Your room doesn't look small at all, it looks spacious and airy. I wouldn't put a rug in there either, not because of the kids, but because it looks nice as it is. :)

I can see a wooden trim vertical mirror centered on the wall where the white table is. Then you can decorate around either with simple sconces (they can be candle sconces) or pictures.

A nice floral arrangement on the table would be nice. Either real of faux.

I would love to see a larger darker chandelier to balance the visual weight of the lovely new furniture ....

On the large end wall -- perhaps a larger artwork OR a grid of artworks (maybe botanicals?) that would (again) balance the visual weight of the taller china cabinet on the other end. I wonder IF an oval mirror (surrounded by china plates?) would work there? JUST some thoughts!

On the table itself -- perhaps a vintage soup tureen (maybe a plain white one?) filled with seasonal florals or even silk herbs?? :)

Lovely room!!! And the wall color is wonderful! :)

Jan

anele, I didn't picture your room when looking for bookcases. I think if you could find a nice secretary with the glass door bookcase similar to your china cabinet would look great. Though I think I would put it on the oposite wall as the china cabinet. Not where the shorter bookcase is now. And old glass doored bookcase would be the best though.
As for art, if you like botanicals check below. Great links from there....

Here is a link that might be useful: downloadable botanicals

Those curtains and the new color were the right choice:)

I dont have any suggestions but the room looks lovely. I love all the changes you've made anele, great job

I love the curtains. Very nice choice!

I think your room is lovely and has a wonderful calmness to it. But, I wanted to comment on your little white portable bar. I have one exactly like it, and I've never seen another. My father purchased it secondhand years ago (I'm really dating myself to tell you it was actually 43 yeas ago), and refinished it to match my white French Provincial bedroom set to hold my records and record player. It's still one of my favorite items.

A mirror is a classic choice and you could use some artwork, but I would take your time and find some art you really like rather than filling space.

Sorry for letting this thread hang-- DH had to rebuild my computer.

oak: Thank you for saying it doesn't look small! Until I sold the buffet, I had not realized what a difference less furniture made. I love, love the idea of the mirror and sconces . . .I am going to start searching! I didn't know if a mirror could be hung on a wall w/o something under it . . .but I think the sconces will make it OK. Thank you!!! I put real flowers I had on the table and it made a difference, just to get some color and softeness. I need some fake ones to keep there permanently (my cats have too much fun with the real ones).

teacats: Thank you for the compliment!! I see what you mean about the chandelier. Do you think just larger but not dark would work, or do you think it has to be dark? An oval mirror would look really pretty . . and soften the room. I also love botanicals! Soup tureen is a great idea, too.

just: Oh, thank you for that link!! Sadly, I can't put anything (furniture-wise) on the wall opposite the china cabinet because there isn't enough room.

palimpset: Thank you! And I know what you mean about taking my time instead of just filling the space . . .maybe adding the little touches like flowers will help in the meantime. I need some different tablecloths, too . . .I didn't realize the one I have for the pics (e-bay buy) would be so pale.

trance and awm: Thank you!!!

dee: Wow! I have never seen anything like it, either. I found it within the first 10 minutes of arriving at a fleamarket last weekend . . .my friend told me maybe I should look around more, but to me, that piece was rare (and one of the few things that would work dimension-wise in that room) so I snapped it up. The woman told me it was probably from the '20s. I think it's mahogany under the paint. Does that sound right?

Thank you all SO much for your extremely helpful insights and very encouraging comments. They mean so much to me!

Anele:
Mahogany sounds right; I vaguely remember it before my dad painted it, but he kept the top natural, and the grain is really pretty. Here's mine:
{{!gwi}}

Wow, you're doing a great job!

Here's a nice "tableau" on a small piece:

Maybe 3 stacked pics of your choice on either side of window like this:

Maybe set something pretty on your table like this:

anele, I wondered where you went. Sorry about your computer. I happy you liked the link though. I've yet to search but just a fraction of them, but there are some very nice ones to print off.

dee: Yours is really lovely! The top is just beautiful, too.

kiko: Thank you for the gorgeous inspiration pics!

Just: I take consolation in that DH is a techie so at least he could fix it. The link is just great-- thank you again!

I know what you mean Anele about having a handy hubby around. Mine is a programmer analist at the University Hospital so he can pretty much do anything I need. He's in charge of the security system of the hospitals computers so nothing is ever been lost here either. He can find it if it was ever there.
I'm glad you like the link. I think I'm going to head over there a parused around for awhile.

I really love the simplicity of your dining room. I'm getting ready to do something similar in my dining room. It's painted an olive green and has heavy drapes, and I'm just so tired of that look.

Back to your dining room... I don't know how "eclectic" you want to go, but if you want to mix a slightly modern look in there, I think that wall would be very pretty with some shelves on it. You could display china or pictures or a combination of items, but I would keep it simple. This would add some "weight" to that side of the room without taking up any floor space. I know mirrors are popular, but mirrors are only as pretty as the image they reflect, so I don't think a mirror would add anything. Although the room is quite pretty, a mirror really wouldn't be kicking anything up a notch. KWIM?

Looking at your dining room makes me want to go rip take down my heavy window treatments tonight!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pottery Barn shelves

Can you put the little white table on the wall to the right of the window? It, and whatever you put on top of it, will show better. Right now, it is sort of forlorn next to the white fridge. Even if you decorate it there, it is still next to a fridge! How about a tall green plant there instead?

I just wanted to say how pretty I think your room has turned out. Love the windows and light airy curtains! You've done all the main part, now you just need the finishing touches. I totally agree about the more substantial chandalier. Other than that just something you love on the walls, mirror, art, shelves, whatever you decide, and something pretty on the table and you're all done. Only one other thing I'd suggest is that since you don't want a rug (and I agree with you on that choice) you might want some color in your tablecloth just to add a little more interest. Color and centerpiece could vary with the season. Nice job!

Matt and Shari from Room by Room have a neat dining room similar to yours in their book - I think it is called Real Decorating. You could see if the library has it.

Just: Nice about your DH! Saves a lot of time and money that way!

bird: True about the mirror . . I used to have one in there over the buffet. It was across from a big, not esp. nice bookcase, but on top I put a picture . . .so you could see the picture in the reflection, even from the living room. I can't do that now with the china cabinet, though. I like your idea of shelves. I keep wanting to put an antique fireplace mantle opposite the china cabinet (did I already say that on this thread?) but it might look silly, so just the shelf might do the trick. I can't wait to see before/after pics of your own room!

mimi: Thank you! Yes, the tablecloth really needs to be improved. My problem is that I want a vintage one, but most vintage ones would show stains easily and I have young children (truth be told, I'm a messy eater myself!). I thought the one on the table was a bold pink (from the e-bay picture) so I was surprised when I got it and it was so pale! Thank you for the suggestions!

andee: I agree . . .I am not too fond of where that server is . . .like you said, it's right by the refrigerator, and it just sort of seems like it's floating there. I wanted it close to the kitchen (for functionality) and the bookcase was on the other convenient wall . . .but we've moved things around now (see pics below). I think it's an improvement (the location of the server, not the bookcase).

kjmama: I checked my library and they don't have it, but I did find it cheaply on Amazon. Thank you!

I know this does not look good, but I moved a bookcase we already had into the room just for now. I also moved the server to another wall. I think I am going to keep my eye out for a white corner cabinet without glass (but with a cabinet below) to replace the bookcase. Good idea or no?

Maybe I can put a mirror over the server since it is across from the window?

anele how is the storage working out? do you have enough for all the books in there? that's what I'd consider now if you need any more storage for that but if not then I think mimi's suggestions are spot on.