I think your result is very pleasing, and I would go ahead with it, especially as your DIL chose the pattern and you decided on the fabrics together. If the quilt is the right size without a border, I do not think it needs one.
I think what you might be experiencing is the dissonance of reproduction fabrics used in a more modern-sized block. I've had the same reaction with a couple of quilts, and now I try not to pair reproduction fabrics with more modern patterns. One tends to see these kinds of fabrics in smaller pieces, whereas modern fabrics with larger designs are made to be cut in larger pieces.