Thanks for your gracious comments, Holiday-ers! candy...yup, I'm hooked on "teapots" now, too (not "teakettles," as I said)...love the 'Enablers R Us' group here! Marylee & Frou & PM...my Mom has to be smilin' down on me about dressin' Babydoll!(& she does have cute toes & fingers...even tho they feel like plastic. I've enjoyed decorating w/her so much since coming to this Forum...will pass on to DH shelf compliments. The ceramic baby chicks I got after Spring sale at a local specialty consignment shop. punk...I bought that column (table post or whatever) for $10 at another CShop ...it was stained that color & my Mother Hen is wood from HLobby...had her for a few yrs now & seemed a perfect match! There is a nail sticking in the column for candles. jane & pat & nana...those brown bunnies called to me...I bought them over 2 or 3 yrs at another specialty CS...I leave them out for summer usually, too. Ever since I've seen party-music's wonderful hand-made baskets I am on the outlook for them! LOL...hope to see some more BOP pics...SMILING is good! Thanks again, everyone! Jeanne S. ... now need some more motivation & energy...you all help with that! LOL! I got another of those "columns" or whatever you call them for $10 (which is a steal around this area, anyway) & DH & I did this project last yr with it...painted it white:

i'm really not good at negotiating. i usually want the item and am not prepared to walk away from it if they don't drop the price. as far as i could get a new one for $119 i'm sure his response would be it's $30 cheaper already. ohh i'm cringing thinking about it. just not good at it. What's a reasonable offer? Ha maybe if i tell him my b-day is tomorrow. . . jerseygirl - I'm hoping it's not dinged up. It will probably stay there if so. I did have the tape measure out last night and it looks like it will be a good size. the height is actually half an inch taller than the height of the buffet. val - i think if i put a larger picture on the opposite wall you'd still see the reflection in the mirror. you're suggesting an arrangement on the buffet? i had to look up what a ginger jar lamp was. saw some on lamps plus i liked. kswl - never thought about mini black shades on the chandy. that's a thought. since i liked johnatemps lamp so much (with the shades) maybe that will fill that void. :) i guess i could change it out sometime. got it at a low price but it was a PAIN to put up. it's pretty new so i was trying to leave it for awhile. If i happen to get the mirror and it looks stupid, I'll change the light. Before that chandy there was an ugly brass foyer light there. I was in a hurry to get rid of it!

No matter your decision, I do think you could add a little more interest to the room, bring in some color and activity. It feels very "safe" and predictable to me. But I've got a mean streak of quirk, I'd be hanging a vintage ten-speed or a bunch of random clocks in that wall.

With the darker floor, you may want to warm up everything in the dining room. You might start by staining the chair legs a warmer color. Change the cool gray rug to one in warmer tones like your wall color. We can't see the sideboard/bar cart you referenced. It may be a matter of what you can get your hands on unless you're willing to shop second hand &/or paint said items.