Sconces I was looking at:

If the crewel piece is a must keep in the room, I would have it reframed in a much large, more prominant fram with a mat.

Clear everything out except the dining table.

I would hang a rod across the top of your double windows at ceiling height Brass, as that suits your style.

a foot beyond the outside of the window casing. Leave the blinds you have

and hang simple off white textured panels either on a traverse rod or grommet, whatever is available to you as a standard.

Yes, either of the sconces are lovely options.

Layer back in the pieces you must keep.

for the framed pieces... eye level when seated is more pleasing in a dining room.

The Light fixture looks a bit high... 30-36 inches off the table.

I actually like the buffet there. The needlework was hanging too high relative to the buffet. If you are going to remove the buffet then you could certainly install sconces. If it were me, I would leave the buffet in the room and add lamps so as to avoid having to pull wires and cut holes in the wall. However, does keeping the buffet in the room not leave you with enough room to pull out the chair at that end of the table? Your center light fixture is very modern in comparison to your furniture. It could all end up working - the room clearly isn't done yet. Do you have an inspiration picture? Where are you going with the room stylewise?

Love the needlework piece in this room. (heritage, uniqueness, hospitality)

yes to hanging it a bit lower.

try mocking up buffet lamps to see if there is enough room. Or maybe a taller pillar candle or decorative glass piece to connect the buffet and artwork.

Ideally the other landscapes in the room could be framed for an even level of formality. The tree photo looks nice there.

I like lisaam's take on the needlepoint. It looks great over the buffet positioned as it is in your first photo. Sconces in brass would look wonderful. Go a little more transitional than the style of the rest of your traditional room to add some livliness to the dining room.

Bryant Sconce, Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass · More Info

--Yes, add drapes as suggested, hung very high in ivory or matching the walls.

--What looks a bit random are the other art pieces. Remove them for now. See how the room looks with curtains at the window.

--Remove curved table with plant.

--Put a tray with champagne glasses on top of radio to suggest a bar if the radio has to stay.

--Remove all extra chairs from the room and only bring in when you have company. The dining set is quite ornate, so if you're looking for a lighter feeling, fewer chairs would work better.

--If you want to change out art, get two modern vertical art works by the windows. This Apple Tree Gustav Klimt print from art.com would give a nod to your grandmother's wonderful needlework. Just put "apple tree modern" into a search engine to find another vertical--a couple apple botanicals about the same height of, say, the Klimt. That way all the art relates.

Thank you all for your comments and ideas. I appreciate them!

The buffet made it difficult to pull out the end chair (I would have to slide in sideways). Only 16 inches of clearance when the buffet was there.

The light fixture is 36.5 inches from the table, so I will leave it alone.

I will lower the Apple art work. The piece was professionally reframed with a hand carved framed and mounted to preserve it. I do believe there was some damage or fading to the artwork which is why it is framed the way it is.

Instead of the buffet would it work to put a narrow table under it? I will print off the sconces and see how they look.

I will look at curtains/rods.

My style is a bit transitional maybe eclectic. I bought the dining room furniture 20 years ago and it worked very well in our other house. But we built this hosue in the woods and moved it across country. So I am trying to work with it here but could be open to replacing it. (Of course my husband would like to NOT replace the furniture!). I will post some pictures of furniture that I was looking at.

If you don’t use the table daily, to seat eight, I might try removing one leaf (if there is one) and see how that looks. Seems there would still be plenty of room for six and the scale might work better. Add the leaf when you’re seating 8. You might be able to use your hutch/buffet under your art. Too many smaller furniture pieces will not help

To accommodate the buffet, just put chairs at the side, or pull out the table as needed. The buffet looks wonderful with your grandmother's needlework. Add the modern sconces. Anything new should have transitional feel--framing, curtains, lighting, decor items. Maybe add modern brass bowl, plenty big, possibly oblong, to your table to bring a transitional note in. This round one is from West Elm.

One thing that can modernize a traditional dining room table are new chairs that don't match--not these chairs but this feel.

Could be ivory leather chairs with wooden legs. Or a mix of a few of your current chairs with more modern ones. I have a feeling you want to lighten the feel of the room.

A less traditional rug, or no rug, could give you a lighter feeling:

What is the single ball hanging from the chandelier? I would remove it. Also be on the lookout for something different for the center of the table. The bowl of balls seems very modern and jarring with your other beautiful older items.

Thank you all for your comments. Lots to think about.

The table is an 8 foot table with 1 leaf installed. I do have another 24" leaf in storage.

I was thinkging of replacing all of the furniture but maybe taking out all of the art (except the Apple piece) and look for some other pieces to tie it together with curtains will work.

Lyn Nielson I have this curtain rod/curtains in my bedroom - do the same type of look in the dining room?

Housegal200 - thank you for the artwork suggestions. I will take a look. I love the sconce you posted. Thank you!

Housegal200 - thank you for the chair ideas. That sounds like a great idea. I like the leather ones. And yes, my goal is to lighten up the room.

The ball hanging from the chandelier is a piece my daughter brought back from the Murano Glass factory when she was in Italy. I can remove it. I will look for something different for the table.

If want to “lighten” the dining set have the chairs reupholstered in a different lighter less formal fabric. A color from rug if keeping. A solid linen? Look at dining room transformations to get ideas. HOUZZ’ers can make suggestions. Mush less expensive than a new set which will not be as well constructed. Keeping your set is the goal while “updating”. No grommet drapes, much too modern. If you do not use the armchairs is there enough clearance to use buffet? Instead of installed sconces, imiting future changes, tall slim lamps or interesting arrangement on the buffet to “frame” the crewel piece. As others said hang pictures lower at eye level or lower in a dining room. If after all this if crewel piece just not work then I am sure you can find another place of honor in your new home. And you will still have a beautiful dining room.

You could try moving 2 of the chairs and have them flanking the buffet. I would reframe the apple crewel work with a nice white mat and larger frame. This would create more of a focal point on that wall.

Not sure why you removed the sideboard from the room.

I would consider either using the blue from the area rug for drapery panels in the room or as a color for the walls.

You need pictures of your vision to guide you out of your comfort zone. What you have now is “cozy, ornate, antique, brown, Autumn” and it sounds like you want to move to “relaxed, paired down, fresh, spacious, Spring”. Remove anything that doesn’t give you the right feel, keep only the DR furniture you actually use, leave empty spaces - a wall doesn’t have to have art or furniture, give the precious crewel a place of honor and breathing room - hang it on the narrow wall with nothing under or beside it, new fabric for brown chairs, new centerpiece for brown table, new rug to lighten up the brown floor, a tall floor plant instead of on a table or plant stand, let the natural light stream in - linen drapes or fabric Roman shades and no drapes. The sconces are probably too heavy and dark for your new look.

So I listened to what was suggested and here is what I have done so far: Buffet is back in. Removed the leaf. I did put up linen curtains which are very light and match the roman shades. I like the layed look. I did have the Apple needle point lowered. I am not sure about the lamps. I do have 2 - I have only unpacked 1. I like the design of them. Are they too big? Not the right style? Thoughts?

The lamp is from Pottery Barn

The lamp looks great to me! I would go ahead and add the other one.

@latifolia - so true!!! Or his other answer is: I can make you one when I retire. Which is fine but it would take him 2 years to make it! So I think I will make do with what I have.

@Haley Johnson - thank you! I will add the other one and see how it looks.

I'm glad you added the sideboard back; it looks really nice! And I'm glad removing a leaf worked, too. The table looks much more to scale with the room + sideboard. It doesn't look as if seating 6 will feel crowded, either. Yes, try the lamp. Thanks for coming back to show us your progress. Oh, and I'm glad you left the glass ball. Sounds like it's special to you and is probably beautiful with the light shining through.

@Olychick - thank you! I did add the other lamp and I really like it. The table does seem better with the leaf removed. Thank you for your suggestion!

Is the room 12’ the other direction too ? i would turn the table leave the buffet put a lage mirror with scone on each side. nice plant on top of the buffet Put your grandmothers picture on the shorter wall ,change out light for a round type, (the other pictures remove they dont fit the decor )the coffer ceiling is wonderful ! id do short swing arms for the curtains one on each side with gromit curtains do a light and airy center piece for the dinning table with placemats leave the curtain swung open agsinst the wall not the windows gives a nice look heres how i did them in one of my houses

@Olychick @Haley Johnson - here is a picture with both lamps. Does the scale look ok? My husband thinks they are too big.

@bonnie21014 - the pictures of your house are lovely.

I think size is perfect! Have you ever thought about a tablecloth to break up all the wood?

The scale looks great , try a darker shade with the white wall add a piece between the lamps a tray with a small plant and two other pieces would look nice🤗

The lamps look good and in scale. No to covering up the beautiful wood with a tablecloth, a runner maybe.. Yes to an interesting arrangement, a large bowl, or object in the center of table. The pretty ball from Italy needs to be relocated. Find a nice stand for it and add it to a grouping elsewhere where it can be admired.

Yes, the glass ball needs to be relocated. Now I think it’s time to green up the space. Try some greenery on the buffet and on the table. A long planter filled with succulents or green moss balls might work.

Scale looks perfect to me!

Lamps are good, love that you removed the leaf, and the curtains are the right choice. I agree a runner down the middle of the table would break up the expanse of brown wood. Or some piece in the center (a fabulous colored glass bowl?). I think the little changes make the room “breathe” more. Well done!

For the lamps, take a look at the Ballard Designs website, they have nice tall Buffet lamps. All with options for the finish and the shade.

Here are a few...

https://www.ballarddesigns.com

@lisedv - I have returned the lamps from Pottery Barn. I was looking at Ballard designs and liked the look of the lamps you posted. I went to our local lighting store and was able to see similar lamps. This is the one I have ordered. It is adjustable in height which I really like.

I will look for other accent pieces once the lamps arrive.

The Pottery Barn lamps work nicely, in my opinion. The brass accents relate to the chandelier.

rdy2retire the lamp you ordered looks nice!

Large Artworks gives character to any space.

Good luck and enjoy decor !

You could put 2 matching mirrors on either side of the buffet….

The Ballard Design lamp is nicer. Good switch.