Forgot to add this link to a light I like, but dh is undecided about.

Here is a link that might be useful: tripod floor lamp

I'm assuming you mean the mirror with the shelf is too traditional, I agree with you, could you replace it with the large mirror that's above the mantle ?, but then the mantle would be bare....... or waiting for the right painting !!!
I love the lines of your fireplace, replacing the shiny tiles is the only thing I would do, and even then, that does not bother me at all.

I would definitely go with large art pieces , 36 by 36 for example, as opposed to an assortment of smaller ones. I personally feel that large art pieces make a better impact in a decor.
Or small kids lounging on couches if large art is not available, lol

I don't see a mirror with a shelf. Have the pics been changed out?

mitch, I'm intrigued by this mirror by the shelf you see, but no I meant the one over the fireplace. In the pic it looks like a plain black frame I think, but in real life it has a dental moulding around the inside of the frame and the outside of the frame is rounded.

The mirror above the sideboard in the DR with the greenery and a shelf...I believe that is what they are referring to.

I am no decorator , as seen in my recent requests for help :) I think the large mirror above the fp seems to pick up on the coffee table so they go together. I would do something similar for the table between the chairs. The rooms are not so large that you can have too many disparate things going on, IMHO. If you leave that large mirror above the fp then I would group 3 modern pics to the right of fp as you will have the 1 large mirror to balance. But if you have the floor lamp there you will seem crowded with a a small table in between the chairs and art work and then the tripod. Have you thought of a table lamp instead so that the folks in the chairs can read. I would go with something that is similar to the floor lamp next to the sofa..I have seen lots that would work. You have the beautiful widow casings and wood in the DR as one look and then the black for the mirror and picture frames as the other...I would keep only those 2 themes going and not add another wood color like the tripod lamp.

I hope this does not seem too disjointed. I LOVE the fp and those vases . The brown in the vases on the sideboard looks great too. Caroline...take all with a grain of salt :)

ok I get it, the mirror with the shelf is not up for discussion; I think the mirror over the mantle looks fine, what counts is how it's perceived in the overall view of the room, it reads as clean lines, dentil molding usually does.

Huh. I thought that was a window?

Everytime I see those gorgeous chairs I covet them. :) I LOVE them.

The rooms look wonderful!

I would love to see two rounded shorter lamps on the dining buffet -- just to add more lighting options to the entire space.

On the right-hand side of the fireplace -- IF you can't find artworks -- then perhaps choose two photos of your family or even your house (gather your family in front of your house) OR some local interest or garden photos -- re-do to black-and-white -- add much larger mats and frame in black. Simple solution -- until you score the perfect artworks!

Oh, I love this. Please keep ideas coming.

Teacats, I like your idea of the lamps. I will keep an eye out. Do you think it would be too much to do ones with the shade the same as the dining room fixture? We had talked about doing photos on that wall, but decided that there was already too much of that on that side of the room. Too bad since it would certainly be cheaper than the artwork we've been looking at.

I think there maybe some confusion about the things over the buffet (lousy pics, I know). The buffet has a black and white framed picture directly above it and then up high is a piano window with the fern on the sill.

Boop, thank you so much! I really go back and forth over the chairs. Sometimes I adore them and then sometimes I wish I had gone with a plain linen so I could change up the look.

Caroline, as always, your opinion is valued. I think I see what you mean about the wood in lamp adding another wood element that's not needed. I will expand our search for a lamp to include that type. Maybe if we do a lamp with a big shade, we don't need anything on that wall next to the fireplace?

Love those chairs, where did you get them?
Here are my suggestions. You say the paint looks great, maybe it does:) In the pics, it looks too washed out. I would have went with a more golden tone to pick up on the flowers in those chairs (it would also soften the difference between the wall and the beautiful stained molding).....a color like Dromedary camel, blonde or raffia basket (SW colors). The couch appears to have a cover on it, I think it would look better if it were darker and play off the colors on the chairs.....golden brown or a sage, perhaps? I would hang the mirror over the mantle, up about 4-5 inches off the mantle. For the time being, I would place the small round table between the two chairs. I liked someones idea of two candle stick or taller lamps on the buffet. Then I would gather those flowers and put them in one vase in the middle of the two lamps. I think the picture you have above the buffet is too small for that space. I am not crazy about the grouping of pictures on the wall, only because the frames are so small. Its lacking something....I would add the picture from over the buffet to the middle of this grouping and work the smaller prints around it.....and work your way a little higher up the wall. I would put a grouping of two 15-18 inch square prints on the other side of the fireplace stacked one above the other with a few inches (say 3) between each print. How about the framed non descript prints they sell at Kirklands. They almost have a iron look design in the middle? The room could use a nice tall plant in the corner to add some greenery to the room. I actually like the fireplace, I am not sure I would change it. Once you cozy up the room, you might like it better.

Hey budge, how about something like this between the chairs to take care of the table you are looking for and the floor lamp you wanted in the corner?

Here is a link that might be useful: tray-lamps

You asked about artwork for around the FP. I think you should do large art as there is a bold pattern to the chairs. You need art with oooomph. I would take down the photo montage and have art on both sides of the FL. Sorry. I know they are beautiful and there may be another wall in the house where you can display them. I can't tell from the posted pic, but are any of those photos vintage? Maybe you could have two or three of them blown up and framed, for the artwork around the FP? Places can do that real cheap nowdays and even give them vintage colorizing.

I liked the mirror, but now you say that it has dentice. I can't see it in the photo. A mirror sitting on the mantle would not look right with dentice. If you hang it on the wall above the mantle there would be a separation between the two and the two disparage styles could be carried off.

How about something from Walmart --- an end table for the space between the two chairs?

Here is a link that might be useful: Walmart.com -- how about this end table?

Here's another one! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's another one from Walmart

How about this one?

Here is a link that might be useful: Rona -- end table

Your rooms are shaping up so nicely. I love the light fixture over the dining table, the wicker chairs, the sisal rug, and as usual those chairs. Your trim is absolutely TDF!! Great choices! I'd love to see some woven bamboo shades on your windows--between the curtains.

Does overstock.com ship to Canada?

I was checking them out for myself and saw lots of resasonably priced end tables.

How about this one?

Here is a link that might be useful: Burl Accent Table

WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE CHAIRS!!!!
They are gorgeous!

budge1, I like the mirror over your FP. I know it's very popular now to have things propped on the FP, but have you thought of hanging it or putting something over it to balance the height of the window over the buffet?

btw, I wouldn't change the tile on your FP. I like the way it connects with your chairs.

Adding contemporary lighting to a room is a great way to break up the more traditional elements.

I just ordered a floor lamp last week, so I have lamps on my mind. It's not the one that is in the link I provided, but I thought this one marries your black with the warm tones of your beautiful chairs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lamp

Oh & to answer your question, I would put one long picture to the right of the FP. You've got the multiple pics to the left, and in my mind (and I'm terrible at visualizing) I see multiple pics over a chair grouping as being out of balance, where a single pic would balance the single sofa on the other side. But I'm no decorator.

Thanks again everyone! Sorry, I'm a bit short on time so I won't answer every post specifically, but wanted to say generally what conclusions we've come to.

1. We've decided to use an antique wood and brass torchier lamp we already have and add a fabric shade to it.

2. I'm going to buy some larger frames to add to the collage on the centre wall to beef it up a bit and lose the tiniest frames. I really like the way the collage looks but agree it could use some larger frames.

3. We gave our 4 year old some artists charcoal and nice drawing paper and she made us some gorgeous artwork for the wall next to the fireplace. We tried some colourful artwork there and it was just too much next to the chairs (they really dictate so much of how the room is decorated).

4. Going to look for a larger version of the tiny antique oak table at local dealers and CL. Decided not to go modern and try and find something that will go with the other wood in the room. As trailrunner pointed out, too many finishes in the room -not a good thing.

5. I'm going to try to hang the mirror, but we've had trouble drilling into the masonry of the fireplace in the past. But I'll go to HD and see if a better drill bit helps.

6. I made the cover for the sofa myself, so I'm going to experiment dying a scrap of fabric a bit darker. I don't think I have the energy to make a whole new cover (ever since I made it, family and friends have been swamping me with requests and I've made 4 others in the last 6 months). And while the old dark green chenille matches the rooms colours, I'm just really sick of it and love the look of the cotton slipcover.

7. The fireplace is a fire hazard and we getting a new insert which will require the old tiles come down. They were put on in the seventies and are all uneven and really gross too. My DH really likes the idea of an open firebox with a wood stove type insert sitting inside, but we've got to do some research and see what is possible in our space.

8. I know the wall colour looks awful in pics but it really is the same cream as in the chairs in person. I might be talked into going a bit darker, but too much colour and it's going to lose the modern look and start heading back into traditional territory. Hopefully, the artwork and darker sofa colour will balance things out and repainting won't be necessary (esp. since i do all the painting myself).

9. We've found a local artist that DH and I both love and have decided to purchase at least one of his abstract paintings to hang over the desk area that unfortunately didn't make it into any of the pics but is across from the black wardrobe. His pictures run about $500 for a med. size painting and we decided it would be a better investment than new light, etc.

Whew! I think that's it. I will post pics as things progress. Again, thanks for all your suggestions and support.