For the most part, my furniture is casual and neutral. The room next to the dining room (but not visible from the dining room) is the family room and it will hold a brown leather Ethan Allen sectional, muted orange wingback-ish chairs, and a rug with muted green, brown, gold, and orange squares. However, the orange chairs are in storage and due to some issues we had with the storage unit, they may not come out in usable shape. So the rug and orange chairs might be replaced with any variety of items in any variety of colors. Regarding metallic paint - that's not really in keeping with our style preferences. DH wants the dining room to be a dark room but I agree with johnatemp that I won't want to walk by a cave all the time. DH also had the same suggestion as creekylis -- to have the wall under the chair rail painted with the white trim paint to give the illusion of wainscoting. And I'm open to that. The walls are flat so I think that would look okay. As Les917 suggested, I think we need a rug to lighten the room a bit. I've been going through magazines and catalogs in an attempt to find a great room I can mimic but haven't stumbled upon anything that I love. But I think that we'll have a good result if we use the trim below the chair rail, chocolate brown above the chair rail, a sparkly chandelier, mirrors and lamps to create some light, and a good rug, we should be okay. Thank you, everyone, for your advice! try_hard ...

I think it looked beautiful in her re-do, and not at all bathroom-y. I have a gas FP, but I would think if the fireplace is constructed correctly, the draw would pull the smoke up the chimney and not stain the surround. I have to say that the first pic above posted my nosoccermom makes my heart beat faster! Just gorgeous in that setting. And peppapoodle's light soapstone is also beautiful.

Napoleon makes OK fireplaces, but their efficiencies are terrible. The P4 Energuide efficiencies of their Luxuria Series of linears range from a low of 38.8% to 52.5% Which means that in the case of the LV38N 61% of the gas you pay for is wasted and the best LV74N almost half is wasted. The Valor Linears range from 66 to 70% P4 Energuide efficiencies. The Heat Shift allows TVs and other heat sensitive items above the fireplace as well as combustible wall materials up to the fireplace opening. Here is the Heat Shift Video.

Not a Pro. I agree with above about the tv. Above the fireplace I would put a painting over the top of that alcove. From the pictures it looks like there is a ledge, so the art can be place over the top and it will appear that it is on a wall. The other alcove I would add shelves, or a sculpture, lighted up as suggested above. Some inspiration: