Okay so paint shopping today. Thought some color would help. Maybe??? Lol. Any thoughts. Keep in mind the other parts of the house is the Benjamin moore stone hearth color (taupe). I'm two second from hiring an interior designer. My favorite is #4 on the right side of the picture. Actually my favorite is the really dark one but I know that's a no-no.

This is not quite as dark as your darkest sample. Makes a stunning room with black and gray!

http://houzz.com/photos/10263485

Beautiful dining room. But the table is to big. It is not open enough. The energy cannot flow through the room. A smaller table with four chairs. Then leave to chairs as accents on the side

If you moved the console table, could the table be rotated the other way. I can't see the size of the whole room.

Please excuse the construction zone but I removed two chairs. Does that help at all. Really trying not to buy new table.

I like the lightest blue. No animals in dining room.2 tall lamps. More colorful art or large mirror.

How about one of the darker colors (I like #3 in the third photo) for the ceiling and make the walls a very light color or a shade of white. Dark ceiling gives some moodiness and edge to the room while the light walls would give the furniture prominence through contrast. I like the calligraphic art better than the larger piece: more personality. Use the same color above and below the chair rail.

Your dining room looks so much larger and better with the 2 chairs removed! Now the end chairs are pushed in more, and the space is opened up.

Is that a large vase in the back right corner? Put some very very long interesting sticks or something in it to bring height to the corner. Bamboo, maybe?

Thanks orangecam. Quick question. I have fell in love with these two colors. Would it be too much to put the dark one on the ceiling and the lighter one on the walls? Tried on Behr paint a room and loved it.

Here's an example.

I don't love the idea of the ceiling being so dark, personally. The lighter blue on the ceiling will evoke "sky", which I think would be very pleasing. You started out saying you want all the rooms in your house to flow well together, so don't lose sight of that! I'd say try the light blue ceiling and see how you like it.

I thought of an idea to raise your chandelier in a temporary way to see if it looks better raised up. Use a carabiner (see picture below) to shorten the chain, just loop it through 2 links that are now about 6-8" apart. You can buy carabiners in lots of places - they're usually at the checkout counter and key-cutting counter at Home Depot.

The picture in your example is much larger, and it appears to have a very high ceiling.

This one, I think, shows your basic color scheme.

So like this? Or get rid of dark? I included a pic of the foyer just for reference

Very pale blue on the ceiling would be pretty with creamy walls. Be sure to use flat on the ceiling. I tried semi and had to redo the whole thing. Showed streaky and every little flaw.

I love a dark dining room ceiling. Mine is a fabulous deep rich aubergine. I have a huge Moreno glass chandelier that really glows at night. My walls are light and I love it! Your room may be a tad small for a dark ceiling, but personally I wouldn't paint your ceiling sky blue. It would be pretty in a bedroom, not sophisticated enough for a dining room, IMHO.
now I see you front hallway, I don't think I would bring in more color, but stay more in the neutral tones. Keep playing with colors, this is the most difficult part. You will get there.

@SandyC, yours sounds beautiful. Can you post a picture?

@Mellanda, let's go back to basics for a minute. Your style seems to be relatively monochromatic, and if that's what you like I would reconsider making a big change such as painting walls and ceilings a totally different color. Take a look at these photos that show a pop of color just from accessories. This way you can have color but it's not as permanent as paint - you can change it seasonally or as often as you like. I think this kind of thing would bring some life to your dining room without disturbing your comfort zone.

(BTW, the walls in both pictures is Stone Hearth)

Here's one with red accents! If you follow feng shui, red is supposed to be good in a dining room.

Never posted a photo before, but here it goes, sorry for the bad quality...
Example of dark ceiling in dining room.

Sandy, your dining room is really nice, the color on the ceiling really works!!!!! And good job posting your first pictures on houzz :)

Thx :)

Here is the dining room at the old house. This is really my style. Moving into the house none of the walls have color and I love color. The new home seems so boring. Here is a pic of the living room.

Love your dining room, SandyC. Bet you have some great dinner table conversations in that room! My great room has a lower ceiling over the dining table which is painted a silvery grey. When I need to repaint (many years in the future), I will go 3-4 shades darker.

It looks like what was prominent in your old dining room and missing in your new one is pattern and rhythm. So maybe a patterned wallpaper or stenciled wall, art with patterns to it, or curtains with a repeating pattern would bring that feeling back. Also I am a huge fan of dark ceilings in dining rooms. I generally eat in dining rooms at night and the dark ceiling is like the night sky, dark, mysterious, but also comforting.

Mellanda,

From your photos, your drapes are Gray with a purple undertone. It looks like your chairs and area rug carry the same undertone. Your top color Stone House was off...it need to come together with a cleaner and fresher Gold. I preferred the two gold framed pictures which coordinates with your chandelier and I love your accessories. You did well decorating. I envision a soft color palette for your dining area. Lilac, Purple, Lavender (however you want to see it) is such a Regal Color and looks Elegant with gold, black furniture. Adding teal is a beautiful combination. I love your gold a teal decorative plate, that's the inspiration. Teal can be brought in more to accent but bring that exact color teal from your plate.

So you have several options: I am specifying colors from Benjamin Moore Color Stories Palette -

Options 1 - Lilac Hush CSP 490 or Through The Looking Glass CSP 495 with ceiling color Paper doll CSP 485. Keep the black, gold, teal palette

Option 2 - Sleek Gray Colors: Cosmopolitan CSP 100 or Penthouse CSP-35 with White ceiling. Keep the black, gold teal palette

You have a great eye, good luck these are just suggestions.

Love the draperies - I do like dining rooms and master bedrooms a little more "off the wall" than the rest of the house as far as color. I do like the teal color you picked or the dusty purple color idea's if they bring out the rug color a little more...can't see the rug that well. I hate to say this, and a lot of people might disagree with me, but I would remove the chair rail. The horizontal line accentuates the length of the table and the sideboard. I'd rather see crown moulding....just an idea!

Have you considered wallpaper for above the chair rail? Would be lovely.

Before I comment, what is the size of the room?

I am in the process of having the dining room painted grey. Will keep everyone posted. I chickened out on the teal even after I bought the paint. I was scared it was too bright going with the rest of this very neutral palette.

Dining room is 12x12

I did not see anything terribly wrong with your dining room from your original post. You just needed a little "bling". I would have moved the 2 pictures a little farther apart and added 2 longish candle sconces - one on each side of the pictures. Also, I would have removed the 6 chairs and added 4 that matched better with the two at the end, changed the elephant to something more "blingy", and added different accessories on the buffet and changed the chandelier.

Sounds lovely.

You are right shirlpp. I will probably just change that paint. That's what really bothered me. The grey is really looking nice. Posting pictures soon. The grey color ended up being a bunch of paints that I mixed together and it's working so far.

The room is too small for all the furniture you have. If you pull out the seats to sit they will "fall off" the rug. That tells me the table is too large for the rug. Rugs should be 4' wider and longer than the table top yet not run into walls or furniture on the walls. Do you regularly have eight for dinner parties? You have a lot of linear visuals going with the long table, buffet and the wainscot trim. A round table might do the trick and you could keep the rug. If you use the big chairs, then eliminate a pair of the small ones. Right now it would be difficult to get in and out of the space when diners are seated. You might just try removing the rug and see how it feels.

A silver dining ceiling would be pretty. I love you front foyer. You have a lovely home.

Thank you happyleg. I am happy to report the painting is done and I am loving the grey color. Sooooo glad i thought twice about destroying my flow with teal paint!! Decorating and finishing touches tomorrow.

Can't wait to see new pics! :)

Agreed! Mellanda, please don't leave us hanging :)

Sorry guys. Got busy at work and have not put back together yet. That is the project today. Should have the pictures tonight. Thanks guys.

my suggestions: remove the 2 small lamps, have a dimmer switch put on the chandellier (if not already) and replace the 2 pictures with a big, bold print with colours from the dining room walls & furniture.

one other suggestion: remove 1 chair from the sides of the table as it looks too crowded with 3 on each side (maybe they could be stored & brought out when REALLY needed?)

That was suggested many times and she already did it.

Okay guys I have been distracted with doing my laundry room so I am going to post the post without all the decor. Things are just sitting for now until I can get back to it. So far I have removed a chair, painted, and lifted the chandelier. I still have to put the chandelier on the dimmer (great suggestion) and do the final decor touches. Pictures are posting next. (Need to switch to the iPad ☺️)

Here are the semi finished photos.

Before

Wow so pretty, relaxing. Are you hanging art?

Yes. I have just stored a bunch of stuff on the buffet. I will probably get to it and finish it next weekend.

Beautiful color! Are you happy? I love it.

I love it! Can't wait to see it finished. Debating on artwork now.

It looks so much better already, Mellanda.