No budget for that space? Simple fix which will add character to the wall and help with the sound issues. Find a very interesting fabric that has a large motif or design on it, most fabrics are around 50 or more inches width, then purchase enough to center the design, wrap around a canvas or a frame and hang on wall.

I did this for a young man who had used his budget on new paint and furniture and we filled his walls with interesting but low cost "art" that reflected his love for music.

Oh and if you do a search you may find a place in your city that sells designer fabric pieces for a fraction of what they actually are worth.

Good approach! Thanks Susan.

An inexpensive way to bring life into a room could be through photography. I think a collage of frames (all different sizes and shapes) could be a nice way to enhance this space seeing as though the kitchen appears to be open to the living room. Printed canvas photos are also very fun and a little more updated than your standard frame (they also might help absorb some sound). Another great thing you can do to maximize the beauty of your view is to use mirror(s) to reflect your outside view in the inside of your house. Mirrors give you the illusion things exist that really don’t because of its reflective properties. As for the noise, do you have an area rug in the living room? Adding a large area rug in the living room and maybe some decorative curtain panels on the blank wall could with help with the extra noise as well.

Really like the fabric panel/art idea. I'd make it large or suggest hanging three panels to fill the space. Will help w/ the echo, too.

I must say: I wonder what the apple/wheat thingamabob is doing in this gorgeous, modern kitchen...............

Going along with jansgirl's idea, I like using fabric panel since they are relatively inexpensive and you can change them as you wish, and they also absorb sounds to eliminate the 'echos' in the room.