as our Squirrel is.

I think Just did a great job with your cabinet-- and proves the butter yellow can really work in the room. I do love the color and I think the right blue would be stunning and set off your dishes beautifully. I also love the cookbooks in the basket.

I knew you had two chairs-- but I would love to see them both in the room rather than another style. IMO part of what really works in your room, is the mix of styles. I think the blue chair(s) are key. I think you can turn "crowded" into "cozy" or even "intimate" with a few accessories.. artwork on the wall between the chair and fireplace and I still see a little round rug in that area... one that just connects the two chairs and defines a little intimate conversation area.

It's looking great-- keep us posted on your changes.

Thank you Funkyart. I was thinking the same thing as you are about having two chairs in the corner. Is this how you were thinking for them to fit? I like the idea of the a round rug to pull them into a cozy conversation area too.
{{!gwi}}

I had to finish it. Darkened the blue a bit. Still doesn't feel like it's quite the right shade I have in my head thugh.
{{!gwi}}

Kimberlyyyyyyyyy.............

Hi Just! I'm here! I leave for work at 6:30am and don't usually have a chance to come back here for 11 or 12 hours. Darn that work getting in the way!

Thanks so much for the visuals! I like them. I never thought to put my chairs like that, but will try it. As I'm always reminding the people I manage, "there is always more than one way to do something" - but I seem to have forgotten that here. I like seeing the rug, too.

I THINK I like the blue in the cabinet. Will consider it, definitely. I was also thinking a cute fabric or paper would be fun there, too. I have some time in the next couple of days to play around with it, so will work on that, too, and post some pics of results.

By the way, the cookbooks do not fit in the basket - it's very narrow. Will play around with that, too.

Thanks again Just and Funky and everyone else. This has been so helpful!!

Kimberly, I've been there before with working outside the home. Right now I'm a stay at home Grammy to Owen, whom I watch just three days out of every two weeks, but he's here more often then that and I'm working on starting my own business of making and repurposing furniture. Mostly now I'm just a Grammy, Wife and Mom though. Too much to get caught up on around here before I can get too busy with my business.
Too bad the books don't fit in the basket, but I still think I'd put them behind the doors and the plates or other decorative items on the open shelves. I put a rectangle basket on the shelf on each of hubby's an my night stands since we both read. That way we have a place to put our books in waiting. You can see them in the photo I took of our room "in waiting". It looks so much better than just stacked there where the kitties would just knock them over.
{{!gwi}}

As for the fabric on the back of the cabinet, I think it could look very nice. Just don't want to get anything too busy. But then you probably know that. I wish I could have gotten the shade of blue on MSPaint that I had in my head. It's not always possible unless you can pull it out the photo itself.
I'll be looking forward to seeing if your chairs work in the corner like that. It all depends on the space too. Isn't if funny how we are always telling others to do something and we catch ourselves doing just the opposite of.

Guess I could add that "in waiting" means our rooms decor is on hold until other rooms are finished. Hense the rather boring decor and lack of wall color. Not to mention short WTs. 8^O