Painting Mishaps

(image from Dunkin Donuts Website - no offense meant, Dunkin! It's just the color around the USA icon that I'm using to as a demonstration tool. I like Donuts -and especially admire the new cookies.)

Have any of you ever painted a room the wrong color? I think I just need some comfort - My new dining room, through an unexpected series of events (Meaning, I chose a bad color - that the paint store said they could dull and darken for me - and they darkened, but did not dull...) - My dining room is Dunkin Donuts Orange.

As much as I admire the color orange, I was hoping for more of a terra cotta... As it stands, The room provides a very sharp contrast to the adjacent tan living room, and the groovy spring green kitchen. I'm hoping for a better flow. A flow-ier flow. A flow that makes paint color pleasant, but nearly invisible... (By that, I mean that being in my dining room should induce other gut-level responses aside from "Oh dear! It's as orange as a Dunkin Donut box in here!" or "Oh my, someone's colorblind!" or "My stars! Has Trading Spaces used this space to break in a new and horrible designer?") (I'd much prefer to hear, "My stars! Those chairs are lovely!" "Gracious! What a lovely dining room table you have!" or "I simply must have the recipe for this bean dip - it's good enough for a last meal!")

So - short of repainting the whole room, I just thought I'd ask for some stories - suggestions - ideas... Come on! Commiserate with me. It'll be fun.