1. Paint.

2-5. Dining table and chairs.

6-7. Storage and display.

8-9. Lighting.

10-11. Accessories.

Tell us about your design challenge: Find out how

The Alman family recently moved into a Calvert County home that includes their first formal dining room. "I don't know where to shop.... Where do I start?" Karrin Alman writes. The 12-by-12-foot space includes lots of molding, which Alman wants to keep. Alman would like a welcoming space in a traditional or French country style.

Shop at new-furniture stores and consignment shops to mix and match rich-toned fabrics and finishes. Give the architectural details more weight by installing additional trim several inches below the existing crown molding and painting wall spaces between molding the same color as the trim. Create a French country look with iron light fixtures and accessories.