Don't write off fabric just yet. You could use microsuede, Crypton, or any of the newer indoor/outdoor fabrics available now. My DD chucked a whole bowl of tomato soup on one of my pale blue microsuede chairs and I swear it cleaned up perfectly. I think softer lines, and fabric, would bring some balance to the angularity of your room. I love the artwork and might think about pulling some color from the painting next to the stairs into said fabric. I know and love your kitchen from the KB. Nice to see you over here. looking forward to seeing more! :-)

I love the drapes you have! I think the problem is the wall color. The soft gold in your great room would work well with both your drapes and the fireplace tile. Or maybe a warm, soft terra rosa, glazed or color-washed? But personally I like the gold. Ivory or a paler version of the gold would also work. Do some big sample boards - just some old cardboard will do - but at least 2'x4' or 3'x3'. Your windows read very high-set - that stands out as not being the usual placement - you can experiment with the height the drapes are mounted and see if a different proportion pleases you better - maybe a little higher, even almost to the ceiling. The drapes are puddling, and maybe they have a hem that could be let out - they could go higher. Or sew on a contrasting band of terracotta on the bottom. (or whatever color the inner curtains are - hard to tell in pictures sometimes.) The bit of wall between the window and the crown molding is so narrow that it might be better not to treat it as the wall but as panelling, like over the mantel. All you would have to do is frame it with short vertical pieces of flat molding over the window casing verticals, just glue it on. Paint the molding to match your trim and either do the recesses the same or to match your over-mantel recesses. A bigger rug out to six inches of the walls. Something easy to clean and with a pattern - you have children eating there. My youngest is nine, we still have spills. Low pile, no loops, not fuzzy. Something to occupy the walls will make the room feel cozier - a long window seat with a bench cushion and pillows, and cabinets underneath. Do you ever have many people to a sit-down dinner - an L-shaped banquette would give you lots of seating. Kids could play there, do their homework, look out the window, keep you company as you worked in the kitchen - put away homework and toys in the cabinets - presto clean. Also your linens and servingware not used every day. Accessories with more weight and color, more dimensionality than the plates on the wall and the pictures and things over the hearth. It really is a good dining room, good bones, good molding, good view, good fireplace, good flooring, spacious. It won't be hard to love. The fireplace is your starting point because you can't change the tiles. Then either wall color, rug, or rug, wall color, working with the tiles. THEN drapes and upholstery. Then accessories. Paint is your cheapest element. Even if you hire someone to paint, you can buy the cans and do big sample boards yourself or directly on the wall. You don't like the color? Worst that happens is you're out the cost of the sample can. So it's worth experimenting, because it will set the mood of the room.

Tinam, you are right that it's all about the region one lives in.....red may be trendy in some areas and not others. I was kind of hoping to hang on to it until it was in again :-) I like the idea of a stencil, rorah, as that way I could get exactly the right colors--- but mtn has got the red completely right with that Cole and sons wallpaper. I like it, it is a bit toned down but the gold is fantastic, as in the coral and gold paper. Maybe I am just longing for bling and don't realize it! I have to admit I am also liking the idea of a very white or shades of cream room, although that is completely unlike me. Lots of ideas to consider here and I appreciate all the input. Creating a room that is lovely and welcoming and comfortable and elegant is not an easy task! Many thanks! I will post later after I have seen what ID #1 has to say. And VERY good news--- finally got the bid on the basement renovation and it is about 50% less than my "worse case" scenario and about 20% less than my expectation, so I am seriously excited and we are starting right after Christmas! Not getting the handmade brick made a huge difference in the price of the flooring. Luckily, I found a locally made brick I like even more, the brick size is better and they are doing a run just for my basement, then slicing off 1/2" for my floor. The rest of the brick will be pulverized and recycled into more brick. This stuff is so reasonable I am now going to brick the service hallway on the other side of the house AND the wine cellar!

My random thoughts: The new fabric seems too light and doesn't have enough oomph for your wall color. I don't think you should necessarily match the window seat cushion to your chair cushions. Maybe 2 different fabrics, and if you want to tie them together visually, use the dining-chair fabric to make toss pillows for the window seat. I would take the turquoise "idea" from the adjacent room but punch it up to something closer to a dark teal. I think that will work much better with the red and black. Not necessarily these fabrics, but this depth of color. (Or even deeper on the teal -- just couldn't find darker samples quickly.) Do the drapes stay? TBH, I don't think they're adding anything to the room. Finally, have you ever considered painting the wall molding red (wall color) instead of white? I think those white lines create a level of busy-ness that is sort of distracting. We have similar woodwork in our DR, and originally had it painted white, but changed it years ago and I like the room much better that way. Just my two cents, which you are welcome to ignore. :-)