IMO the darker color on top would look top heavy. Why not try a lighter gold on top of the BM Honeymoon?

Although the dark above the chair rail IS more traditional, I say do what you like. IMO it can seem top heavy to have the darker color on top. We have BM Raspberry Truffle below the chair rail and BM Bronzed Beige above. We still love it after 5 years!
{{!gwi}}From DR flower arrangement 808

That picture looks similar to what I have now. Love those curtains!

I guess I need to see more pictures to know what I like/want. I am having trouble visualizing the change.

Okay, so I've been googling and found a few of dark over light that don't seem top-heavy. Not my color, but similar intensity.

{{!gwi}}

the 2nd one really calls out for bottom molding. I've always wanted to add some.

Here's one of a two-tone:

notice how the chair rail is white. I think it should be one or the other color. too choppy I think. Maybe that's why I picked white for a wall color...to avoid having the trim be a 3rd color.

Here's an old picture of my DR:

{{!gwi}}

Wendy,

I looked up your color and I don't think it's that dark. You have many options but I would put it on the upper wall. What color is the trim in your room? We have our upper walls painted in RL Balmoral Red (dark) and the lower walls are the trim color. But, they have picture frame moulding added so it looks like paneling. Also, the lower wall is painted in the finish (Satin) of the trim so it really looks like trim work. I will try to post a picture tommorrow.

Another option you have is to use a darker shade like Tumeric on the bottom of the wall. You are not stuck just using white and a color.

I think the Honeymoon will really warm up the room.

Here is a link that might be useful: Honeymoon photo in this thread

The trim will be whatever the lower color is. What a good idea to do the lower body color in satin. I wish I had realized that before I bought a quart of my white satin trim when I ran out of it for the other rooms. I would have bought a gallon. Oh well.

I really don't want to add another color in the mix. I love how Honeymoon works with the off-nearly-white. I have them now in my living room and hallway. In that link you sent that is exactly what I've got going and I love it. My kitchen is an orangey-clay color (Potters Clay), so my overall theme is to be consistent and simple in the rest of the rooms and not have so many different colors (like I used to do!)

So I think I'm now convinced to cover the existing bottom red with white (satin) and do the honeymoon on top.

Thanks, ladies!

Wendy,

Here is a photo of my dining room with the lower half white.

that looks nice. Well, if you can do it with a strong color like that, I can certainly do it with a lighter tone. I'm anxious to do it now.

I think the molding is mandatory though. I think the white on the bottom would look odd without it.

I found a step-by-step tutorial on the molding. Looks pretty do-able. I'm kinda handy with that stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: how to install picture frame molding

Wow, Wendy. That's great that you can do it yourself and those instructions are great It's good that you found them.

"Honeymoon" is a really nice color and it will be beautiful.

I actually am tired of the red and want to change it to a caramel color sometime in the next year or so.

Please keep us posted on your progress!

Wendy, I completely agree the molding makes a difference when putting the lighter color on the bottom. I can't wait to see how yours turns out. I would love to put some in my current house.

In my last house I did white on the bottom and caramel on the top.

Boopadaboo love the look of your dining room. What colors on ceiling and upper walls?

thanks territ. It is Bungalow Gold from Lowes Eddie Bauer Paint collection.

Thanks for those instructions, Wendy. We are planning on doing that in our dining room too.

I like the way the rooms look with the dark on top. The woman at the paint store thought I was nuts.

Here's mine:
{{!gwi}}

I love seeing all these dining rooms. Thanks for posting. I love them all. Is that a chocolate brown or maroon?

Mine is underway. I've primed over the red. I bought the bottom white paint today in satin, so I am committed now. I just got back molding shopping. I brought home 3 different styles to try them out. I've narrowed it down to 2.

I just took this pic to show a friend and thought I would post an update.

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This is just a dry fit with tape only. The glueing comes next. I wanted to at least get this one long wall done so I can move the hutch back in place and fill it before I proceed around the rest of the room. All the hutch stuff is in the kitchen driving me crazy!!!!

I was a bit unsure how the molding would look with different spaces next to the heater baseboard compared to the trim baseboard. So I was anxious to see it in reality and its no big deal after all.

Dawnp,
Wow, I love the red color of your dining room. Can you tell me what paint you used? It looks a lot like the paint I am considering, Sherwin Williams Bravado Red.

Looking good, Wendy! You're making great progress.

Okay, I'm done. I love it. Still tweaking accessories. Open to any accessory suggestions.

More pics at link

Here is a link that might be useful: DR Before And After Pics

Congratulations Wendy! It looks great! What an improvement and I am SO impressed with your carpentry skills!!

Jo99 - I'm sorry I did not see your request earlier. We were away on vacation when you posted and it slipped by. It's Ralph Lauren (Home Depot) Balmoral Red.

Wendy - that looks wonderful. What a fun and rewarding project. well done.

That is so lovely!

Gorgeous room. That is a very well done project, and I am jealous of your carpentry skills!

Oh my gosh, it looks fabulous!!!

Amazing job on the mouldings, which totally transforms this room from "country" to a much more sophisticated, traditional look. You did a great job!

I agree!

thanks so much everyone.

The carpentry was incredibly easy. Just a simple miter box and careful planning, measuring, leveling, gluing, nailing, filling, etc. I got a thin molding because (1) it seemed the right scale for the existing chair rail and (2) it would be easier to cut and (3) thinner is cheap! only 30 cents a foot. (so I got plenty of extra for mistakes and waste)

You can do it too!!!

Looks amazing. You did a fabulous job. The paint color is lovely.