Looking for inspiration Photos included

[algor]

Help! Our dining room is a very plain white box, but it does have modern sliding doors to the deck and a beautiful herringbone pale wood floor.
Our table and sideboard, which we do love, are inherited from my husbands family and therefore can't be changed. They are a heavy dark oak and they don't look right in the room. Does anyone's have any ideas on how I can make the furniture fit into a room which feels modern. Would colour on the walls help?

You're right there is too much wood.
The sideboard is quite dark and oppressive. Can it move anywhere else? Would you consider having it professionally painted?
A large rug on the floor and cloth on the table would also cut down the wood. You could also get covers for the chairs
The very modern upvc windows and the wooden furniture don't go at all well together.
Weve got wooden floors and windows downstairs and have been working with an interior designer who said no more wood and she's been right.

Thanks for advice, think my dH would have a canary if I suggested painting the sideboard. I was thinking of having loads of plants in the room to break it all up.

The furniture is just too big and dark for the room so not sure plants will help!

Large rug and dramatic colour on walls.

There is too much furniture in the room currently. If it was me. I would move the cabinet currently by the window and also what looks like a writing desk currently next to the sideboard out of the room leaving only the table and sideboard. I would buy a large leaner mirror with a metallic gold or silver frame (wayfair has some nice cheap ones) and lean that on the wall by the window where the cabinet and picture currently is. Then I would buy three large glass vases and set them on the table and fill with flowers when required. The glass in the vases and metallic and shine from the mirror will help to balance all the wooden surfaces. Plants would also be lovely, you could sit some ferns on the sideboard. I would also buy two white sheepskin throws and hang them over the two heads of table chairs to break them up a bit. A bold colour would also really help. If you’re feeling adventurous Farrow and Ball Arsenic would be stunning with all that wood. Good luck.

You need to minimise the effect of the dark wood. I'd suggest a floor length natural linen table cloth for the table, which will add glamour to the room. See the 5th section down on www.cottona.co.uk/cottona-tablecloths-collection for an example of a floor length table cloth. You could also cover the chairs with linen slip covers like these www.wayfair.co.uk/Safavieh-Eva-Slipcover-Dining-Chair-SAFA1003.html. The backs of these chair covers are particularly nice. I would remove the small bureau and the fish tank, if possible. Oversized table lamps and a mirror would add to the transformation.

I think colour on the walls will help. Is there a colour in the curtains you could pick out? Nothing dark or heavy though, keep it fresh.

Thanks for all the advice, going to move bureau tonight.

Older style dark wood furniture is often accompanied by lots of doily details and I think you need to play down the detail. I would change the curtains to plain blinds/shutters or something clean and less fussy. The patterned curtains, alongside the old dark wood are a little bit like my parents' taste (they are in their 70s). Similarly the picture with the little details is quite fussy - am sure it's lovely but overall its too many detailed stuff to combine with the furniture. Also something large and statementy and gorgeous on the dresser and the table.

I think the furniture and the room are lovely though!