I don't know the paints that you are using but my first thought was "Decatur Buff." Do I recall that you have that in your house already? Looking at the drapes, we know Decatur Buff will be fine with gold/brown drapes. Looking at the rug, we know that Decatur Buff looks great with red. Seeing your soup tureen of blue and white, we know that Decatur Buff looks fabulous with blue and then your pretty hardwood floors, still Decatur Buff.

I like the color on the right on the bottom. You have a beautiful house.

Definitely the blue. The green looks dead compared to the depth of the curtains, and the tan will end up with you having a sort of one color room, with all the wood furniture, floors, brown tones in the drapery and then the walls in tan.

My only concern with doing a blue is the rug - it appears to be red and beige or gold. It may end up feeling out of place if there is no blue in it.

The drapery is a lovely color - kind of a bronze. Perhaps not what you expected, but rich and deep, great with your furniture.

Wow--love the bronze color of the curtains! The richer blue looks good. I can't see the green. The neutrals are totally wrong, IMO. You need a real color that can hold its own with those fabulous curtains. I think you're on your way to having a room that is both stately and exciting. What a success!

The deep blue!! It looks fantastic next to your painting and your drapes!! Very rich and opulent!! Love it...I love Wilmington Tan but with your entry and LR already in the gold/tan family that blue will really pop!! Esp. with the new wainscotting you had installed. I really want to do that to my DR!! I may cheap out and do "dummy panels", thou.

Your drapes are beautimous:)

I think you will need to reupholster your chairs...maybe a stripe that has the bronze, blue, gold and red.

Smiles:)

Thanks all. Looks like it's Wilmington Tan vs. the VanCourtland blue. I had thought I'd like the EK green, but it really just dies in there, so I'm glad I tested it first. Les, I share your concern about the rug, but I don't really have another option for it. The room is too small for the rug in my FR and the other possible choice would be the rug in my LR but it has NO blue at all and looks good where it is. Les, I was also ready to start trimming out in the Wilmington Tan and then I read your post and it really made me think. This is a tough one because my whole house is starting to look gold/beige, which is not the worst thing in the world but not what I would have imagined ending up with when I started all this. It's just sort of happened. Part of it is due to of the art we own; we're kind of addicted to art galleries; especially when we travel. You rarely see paintings displayed on walls with strong colors, so when I factor in the art that's going up, I tend to shy away. So my house has great art but seems to be stuck in a gold/beige world. Do I just work with various shades of gold/beige or throw caution to the wind and do the blue, rug and all?

The blue stands out as the most dramatic, and it's nice to do drama in a dining room. I still think it would be nice to follow the above poster's suggestion to reupholster the dining room chairs, or to use china that has the colors of your rug and your walls. I would do that blue on the walls, in any case. One more neutral room would work, but it won't dazzle.

Another vote for the deeper richer blue -- which would work so well with the lovely new curtains AND that vivid blue in the artworks.

I am not saying this fabric for your chairs but something with all the colors....It is a pretty fabric, thou:)
{{!gwi}}

Smiles:)

I like the Wilmington Tan.

Laurie

If someone could photoshop in a bronze or brown that is deeper than your curtains and has a gold glaze or ceiling, I would like to see that. The gold would work with your rug, the brown with your window treatments and everything else, and it would be dramatic. A strie or other finish would be more time-consuming, but it would be a real statement. I've not seen the RL candlelight in real life, but the way it looks in magazines is one idea I have in mind.

Wow, thanks everyone. Johnatemp, I couldn't open your link to fabric. I think you may be on to something though, as I brought in a pillow from the FR with those colors and it really looked great on the chairs. This is what is so great about this forum; I look at this room every day and it never once occurred to me that the chairs could use tweaking. I'm starting to see the blue there; do you all think the van courtland blue is right? Photoshop could be the answer, if any photoshoppers out there are up for it. I appreciate everyone's comments about the drapes, and I'm beginning to think they'll be just great. I was upset as soon as I saw them, but I was definitely picturing a lighter shade of gold all along. Thanks again for such great ideas...

How does the blue relate to the rest of your house? Have you carried blue into the adjacent rooms? Just thinking.

I like Wilmington Tan ... it picks up the gold highlights in the drapes & rug and brightens the room. Wasn't that an issue?

Good questions patricia and natal. The blue carries over somewhat; some blue in my LR drapes and blue in my striped chair in the FR, and lots of blue in artwork. (We like landscapes, and the sky is always blue!!) It's not a big player, but could be brought out with the right accessories in a few spots. It's definitely something to consider, because I can't repaint anything else, and it will be something that should be repeated elsewhere. Natal, you are so right, the darkness of the blue is a concern, which is probably what caused me to choose the light blue in the first place! I do think that if I use the blue, it needs to be a strong, rich color. So the two options are pretty clear, and both would work; it just comes down to which one we'll enjoy living with the most.

Johnatemp, btw, the wainscoting is actually squares made out of chair railing. Not that expensive, really. I do love it; thanks for noticing!

Just a thought ... with so much of your art being landscapes how do you think a light blue ceiling would look? It's a color that's often used on open porches to create height and reflect light.

I like the lower right color best. Blue is too cool, I think.

Natal, I had thought about gold on the ceiling but now you have me wondering about blue there instead. Anyone have photos of their blue ceiling??

I think blue works very well with the drapes, pottery and furniture wood tones. I agree with les and others that bringing in a dab of red would be helpful to connect everything to the carpet. Reupholstering all the chairs would be great, but is expensive. Could you do any of the following: Place a red lamp (with multicolored shade) on the sideboard? Swap out the bowl on the table with a red bowl with the same gold swirls as your carpet (you could have this custom done or find a red bowl and free hand the swirls with gold paint on the outside)? Add red ribbon trim to side of the DR chairs (google on John Loecke for examples). Add a red table runner and freehand the gold swirls with fabric paint? These are just some examples of ways to tie your lovely room together.

I have no idea if this is right red, but this lamp shade from LNT might be something to consider for the sideboard.

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

Here ya go Jjam...It shows up for me but ??

Smiles:)

Gonna go rearrange furniture:)

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

Those drapes are beautiful! May I ask where you found them? That color might be just what I need for our LR.

Of the three colors you have up, I like the tan the best because it works with the color in the adjoining room and the rug. Is there any other color(s) on the rug other than red and gold/tan?

I am so sorry that I appreciate the blue here, having seen the other pictures of your beautiful home but I admit it looks lovely against the draperies, but the color that I like of your samples, looks like Decatur Buff (IMHO). Thinking about the transition, you would need to add red to this room, blue to the other rooms and then....oh well, just me thinking aloud.

Patricia, you make me laugh out loud. I know you are a decatur buff person all the way, and may I add the color in this room for the last 10 years was BM Quincy tan, very similar! With that being said, I understand your hesitation about the blue, and I share it, but the pictures really do tell the story. I've taken a few more and put up some more paint from the sample jar, and it's getting tougher to deny it does look great. The rug is only red (more of a brick red in person) with beige swirls. One thing that attracted me to it was its simplicity, just two colors, and a strong pattern statement. I could accessorize with red pretty easily in there, and play up the blue elsewhere as well. Luckily I didn't bring my blue and white delft to the consignment shop like I had planned originally!!

{{!gwi}}

Hoosiergirl, those were made for me by a friend of mine. The fabric was originally purchased for my FR but I didn't like it when I got it home, then figured the DR could use a kick. Little did I know what it would lead to!

Thanks again all, I will have to make a decision by tonight to get things moving, so any other thoughts are welcome!

Jjam, your home is beautiful regardless of the color and, yes, that blue delft should never be taken to the consignment shop. You should send it to me if you get really tired of it. :)

What about the spicy color on the rims of your soup-bowls and in your pillow? Is is it brick-red like your rug? Maybe a lighter shade of it on the walls.

I've thought of that and love red, but wonder if having a red rug and red walls is a bit too much. There are only two colors in the rug, so even though it's an easy red to live with, there is a lot of it in the rug.

I like the Wilmington Tan, that I also thought to be Decatur Buff - which I have. I think you need a rich gold! Stuart Gold is another good choice.

Decatur Buff

Here is a link that might be useful: A sample of BM Stuart Gold

I vote for a gold as taken from the carpet. I'm not so sure that blue is an appetizing color and this is a dining room.

Newhomebuilder, thanks for your input. You have such a great eye, and I've always admired your home(s). Oceanna, your point is also well taken about blue in a dining room. I've decided to go with the golds, as much as I love the idea of using blue with the drapes, just because it works in the flow of my house so much better. I'm wondering now what is the difference between Decatur Buff and Wilmington Tan. Has anyone used both of these? It's hard to see a difference on the fan deck. Also, I'd like to try a wide painted stripe using flat/eggshell of the same shade. Has anyone got any tips on how to do that? Thanks all.

I've had Van Cortland Blue before in our last house. IMO I don't think it's the best choice for your drapes. It's quite cool and grayed out, and your drapes are warm. I think a deeper richer blue would be beautiful (Van Deusen Blue is goregeous...in my son's room currently). Here's a pic of Van Cortland Blue:

Here's a pic of Van Deusen Blue (ignore the sleepyheads):

Sassymom, what great photos! I love that Van Deusen Blue!! (And your sleepyheads are adorable) I came to that same conclusion yesterday, that if I do a blue it should even be darker and richer, and I tried a couple. As much as I would LOVE the blue next to the drapes, I'm not sure I want that much drama in a room that essentially is wide open to my kitchen. If I had a butler's pantry or something separating the dining room from the kitchen and entryway, I'd probably go for it. When I consider my house as a whole a richer gold will work better, I think. I'm going to keep your photos for future reference as it's a great illustration of the two colors. I love the blue next to that great quilt!!

There may not be much difference in those colors. In fact, I read somewhere that BM will use one color and give it more than one name. I wonder if that is the case here, because your color really looks a lot like Decatur Buff. NHB's home photographs are always very beautiful and inspiring. And moreover, look in her great room, the beautiful landscape with blue in it just gives that room a sweet blue touch that takes you away to another place in time. Your artwork and/or delft could be that way! :)

Well, we did it. We finally painted the DR and I'm posting pics. We had a great Thanksgiving dinner in there and I feel the room is definitely on its way. I wish I could say I am 100 per cent thrilled, but I must admit to some second thoughts about this color. It must stay as is for now, and it is definitely on the right track, but I am second guessing my decision to veer away from the Wilmington Tan. This color, Quincy Tan, transitions better to the foyer, which directly adjoins, but it reads more green than I had thought it would. This is actually the color that used to be in there and I went with it partially because I knew how well it would transition to other rooms, and that it would also provide some variety in the house; as virtually all other rooms are shades of yellow/gold. This time it's reading green; possibly because of the different surroundings. Or, it could be because of the painted stripes we did; darker shade is flat, lighter shade is eggshell. Anyway, have a look and give me your two cents. Also, as you can see, I'm considering adding some trim to the drapes. I am liking them more and more but they still seem kind of stark to me; could use some softening or something. Any ideas, as always, are most welcome!

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

As you can see, the color changes quite a bit from bright daylight to night time.

Lovely choice! Neutral for any occasion BUT works so well with your room decor! Warm and welcoming -- just like the rest of your wonderful home!

Your room turned out great. I love the contrast between the walls and other furnishings. I am currently looking for a rug for the dining room. Who makes your rug? It has something to it,but in a subdued way. I ordered a Masland border rug yesterday and I've been up since 3:00 worried that I've not made a good decision! :-(

Thanks,
Karen

I think it looks great! I'm glad you decided to do the stripes. How wide are they? Who makes Quincy Tan? The results are very sophisticated.

Your room looks lovely. Congrats!!

Hi and thanks all,

Karen, the rug came from green front interiors in Farmville, VA. It is also available at Williams Sonoma Home, but for more $$$. Green Front is a wonderful place and you can find great deals there. I do love the rug but yours sounds nice, too. Do you have a photo of it?

Oceanna,

The stripes are 10" and 12", alternating. We love the effect. I'm adjusting to the color now and am very happy with the choice. Quincy Tan is one of the BM historical colors, and I've used it in other rooms, too. It has kind of a putty look, warm but not dark, but definitely can drift toward green in certain lighting situations. It's great for displaying artwork, and that was a big consideration for us. I'm currently tweaking the room a bit more and will post more pics soon. Current debate is trim or no trim for the drapes....(What will I do when I'm finally "finished"??)

Your room is beautiful but we are never finished decorating, always something to move, something to change out or just add to. Never done, never done.

Am I understanding this right? The color is the same, just two different finishes? I keep scrolling up to see the first before pic and I can't believe the difference. You've done a beautiful job and I love how you decorated between the windows, and your picture frames/mirror area.

Jjam,
I love it!!
You know I thought blue...but I love the stripes!!

Really classy, just like the rest of your house.

And yes, I like the boullion fringe down the drape;) but I love fringies!!

Smiles:)

It looks great!!! I love the stripes. Are they the same color, just different finishes?