A few pretty mirrors might look nice on the large rectangular space above the stairs.

Avoid anything that is hard to dust (like shelves) How about some artwork? Maybe a metal piece instead of a picture?

I have the same stair area and have honestly never thought of hanging anything on it.

My stairway is nearly identical to the one this op posted. I just painted the walls in my stairway today, and am now wondering if it would look ok to hang a large picture on the wall that is straight ahead as you would go down the steps, or if this is an area that is normally left empty. I don't want to hang anything on my side walls of the stairway.

My staircase is exactly the same as yours. I was thinking of hanging a casual wood chandler with possibly a mirror on the wall behind it...

*Chandelier

You could add a half-bath in that space.

Personally? I'd frame it in with a sloping ceiling (especially good if you could then access the closed-in area for storage from rooms on the side or back). That's just a stupid, lazy design.

Tatts: my house is just a couple of years old so I dont want to frame the area in. I already have 3 1/2 bathrooms and don't need another one since there are just 2 of us living in the house. Am now thinking a quilt might look nice on that wall above the steps.

I was kidding about the bath. It's just a lot of wasted, ugly space.