Hi Jillsp- I think you should be fine. Yes, the common rule of thumb is to determine the diameter or width of the table top and select a lighting piece that is half of that measurement (the diameter of the table top). Your fixture size should not be determined by the size of the room at all, but the size of the table it is over. If your chandelier is not too heavy, my advice is to have someone hold the light over the table while you take a step back and simply use your own judgment and decide if you like the way it looks. There are two schools of thought here because in general, design is about personal taste and opinion.

kimmieb - those are both gorgeous chandeliers! Thanks so much for posting them. Unfortunately, I've already tried to convince DH and can't get him to buy off on anything this ornate. Also, I know they would definitely go with the style of the chairs and table, but I also have a mix of rustic iron and leather throughout the house (my love for early American and English antiques mixed with DH's fondness for the "Old West" has resulted in me aiming for "English hunting lodge") so I think I need to tie this look in to the shabby chic dining room somehow so everything flows. I can't use lanterns because I'm now wired for one center fixture and need more light, and I understand your comment regarding the last fixture maybe being too contemporary, which is perhaps why I've held off ordering it. I'd be getting the antique bronze finish, but it's hard not seeing it in person. The 8' ceiling height is limiting, but I do agree the size of the table needs something with mass. At the same time, I'd like to find an iron chandelier that's pretty and delicate, yet rustic. It's hard to find one that's not too massive, or Spanish, or Mediterranean, etc. Sigh . . . hopefully, one will come to me :-)

I have a few more options. What do you think? Palimpsest, I did the one panel like you suggested and fixed the heights. I also like the idea of doing sort of a raised panel look, either in the color of the trim (with everything the same color) or else in the color of my book cases so it could mimic the book cases on the other wall (they will be stained blue) Any of these options look good? If I went with option 4 or 5, I'd probably have the paneling look more like this than exactly like above: Either painted trim color or painted in the blue.

You can still do tone on tone with blues, as suggested earlier..ground a bit with a touch of dark...very light touch-say something hidden in art? Accent pieces? White, you have plenty, but white and blue together gives you huge choice in accessories-ceramics, fabrics, you name it. It won't read monotone at all-yet still will be calmer room, with a very luxirious feel..add a touch of metals..Art, that goes without saying. Can take time-well so what. Or maybe you already have something you love. Switch to a chandelier..it's a big room, you're very free -or, to put it differently, you're not that limited..)) Maybe by budget, that, i wouldn't know. Would help to know a bit..say a sofa..if the room is as big as it seems to be from the photo, you can go for shapely seating in here, the room can take it. Rounded lines, repeating windows and arches of the mirror etc. Something that looks great not pushed close to these windows. Many interesting silhoettes right now. Obviously better to check how it feels before you buy, and what is the fabric (say cotton velvet will look very cool and real deal, but poly velvet will be very easy to clean..) Depends on an attitude of course too (some people worry more than others), and how one lives..if I wear something white much more chances for me to spill something on it. Other people-they somehow get away with everything white much better. Then my DD-almost lost cause, in terms of keeping white white..I can still hope white will be intact.. I don't know where you/family fall on that scale, but you know. Leather is most foolproof of all..and can be very beautiful..the better it is the more expensive will be..and comes wit its own minuses What is the climate you're in? Will the carpet stay? I agree-better to have a general plan for the room first..what's going to be there? The main things? How they'll relate to each other? A seating plan? Then, you narrow down to such and such pieces. It's almost a parallel process, but general picture still comes a bit earlier