I love Farrow & Ball's grey/brown tones. For subtle shades, they really have a wonderful selection I like London Stone, which is pretty much my favorite paper bag brown. Get the swatch chart, and have your local paint store match it in whatever base you like. Having said that, I think that a dining room is the least interesting place for a great rug. You don't look at it while you're in the room, chairs and feet scrape back and forth on it, and it's a pain to move everything to vacuum all the dropped crumbs. Here is a link that might be useful: Farrow & Ball

I'm sorry, but I have to say I don't like the navy (or the camel). The rug color is more a royal blue, i.e.: a warm blue and the navy is a whole other blue, and IMO, they clash. I also, again, think it is just too much saturation of blue. Like NSM's chandy and think it would look great in your dining alcove. I do think you should paint those French doors the same color as the trim, regardless of what color you paint the walls. If you go with the chocolate brown, consider painting the chairs silver. If you go with a light color, I'd paint them black. The silver will compliment the glass top, and the black will go with the base. Btw, it is sounding to me like you have made up your mind and that you really want to do it in the Midsummer Night. It's not a lot of wall area, so you're not investing a whole lot in paint here. You can paint it in the color you want, get it all set up with the new chandy, painted chairs, artwork, live with it for a month (or some agreed-upon time limit) and if your husband (or you, for that matter) still really doesn't like it, you can always repaint it.

sergeantcuff, eastautumn, and ingrid, I love all of your rooms. Persian rugs make a room, IMO. Since my budget is very limited I decorate around the most commonly found colors in them-- the more unusual colors are out of my reach. Thankfully, I am a huge fan of red anyway. My rugs in my LR (I needed 2 since it's a long, narrow room) and DR are all old and at least slightly worn. I'd love to know what the rugs have seen over all these years in their different homes. sergeantcuff, I think I would only change the lace if you don't feel they are "you" or you are simply tired of them. If you are looking for custom, consider https://bestfabricstore.com/  I bought some nice linen fabric from them and wish I had had used the workroom too... but I am doing it myself to save money. (Now I just need a huge chunk of uninterrupted time.) The prices are very reasonable, even lined, for basic curtains. eastautumn, your stained trim is so pretty. My home also has (dark) stained trim but it's not "beefy" so I don't like it at all. It provides just enough color to be annoying to work with without adding any real value... but it would be a pain to get rid of.

when I first saw the pictures I thought you need to bring the sectional closer to the fireplace and TV.... then saw it was a step down from the dining area. kind of dangerous to do that. maybe you could find a taller bookcase or 2 to place on the lower level and serve as a sofa table, bar and buffet when needed blocking off the step down and getting more storage and flat surface. I think in this case you do need a rug to get some color in the room. make sure it is large enough so that when you pull the chairs away from it that they are still on the rug. pull your favorite colors from the painting to bring somehow into each area (kitchen, dining and living room). looks like you already have some red in the kitchen picture. it should be repeated throughout the whole area that is visible in an open concept area. the pictures are just to give you an idea how just small things in each room repeating a color help make it interesting, unified and keeps your eyes moving in the room. you have so many choices to pick from. what is your favorite? I think changing the rug in the living room would also help. 2 rugs don't need to be the same but should complement eachother.