Thanks everyone for this latest batch of comments! Amazing chandelier suggestions, I think I said "ooohhh, ahhhhh" for each and every one. I think my next steps will be: - Establish a strong visual line around the room to help humanize the proportions, as per House Vixen. The sconces feel a tad too low if I'm using that height around the whole room (they're actually only 6 feet off the ground) but I hung the portrait of my Nana so the top of the frame is at 7 feet, and that seems like it would be a good height, still not competing with the doors or insanely tall window frame. - Roll up and remove the rug for a while, see how it looks, possibly replace. I like the suggestion from ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9 to consider a tribal style oriental rug. I've seen some that still look very contemporary. - Lower the chandelier (that seems unanimous) and consider replacing with one of the stunning styles above. Question for everyone: if I replaced the chandelier with something in a burst style (I'm leaning toward urchin or sputnik at the moment), what should I do with the sconces? Any other easy lighting adjustments you can think of? The current chandelier and sconces are on dimmers which helps a lot, but I wouldn't mind having a few other lamps in the room for balance. - Another question: How does everyone feel about plants? A ZZ or snake plant are probably my best options given the light in this room, and I have a few cool planters, but I'm curious about size and placement. Or skip altogether, since it's a dining room? Besides trying to strike the right balance between modern and traditional, I'm also trying to be realistic about the function of this room, which is as a major thoroughfare in a family home without much extra space. In other words, while I would love for this room to look like it does in this photo much of the time, realistically I'll spend much more time using the table for arts and crafts with my toddler, sorting mail on it with my husband, and throwing board games, blocks, and other toys into the storage than actually dining there (thankfully we have a bright and lovely breakfast room at the end of our kitchen where we eat our everyday meals). Oh yeah, a few more quick questions: - Still paint the radiator to match the walls, even though I have 10 inch high white baseboards? Wouldn't that look a bit odd, to have a gray radiator in front of a white baseboard? - Some other ideas for family photo displays? Honestly, I'm hoping that once I put a big piece of art above the sideboard, I can keep the frames there (below the art) and they'll blend in a bit better instead of standing out so much and looking cluttered. But if that doesn't work, it'd be nice to have other options (besides, as Elaine Wilson said) hanging them in an odd little arrangement on the wall. Thanks everyone!

Hi, Nicole-- Just a quick reminder that if you do plan to actually close these drapes for light blocking for daytime TV viewing (depending on light angles), you'll want to make sure that any panel you select is blackout-lined, and, as groveraxle mentions, attached with rings so you can easily operate them from ground level. Grommet panels and pole-pocket drapes are much less obliging, especially at longer lengths like you'll need, and seams/cuts wear much faster from normal open-close activity on the rod.

You're correct that this is a challenging design. Here are some possible solutions. You seem open to replacing your furniture, so that is my first thought: --Replace both sofas with comfortable armchairs with tallish backs that can be floated in the middle of the room around a coffee table. This will greatly add flow around the room so that you're not blocking all the inconvenient doorways. Note how a dramatic light pendant centers the seating. With the height you have, a beautiful pendant would have an incredible effect in both lighting the room and bringing down the scale to a more comfortable height. You have warm, wood floors in a beautiful color. Have a wooden bookcase in the same finish built to the left of your fireplace that can accommodate your TV. Have it built to the height of your mantel. Alternatively, get a very wide console, not too deep, for the TV. The one you have is too small and doesn't link in any way to the finishes in the room. Get an oversized large square or round rug for the room in a pattern that picks up the warmth of your wood finishes and echoes whatever upholstery you eventually choose for your seating. All art work should be hung at eye level regardless of how high your ceilings are. That means the center of each piece should be around 57" from the floor to the center of the art. Pair your daughter's paintings side by side at eye level. Lower the art work over the mantel so it's about 6" from the mantel so they connect. If you love that piece, or your daughter's art, then choose your future furniture palette--upholstery, pillows, etc. from the art. (This chair is the same silvery blue as in your painting. The legs are in similar wood finish as your wood floors and trim. Four similar ones--or these--around a round coffee table would look wonderful and really function well in the room.

Hi TIffany, first let me say how sorry I am you had to go through the fire and then get Covid, not to mention the gypsy-life. I'm glad you came through it with so much drive and enthusiasm. A lot of people would have just given up. So, you will have a dining room in that room. One of the things you could do to bring in more light is to have some lovely built-ins constructed (don't know your style) facing the window with mirrored doors and maybe a mix of clear glass as well to house your dishes, trays and ornaments. I assume you will have a chandelier (light!) and possibly some down lighting or spot lighting. I saw an interesting dining room, though I doubt this is your style, but they painted the ceiling a metallic gold. It was fairly muted but it reflected whatever light was in the room in a subtle way. I saw another application where the designer created a coffered ceiling but instead of paint the little squares were mirrored. It was lovely because in daylight it picked up the green of the outdoors and cast it about the room. You could also hang pictures with picture lighting on top, paint the room a fairly deep rich color and have the pictures pop that way. You might be able to do all of the above if you're careful. Also, could you modify the window and have a glass canopy at a 90 degree angle extend out above it so that even more light will enter. Alternatively you could put in a small bay window there which might bring in more light. Not sure what you're going for in terms of style.