I think that blue can actually be gloomy unless chosen very very carefully. And that it is maybe the most difficult color to choose well. You will need to use a warm color to achieve the "feel" that you want. A warm gray would actually work better than a blue in my opinion. Suggest you take some photos of the carpet, wood, and any fabrics on the chairs, and then paste them into one of the paint manufacturer's websites and look at various colors with your existing elements. Some colors I have used you may want to look at are Pashmina and Chelsea Gray by BM, and Kestral White by SW. Oh, and congrats on earning the office!

Of course it does! Don't quit! Lets just focus on a main color...now what color do you want it to be? Most colors go with gray. So you just have your brick to deal with. So (for me only) that would mean no pink tones. Show a couple of expensive rugs that you love...we can probably help you find a good dupe, or at least one that "feels" similar...

Yes, it works in the photo (for some---I personally don't care for what they've chosen) because the style isn't limited to just the table and chairs...it's in a room with other decor :) Home Depot "carries" those other chairs and you can probably return to the store after a sit-test but double check that. But if you're wanting a different style (2 different stains don't count as eclectic) then post pictures of your room and you'll get lots of ideas. To be honest, the chairs you picked kind of go, but they don't make me go "WOW"! Maybe others here see them differently?

Thank you so much to everyone for your input and sharing your time and expertise! @Silver Fox 88 - I like your idea of a big plant in each corner flanking the desk, good suggestion! Also you're right that I definitely need some wall art; I can't even begin to figure that out yet. ;) Can you explain why the desk is too close to the wall? I had assumed that it was good to be against the wall, which leaves the most open space in the rest of the room. (The windows behind the curtains overlook the garden, so I want the desk facing in that direction.) ------ @Jilly - thank you, I'm glad to know I'm off to a good start! :) The house was built in 1924, it's a center-hall Colonial. Thank you for the various picture selections, those are a great starting point, and I just learned that houzz shows you paint color names in photos, which is awesome. I don't have a fixed budget, but since we need to furnish the entire house, I'd like to keep my office relatively low-cost. Ideally not more than about $200-300 for the rug, say 100-200 for a filing cabinet, and honestly I have no idea how much paint costs yet. The rest of the house is some mid-century modern but from the actual mid-century (our dining room table is an heirloom from my grandparents), I also like traditional, new traditional ...? I like warm wood, bright colors, and plants! And, great suggestion on the visualizer features for rugs on Overstock, etc, thanks, I'll give that a try! ------ @housegal200 - Thanks for the pointer on how to balance a rug with the wall color, that's super helpful. Exactly the kind of feedback I'm looking for! :)