The chairs are a good match. Leather is probably best, great for kids' spills and accidents, but any fabric will do. Not sure on purple with green - those two colours together clash a bit for me. The green kitchen looks great, and I'm a fan of dark wood. The only thing throwing it off at the moment is the yellowish coloured walls. If they were repainted a soft white, this would make the green and the dark wood really pop, giving you a fresh and sophisticated, calm look which I think would work well. You could then upholster in a green to match the kitchen which would look appealing. Finish it off by some fresh white flowers as accents in the room to draw the eye and you've got a beautifully transformed space with a fabulous feature dining area :)

An outdoor room is like any other room. First decide what you want to use it for. For example, my back yard has a couple of rooms. The "dining room" is a table and 4 chairs under an inexpensive ($150) 12 ' X 12' Home Depot gazebo . The gazebo gives a pleasant feeling of enclosure and privacy when we sit at the table, and it also keeps the table clean and dry. We have a big hydrangea shrub right at the edge of this area to mark its edge. It's pleasant to sit so close to something blooming. The "living room" is 2 comfortable chairs and a love seat around a coffee table. We entertain there and pull the dining room chairs over if there are more than 4 of us. We also sit there to read in the evening. There's a smallish tree right beside it so it's pleasantly shady. The "kitchen" is the grill and a small table to set things on, and is closest to the kitchen door. Once you have decided how you want to use the space, you'll need to decide whether you want a new "floor". We have a low L-shaped deck that has the three rooms. Or you may decide on a concrete or slab patio for all or part of it. Farther from the house is some grass, and then more big shrubs (evergreen and blooming - little maintenance). And a little raspberry patch because it's fun to eat them right from the bush. The landscaping really comes last, once you have decided on the functions of the area. Don't start planting without a room plan. You may want, for example, to put one of your rooms right against the fence or wall, and if you've already planted shrubs or made beds then they will be in the way. You want to plant trees and larger shrubs so they are useful as the walls and roof of your rooms. Be sure to check the mature size of your plantings (it's on the tags) so you don't end up with branches hanging over your roof or over your neighbor's property. Don't make the mistake of putting in so many beds or plantings that you don't have time to sit and enjoy. A few low-maintenance shrubs that are planted close to where you sit are just as enjoyable as big swaths of flower beds that need weeding, annual bedding plants and maintenance (unless gardening is a hobby that you enjoy spending time at.) Enjoy your new home!

This made me laugh: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/09/seagull-turns-orange-after-falling-into-vat-of-chicken-tikka-masala I couldn't copy the picture, but it's hilarious.

Hi Jennifer K, thanks for your comments. The photos you have posted are really lovely but not really suited to our environment and house, which I know is impossible to tell from one photo. We have built a modern farmhouse on 10 acres. That room looks out to beautiful green countryside and the river below. The dining room is a bit of a feature and is completely different to the rest of our relaxed lodgey style house but I don't want it to be too modern, if that makes sense. The photos have given me a few ideas so thank you so much for your help!