I would suggest a much larger and more colorful rug for the sitting area. Your TV setup looks awkward and unattractive. Can it be changed somehow? I would paint the brick wall in the dining room the same color as the other walls to open up the whole space. I would remove that large mirror and put a smaller painting there and also remove the tall bookcase(?) near the couch which adds nothing to the decor. The mantle should be cleared and some much larger items placed there. I don't know how you feel about painting the fireplace the same color as the wall, but that would also make the room look more cohesive and spacious. I'm afraid the ceiling lamp by the front door looks too small and droopy to have any impact. You need something much larger that has a greater presence. Another thing to consider is white blinds instead of brown ones on each side of the fireplace. Again this will open up the room. I would remove that small table to the right of the TV with the little lamp and put a great-looking floor lamp there. Is there some way you can do without the bulky ottoman? I think that's one reason that area looks so crowded. I would think about replacing it with a small but sturdy glass and metal coffee table through which you can see the rug, giving the illusion that there is almost nothing there. Hope I haven't overloaded you with too many ideas. It's your home and you can do whatever seems right to you. If you follow even a few suggestions you might find that some of your concerns are removed.

If you use round end tables, use a rectangular or square coffee table. Printed drapes in the dining room are fine with solid drapes in the living area. For your chairs, I would stick to green/camel OR red/camel. You can keep your sofa as the one red item in the room and just use touches of red in art or accessories. Or get a cream or green slipcover for the sofa and just work with the green and camel colors.

I had an inspection done, the plumbing and electrical are all up to date, thank God. There is no HVAC but I am going to see how this summer goes before I decide to install it through the house. I live in Virginia and the summers are hot but being up in the Blue Ridge keeps some of the humidity at bay. The windows are original and there are exterior aluminum storm windows covering them. I am hoping and praying that they are sufficient to keep the house from being windy inside. I think the cafe curtains and tension rods will work perfectly while I get settled. I was not planning on working on the exterior of the home right away but it looks like the porch roof will need to be replaced and all of the windows and trim around the exterior need to be painted. The 115 year old wood is exposed. The previous owners did NOTHING in the way of maintenance. The walls have been scribbled and written on by their children, they didn't bother to paint over it. So it has been at least 13 years since any exterior wood has been painted.

Sorry, not sure why the picture didn't post. Here it is again. RL, I like the round pendant and the pleated one in your first set of suggestions. Is that a Nelson bubble pendant? Also, I should have given a few dimensional details. The table is 36" wide at the ends, 40" wide in the center. Ceiling height is 92".