I think a wheat-gold color would be lovely in your room. You have a very beautiful home.

I see your blue and white tureen and it just screams for something in the yellow family against the walls. What about Decatur Buff? It is rich, elegant and seems to be lighter in daytime but goes down to an old-gold look in dim lighting.

Have you considered a shade of green ... Salisbury Green, Sherwood Green, Saybrook Sage?

Love your living room! It looks so warm and inviting.

Thanks all,

Patricia, glad to see you tried again. I haven't seen Pepperidge farm yet but if I saw one more three musketeers bar I thought I'd lose it.

The gold and green color families would both work well, I think. I just wonder how bold I should go; with the rug being bold and the drapes being very rich as well. Another dilemma I've had is working with the chandelier; I do love it but wonder what buffet lamps to use. Those in the photo are from RH, and I'm not sure if it's the blue background, but I'm not sure about them. Is it important to coordinate with the silver in the chandelier or should I just let the chandelier make its own statement?

Let the chandelier make its own statement. I made a post here recently about a 5* hotel that we stayed in that had mixed brass, chrome and silver in the bathrooms, with travertine and marble, the stairwell boasted 3 chandeliers and they were all silver while all the bespoke looking cabinetry in the open room of cherry and paitned woods, had brass pulls, tables with rows of silverware laid out and a coffee bar as long as my DR with a large brass coffee maker, a pot filler in ORB. That collected look will never arrive with matchy-matchy, the one thing I agree with HGTV about, matchy-matchy (and P.S., they did not say monochromatic, they said, "Matchy-Matchy").

My departed grandmother, who had exquisite taste, taught us that good oriental rugs should be treated as essentially neutral. I think the red rug looks great. IMO, it's the pale blue walls that are causing trouble. There are a lot of rich colors that would warm up your room. As far as the lamps go, I do not think you should try to coordinate them with the chandelier. In fact, you have a lot of gold (and more to come) in this room, and I think the chandelier would be happier without the buffet lamps. I'd play up the gold and the richness of the room with warm rich colors. It would also look wonderful to use different colors above and below the chair rail. This is a fancy-looking room, and I think it would be fun to "turn up the fancy"! More gold, richer colors, maybe some jewel-colored tapestry pillows on the extra dining chairs to pull in some of the colors from the adjoining rooms (i.e., the striped chair in the LR). Also, maybe try the gold-framed landscape in the DR instead of the kitchen? Your update throughout the house looks fantastic!

I'm liking blue in your room just not that pale blue. I'd go with a deep bluey green. Maybe stratton blue or van courtland blue (both BM).

Lovely rooms and furniture.

I agree a different (richer) wall color would be a better choice(your botanical prints would pop more on a darker color) but also think you would benefit from a pattern on the chair bottoms(dont be afraid to mix up patterns like you have done in the livingroom(it looks great!)Also the buffet should be more of a focal point. I dont think the lamps are the problem. Family photos are great and i encourage the use of them but this one is a little small for the area. I think something else there (larger and wiht more color)would make a big difference.

Beautiful house!

I'm with les on the navy for the upper walls--it really would look spectacular with the gold drapes. Is there green in the rug? If so, you might want to pick that up--in darker or complementary tone--for the upper walls, instead.

And btw: Would you share more info about your living room and entry rugs? Where you got them, etc.--if possible. They're beautiful!

P.S. Never mind on picking up the green from the rug for the walls: with green walls and a red rug, it will look too Christmas-y, I think. Besides, navy is always sublime, imo.

also some people hate fake flowers or greenery but if you are not opposed, you may consider a floral arrangement on the table or perhaps a bowl of decorative balls.

Don't like blue walls in a DR. Not sure why. I just feel uncomfortable. I have had a DR done in dark blue and judge's panels below the dark blue in a cream color. Just never liked it. I do like warm colors in a DR. I think it might be that blue gives me a feeling of spa and rich colors make me think food. I like eating better than swimming or spaaing.

I'm with Patricia43 on this one - do not like blue (especially pale blue) walls in kitchens or DRs. If you absolutely MUST go with blue - I would suggest greenish blue/gray (like Morning Cloud from Behr). That colour goes very well with brown furniture and it is rich enough to complement the rest of your house. Did you say, you will move the drapes from your DR to LR? I would not do that - your LR looks gorgeous as is! Your DR however; does needs something richer...

Thanks everyone. I feel better about this room already. First, the drapes are moving to the living room (not pictured) which adjoins the family room,the one in the photo with the TV and black print drapes. The rug in there is an old Karastan Hunting Scene rug, discontinued, but it shows up on ebay now and then. That is where I bought it a few years ago. The small rug in front of the fireplace came out of my mom's house; it's one of those old orientals that will never wear out.

I LOVE all of your suggestions. Either way, a rich color is in order for the walls. I had ruled out the blue but now I can see possibilities for a richer, warmer shade. I may check photos to see if I can find one in a dining room that I like. One reason I went that direction in the first place is that every room is my house seems to be gold, cream, or tan, and I was trying something different. If the blue doesn't work I'll look at some greens, although organic small home has a good point about the green and red combination getting a little Christmas-y. Thanks for the advice on the chandelier; I think I was over thinking that one, and will probably return the buffet lamps for something a bit richer looking. I also can see that the picture over the buffet needs to make a statement, and we've got something else that would work, I think. It's so wonderful to have some honest opinions. You've all inspired me!!

Since someone else has already brought up changing some of the artwork, I'll add my 2 cents.

I would move the painting over the wine rack to another room, hang the mirror horizontally over the buffet and leave the botanical prints as a group. Of course, I don't know the width of your buffet so that idea may or may not work! You may also want to move the chairs away from the side of the buffet and place them in the corners.
I agree with you that the buffet lamps are not working, especially with all the gold framing you have.

I think the reason the blue isn't working for you is because it's such a cool color and the rest of your home is very warm. Love your FR!

Have you ever tried putting some mini-shades on the chandelier ?

Great suggestions, annz. I thought of the mirror over the buffet today also, just wasn't sure what I would do with the botanicals. I also agree that the picture over the wine rack doesn't work and needs to find a home on another wall either in the DR or elsewhere. As far as the chandelier goes, I have gone back and forth over shades or no shades and I have purchased a set, only to take them off and store them. After I make a few changes and the room warms up a bit, I will probably try them again. It's also interesting that you mention the chairs; I'll try them in the corners and see how they look. I could also add a leaf to the table and have 6 chairs at the table, but I like the (almost) round shape the table has when it is small. I appreciate all of your kind words about my FR; that was a tough room to do but it was worth the time and effort. This one will be, too, but it will take some time (and trial and error) to pull it together. Thanks for your help.

oh-this is OT--I really like your house! I know this is not asked about but! Have you ever thought about changing the white wood door in the family room to a glass paned door? Otherwise I agree with everyone before me---just a thought on the door....we will be empty nesters in just 2 years...it will make a difference inhow we live...

i'd probably wait until you have the new window treatments before making a decision on the wall colors...

This is great. I have been wanting to change out the white door in the FR forever, but kind of got used to it and literally forgot about it. Seeing it in the photo and hearing your comments, noodlesportland, will make it a priority. We are having a small porch built over our front door in the next couple of weeks, and I will have someone around who could replace that door for us. It's gonna happen. He's the same guy who can add the wainscoting to my DR. And, those drapery panels are due next week so I won't do anything before they arrive,(they can't get here fast enough) and will post again when they are here. In the meantime all of you have given me a lot to try out. Look for more pics later; I'd like to post my Living room and foyer since they comprise the front half of my house; along with DR, and they are important to consider as well.

I just wanted to say how tasteful your family room is. You have done a great job - very homey and welcoming. You will do the same in your DR. I would love to see pics of your adjoining rooms!! Please post when you get your drapes.
SMiles:)

I should probably wait until I get my drapes in, but it's a rainy day here(hooray) and I have the time. So here are pics of my adjoining rooms and a few questions.

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Questions:

Should I paint my banister railings black? Or stain them dark brown?? Something needs to happen with all the light oak.

Light fixture is the foyer has got to go, and I did find one at Hudson Valley Lighting that is great but $$$. I tried to copy and paste it into this post but no luck. Ideas?

I like the living room pretty well but it could also use some tweaking, as I look at it objectively. The piano gets used frequently but the seating area is ignored. I'd like to see it used more as another place to sit where you don't see a TV; as in FR.

Thanks again all...

Gorgeous home!!!

Very charming and completely elegant -- and so welcoming! Thanks for sharing the photos with us ..... very kind of you! :)

The new door is going to be great--if you were to put your couch under the windows then you will be looking straight out the door to--trees? yard? at any rate your eyes will travel to something interesting--it will be great-have you tried the coach under the windows? You have a very elegant and tasteful home-hope you are enjoying the process

Very nice home.

I think I would try staining your oak darker. It looks to be a very traditional house. Or pull it out and put in wrought iron that mimics your scrolly wall paper.

In your LR - have your tried switching your club chair and wood accent chair? Open the secretary and put the black chair from the entry sitting next to the open secretary in front of the window. I think the leopard print in that room would be really fun & tie into the black piano.

You have a lovely house.
Smiles:)

You have a very beautiful home. Thank you for sharing the photographs. I would find a wheat color for the DR, in a very soft color. I think your home is beautiful and elegant. Perhaps changing out the door, as mentioned but nothing about your house says to me that you need to change to anything but what you have and if it needs repainting, just give it a fresh coat.

Your house is lovely and inviting. My thoughts are to remove the large gold mirror and space the pretty botanicals accordingly, and have some fun with color-- a richer gray blue (I just used SW Honest Blue and I like it) might be quite fun. I thought your room would look great in yellow but realize you have quite a lot of yellow elsewhere, so it would be fun to do something different. Good luck!

I haven't read all of your responses :-( I love your home but I really need to have that organic looking coffee table in the living room. Beautiful!! Do you know where it came from?

My house is similar in style and color to yours ... here is an example of a deeper blue dining room (it's a little more gray-blue than it appears here, and for you, I'd definitely go more gray than blue). You can see the adjoining rooms are green and gold, and fixtures/accessories in the dining room are green and gold ... it's the same color depth in all three rooms, though, which is the problem with the pale blue. It's beautiful, but a different intensity than your other colors.

Anyway, just a visual to help, even if it helps you rule it out :-)

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jjam- your home is beautiful! An idea to consider...paint your ceiling a color. It looks as though your carpet is a deep red with some beigey gold in it. Maybe a gold on the ceiling with a deep red on the walls. Or if that is too much, do your ceiling a deep red and the walls a warm gold. I painted my ceiling in the dining room SW relic bronze and when people see it, they say, what a great idea! I love that on the ceiling. If I have time tonight, I will post some pictures.

Hi great home! I actually like the light blue color. I think with a change in curtains (possibly something old world thick and with a swag) and changing out the photos you have on the side of the room with the mirror and changing them to more photos like you have on the other side of the room would look great. I would change out the area rug as well. Add a few more blue and white china pieces like the soup tourine on the buffet and it would be very nice. I think the light blue ties in really well with the glass chandelier and silver lamps. I'd play that angle up instead of changing the color.

Light blue can be elegant. I'm not crazy about everything in this room but I do like the light blue elegant tea and scones look. :) Ok blue is my favorite color. I'm sure whatever you decide will look wonderful since the rest of your house looks fabulous.

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Hi,
I just finished doing my living/dining room area in blue with a rug with red and vintage light fixtures as well, so thought I'd chime in.

I picked up on the deeper gold in the rug for accents, including my lamp shades. I can't really tell from your photo, but if your're not wedded to the lamps on your sideboard, you could probably find something that would coordinate better with your chandelier on ebay for fairly reasonable prices.

Upholstering the dining room chairs in fabric that contained some of the red would bring everything together.

Here's my living room. The color of the walls isn't accurate in the first photo, it's actually much more saturated. The second shot is a little closer to the color.

You might even want to think about pulling out one of the darker blues from that gorgeous tureen you have. Plus the darker walls would really make it pop!

Sorry for the mess in the second photo -- the shelves just came in for the cabinets and I'm trying to get everything organized so I can figure out what height to put each one.

Thanks everyone,

I was out getting the car fixed today and came home to see all of your ideas. I can't thank you enough. First, the buffet lamps went back to RH today and I have no regrets about that. I've had them about a month and couldn't bring myself to take off the plastic or discard the boxes, so I wasn't really sold on them.

I really appreciate all of your comments. I do think that it is the lack of intensity in the blue color that is the problem with the walls. I was trying so hard not to make it too dark, but as the original post says, it doesn't belong with everything else. Maybe my next house will be cool and serene and the pale blue would be perfect there. It was great to see some rooms done in blue with similar colors to mine, so I can see that I was on the right track, just missed the mark with the shade. I am going to have some wainscoting installed below the chair rail (hopefully this week) and will paint the bottom to match all of the trim. By then, I hope my gold drapes will be here, and I should have a much better idea about the color. The question will be blue or not, and if not, a rich warm beige. I'd also like to do the faux stripes with whatever color I use; one stripe flat, the other semi-gloss of the same shade. I also love the idea of painting the ceiling, but I've only got an 8 ft ceiling and I'm always trying to make them look higher. Wouldn't a painted ceiling bring it down some?? I"ll give that some more thought.

riverrat1, do you mean the glass top coffe table or the round oak one? The glass top one is an old LaBarge coffee table I got at a tent sale at the Henredon outlet about 15 years ago. They made great stuff; don't know if they're still in business. The oak one is from my husband's family; used to be a dining table and his dad cut it down to coffee table size.

I'm going to play around in the living room a bit more. I can't wait for the drapes to come and the painting to begin!

Thanks again for your thoughts and beautiful photos. Segbrown and Eaglesgal, your blue walls are gorgeous and they are keeping the blue in the running!!

I definitely wouldn't paint the banisters black. I think it looks fine the way it is, but if you're wanting something different then I would try the darker stain.

Laurie

jjam - First off you have a beautiful home! My question is on your entry way, is the treatment on the walls wallpaper or is that handpainted? I love the way it looks.

Thanks kellyleeann and msrose, the foyer walls are wallpaper. It's been up for almost ten years so I don't know if it's still available.

jjam- I only have 8 foot ceilings and I don't think it brings the ceiling down so much as creating an elegant look in the room. I have to go out of town this week, therefore I'm running around like a nut trying to get ready to go, but I will try my best to post a picture tonight for you. I think our dining rooms look alot alike, that is why I am thinking it will work in your room. But you can look at the photo and decide if you like it or not.

Thanks eaglesgal, I know how it is getting ready to head out of town. Whenever you can get to picture posting is fine. I'll look forward to it whenever it shows up!

OK- here you are:

Whatever you decide I am sure it will be beautiful, as the rest of your house is very welcoming!!! Good Luck!

All I can say is WOW! Thanks for posting such a gorgeous room. The ceiling is stunning. I also love your black chairs with the round table, the beautiful drapes, and that incredible chandelier. It all fits together without matching, which is what so many of us want to achieve. I also love the crown molding lowered to hold what looks like lights above. That makes the ceiling even more beautiful, at night particularly. You've given all of us lots more inspiration. Love it!

Eaglesgal

What a lovely dining room. You did a fantastic job! I love windows that start from the floor!

Thanks for your kind words!

The chairs are actually dark brown, but they do look black in the pictures, don't they?? I love my windows too! As soon as my DH and I saw this house for sale about a year ago, eventhough it needed a TON of work, I just had to have it because if those windows!!!!

This has been a great thread. I've saved quite a few pics from your posts! I LOVE the use of color everyone has achieved. jjam your home is warm and inviting and I am sure the other gals (and men!) can help you out. They always come through and hats off to them. I just had to post on segbrown eaglesnest and labradoodlelady. I love your rooms! Segbrown, I loved the way you used all the colors from your rug in the dining room. You really can mix completely different colors of the same intesity. It's amazing! Thanks for sharing, everyone.

Thank you jjam. I was talking about the glass top table. It's beautiful. Thanks for the information.

jjam, I love your family room draperies. I have something similar that is Raymond Waites but I can't read the name of the design because it is blurred. I am thinking of making a shower curtain from it. Have to use it somewhere.
Your home is lovely.

jjam - I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the pictures of your home, and very much relate to the question you first posed regarding your dining room. I can see that if I were to do a light gray blue in mine that I'd be in a similar quandary: a cool room in a house full of warm colors.

Wonder what your resolution finally was? Also, I love the color of the wall in your sitting room; is that an ivory of some kind? I think it is just beautiful.

Eaglesgal, your dining room is just spectacular; can I ask what the color is on your ceiling?

Thanks much!

I think that green and red work together very beautifully; and need not suggest "Christmas" in the slightest. They are great complements to one another. I have a parlor that is green/red/gold - will post PICS later. I think that the combination would work very well with your adjoining rooms, given how warm and rich your palette already is.

teachbls,

I knew you would love Eaglesgal's DR, and the suggestions I made to you are inspired by her. I do think we have a similar quandry. I don't have a resolution yet. As we speak, I'm having picture frame molding installed below my chair rail in the DR, and new drapes are supposed to arrive tomorrow. I thought it best to wait until those things are finished before making a color choice. I haven't given up on the blue yet, but if I do use it it will be a more intense color. I do think that was the bigger problem with mine; the shade just didn't have any oomph to it; especially compared to the rest of the house. The posts by labradoodlelady and segbrown in this thread demonstrate this very well, I think. In their homes, the blue "belongs" because it is of a similar intensity, and looks great, especially with the reds. BTW, in your home, particularly with the dramatic height and gorgeous chandelier, the painted ceiling would be incredible. I'll look forward to seeing more pics of your kitchen and also the sitting room you mentioned. Thanks.

tchbls, Sorry, forgot to mention; the color in our sitting room (the one with the piano in it) is BM 958 Ocean Beach.

Time to get this room together, and the drapes and wainscoting are in. Drapes are much browner than I thought they would be, and at first I was sick about it but they are growing on me, and I'm so glad I waited for them before I painted. Now I need to get the room finished, and Thanksgiving is a good deadline. I've got samples of EK Edgewood Green, BM Wilmington Tan, and just for fun I threw in a sample of BM Van Courtland Blue in one of the photos. The Drapes are very dark and rich, and now I'm not sure how to work with that. If I go dark on the walls, I'm afraid I'll be looking at a cave all day as this room is wide open to the kitchen, but if I go lighter I wonder if I'll have the same problem as before with a color that does nothing. I'd love your thoughts!

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Of those three colors I like the BM Wilmington Tan the best. It looks good with the drapes and will look nice with the art and your rug. You need a color strong enough to stand up to those drapes.