Why would one want to highlight how similar a designer's home is to one's own home? Doesn't that usually speak of a lack of originality? Oh, look, there's my blue and white porcelain, there's my Peacock redux cabinet and countertop, there's my sisal-esque rug, there's my Gracie wallpaper (LOL, that one I would take in a heartbeat), etc. This place reminds me a bit of Bunny Williams' Dominican Republic house. I think that's what is meant by the "new traditional." In other words, certain elements have become so ubiquitous, in high and low versions, that the amalgam deserves a style classification of its own. Save a few pieces, there is nothing unattractive there. I do think the decor represents a certain "Look." Actually, a couple of certain looks, as the dining room (my favorite) differs from the rest.

Eve this is a fabulous discussion! And Thor how nice of you to post such an informative discussion of lighting!! I'm going to comment on the chairs because I was the one who said they looked uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong though, I LOVE the look of them and I had the feeling that they were handmade and special to you. The wood part is so beautiful. But they are more of a "bistro" style chair and they say, "Sip your coffee here while watching the street scene" rather than "Hunker down for a long meal and then conversation and a game of backgammon afterwards." Quick and dirty, those metal (it looks like metal in the photo) seats are crying out for a fluffy animal skin cover/cushion, even if it is fake. I'm sure you could find one that has ties that could attach it securely to the legs and back. How about the loveseat, does that work with the table as far as height and comfort? If I were to manage to scoot back there and sit, what would my view be of? At this point it looks like you have some art on the opposing wall, but it is fairly high up. One of the main reasons we like sitting in our dining room is the walls are covered with some of our favorite art, all nature scenes which we love. I think people might not want to sit back there because of the hemmed in aspect. I realize that one could easily get in and out of that spot really, but even if it is just a "feeling" it can still influence how people use a space. How long would I want to sit on the loveseat facing the opposite wall, and for what purpose? Probably the answer is, "not long." The same thing can happen with mirrors, they can turn people off over the long haul even though they look great on first glance. I put up a mirror in my tiny dining room but it reflects the image of the diners while they are sitting at the table, and folks have told me they don't like sitting there looking at themselves in the mirror, it is unsettling and distracting. You don't have that issue, but I'm just giving it as an example of something that LOOKS nice when just looking at the room in passing, but in USE has the effect of turning people off. I also have a big window at one end of my dining room, as do many dining rooms. In the summer months and during the day that makes the space a nice airy light warm space and I love to linger in there looking out the window. But in winter and at night, the window turns into a cold black hole. But if you close the beige drapes in your dining area, then it is a boring blank beige wall. This is a classic case where some little twinkly lights or some kind of artistic window decoration would improve the space at night. I solved my problem by hanging wreaths up in the windows since I like the open look. You can also solve the problem as someone suggested to me, by putting something lit up outside the window, that also stops the "black hole" problem of a big window. I'm going to hazard a guess that you don't often close those drapes on the window, so you have a lot of options when it comes to window decorating, even cafe curtains or some fake foliage along the windowsill, a lighted art piece hung in the window, textured blinds or shades, etc. etc. How many people would regularly sit at that table if it was getting the kind of use you want it to on a daily basis?

I'm reading The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict, historical fiction at it's best. "Between the World Wars, the six Mitford sisters―each more beautiful, brilliant, and eccentric than the next―dominate the English political, literary, and social scenes. Though they've weathered scandals before, the family falls into disarray when Diana divorces her wealthy husband to marry a fascist leader and Unity follows her sister's lead all the way to Munich, inciting rumors that she's become Hitler's mistress. As the Nazis rise in power, novelist Nancy Mitford grows suspicious of her sisters' constant visits to Germany and the high-ranking fascist company they keep. When she overhears alarming conversations and uncovers disquieting documents, Nancy must make excruciating choices as Great Britain goes to war with Germany. Probing the torrid political climate in the lead-up to World War II and the ways that seemingly sensible people can be sucked into radical action, The Mitford Affair follows Nancy's valiant efforts to stop the Nazis from taking over Great Britain, and the complicated choices she must make between the personal and the political."

That's nice, Rosefolly. I have a very similar one in the breakfast area of my kitchen that holds cookbooks, teacup and saucer collection, and a few other collectibles. The difference is the cover lifts up to a hanging file area, which was a mistake because it isn't very handy to use.