I just re-did an old dining table and chairs. I figured I had nothing to lose since they were either going to look better or it was going to the dump. I'm SO glad we refinished it. I found a fabric that incorporated my colors at the store, ignoring anything except the fact that it had all of my colors in it, then we washed and very lightly sanded the chairs so that they would take spray paint. Two light coats covered the old ugly white. A friend used his sander VERY lightly on the top of the table, since it is actually a veneer, then I stained and polyurethaned the table top and sides. The finished product: I believe that wood is wood is wood, so I don't care if one wood doesn't match another. If that is a problem for you, then use a tablecloth over the top that goes with your other decor.

maybe a better question would be: what design "styles" does this 'vanilla' house lend it self toward? If we stain the porch wood, we're craftsman which seems to not fit, right? man, i thought we had an idea of style, but this choice has thrown everything for a loop.

What are you keeping? Will the furniture stay? If so, a few things I'd consider are: * Remove the chair rail and paint the room the same color (probably a light neutral); * Remove the valance which has a fussy, outdated look; consider Roman shades or plantation shutters instead; * Add a rug beneath the table (yes, it can be layered right on top of the carpet); * Consider a different light fixture; * Remove cabinet in the corner by the window, which will visually expand the space. It's a pretty room, but there are a few tweaks you can easily make which will give it a much fresher appeal.

My non-pro feedback: I don’t like rugs under my dining table, so I would remove; or as others have said, a narrower one centered under table and chairs? New chandelier and definitely new, fuller drapes in a colour matching or containing your paint and chair fabric. Have you considered moving table ever so slightly to centre under chandelier, and swapping chairs and bench? So bench could tuck in out of line of traffic from door? A big beautiful piece of artwork over your buffet and you’re done. You have a nice room and furniture. Oh and could you change the window covering on the door to a nice film for privacy if you need that? The little curtain there is distracting from your look.