A bench or table.

Or maybe a small wood dresser to store gloves etc

How about a small table on the shortest wall with a mirror. A glass bowl or box to collect keys & drop the mail. Then perhaps somewhere to put shoes on maybe a short bench or a small chair. Homesense /homegoods have some inexpensive items & you could post some pictures here to get some feed back. Good luck.

I have a bench on a wall that angles out to the left of this photo. So, didn't want to do a bench. I have been looking at chests. I had not gone with a table or chest before as I couldn't find artwork I liked to go above it. I had a mirror in the adjacent dining room, so didn't want another mirror. But now I have removed the mirror from the dining room, so could use a mirror. I am also thinking that if I just go ahead and buy the chest I might find that a lamp or floral arrangement might be enough height without any artwork. Here is the type of chest I have looked at.

Here is a view that shows the current bench. I don't mind getting rid of it if that helps. It is too long to look good where the tree is.

And we really don't need key/glove/boot storage etc. This is our front entry and we come and go via the back door. We have a guest coat closet near the front door.

What about a grandfather clock against the back wall? There are so many sizes and variations to them now, I am sure you can find one to fit the space perfectly!

I would LOVE to have a plant there. When we first moved in I tried several, but was not successful with getting them to live. This is on the north side of the house and there isn't much natural light. Will a bamboo survive there? As for the grandfather clock, it would be the perfect fit, but I hate to make that kind of investment in a piece that I don't necessarily want forever.

Sounds like Bamboo could be for you. It needs shade.
http://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-an-Indoor-Bamboo-Plant

Margo - this is really a great idea. I would like the look and it is something I never would have thought about. I read the link about growing it and I do think our temperature and light conditions would be right for it. My only concern is daily "misting". This is on hardwood floors and the thought of daily misting doesn't sound like something I want to do over the hardwood. Do you have any experience with growing bamboo indoors?

Consider a step tansu. I have three and each can be configured in different ways. For your hall, follow the step angle.

JudyG -- I saw these when I was browsing for chests on line. So, these do look ok in front of a stair? I was afraid it would be a little off putting a stair step in front of a stair step.

I do not have any experience with growing any indoor plants. I do believe I am going to try this bamboo plant myself because I have a lot of shade. I would not worry about the *misting* as the mist is just that mist. Place the pot on a piece of cork or something to protect the floor;)

I'm glad I read that link about growing bamboo. I had wanted a bamboo plant for my master bath, but it has south and west windows and is a very bright room. Bamboo might not be the best choice.

My other suggestion would be a round accent table with a lamp. Do you have an outlet in that area? I like it for night light;)

Yes, a step tansu would be fabulous in your setting. I think I have a picture of one of mine opened in another way. Great investment and so flexible.

Yes, if you can see it to the far right of my living room, I used two pairs of steps and one solid base. The beauty of these tansus is each side is different and you can use them in many different ways. One side is sliding doors and the other has drawers. You can have storage in the hall.

I hadn't thought about a lamp in order to have soft lighting in the foyer. We do have a dimmer on the chandelier in the foyer, but a lamp might be very nice. Yes, we have an outlet. I think the round table looks nice with a side chair. To accommodate the side chair, I think I would need to lose the bench that is over on the nearby wall. But I am willing to do that. The other option is a lamp on a chest. I must admit that idea is growing on me. I might even have a chest around the house that could be repurposed for this.

Judy G - I love buying furniture pieces that are flexible that I know I can use again if we move or if I just rearrange. I think the step piece is one of those flexible pieces that I will use over and over.

A nice round pedestal table with a small side chair would look great. You can place a lamp, an arrangement, a piece of sculpture, etc. on it. I also liked the suggestion of Japanese step Tansu chest, but it must fit perfectly or it could look odd.

You are happy with one tree there - why not another? Like the bamboo suggestion, a large indoor tree could look amazing there. And if watering is an issue, cheat! There is a time and a place for really good fake plants...and this might be it.

I have a bamboo I don't mist. I just water weekly, it's 6 feet now!

The Ming chair. Kevin the cat not included.

Have any of you had experience with a large indoor bamboo plant? I hate to invest without some confidnence that I won't kill it! I agree, a plant would work well there......it's just finding the right one. I have a large Norfolk pine that I would love to find a home for. But it needs 2 hours of sunlight each day, so I'm afraid it wouldn't do well there. A ficus also needs more sun than I have in this spot. I'm not too keen on fake plants, but that might be the only way for me to get one to live there. (In fact, what I normally have there is a large rustic metal drum on a stand with fake spider plants in it.)

happyleg - how much sun does your bamboo get? What happens when it gets too tall?

It gets indirect light. Cut then. You have high ceilings too!

I suppose the ceiling is 18 foot, but don't think I really want a bamboo that tall! 6-7 foot would probably look nice.

Have you considered leaving that space with nothing and putting art pieces on the wall going up the stairs?

Like melydas said, cheat !!! There are some beautiful artificial plants on the market now days. I have a bamboo in our bedroom and you'd never now it wasn't real. The problem with real plants is the watering aspect. You have nice hardwood floors and the moisture may ruin that spot. And it's much easier to move and store an artificial one when the Christmas tree goes up again.

The Christmas tree is down, so I am ready to get serious about updating the foyer. The suggestions primarily went two directions -- a console table with a lamp, or a plant. I am leaning toward the table. I am posting a photo of the look I would be going for. The wall is 50 inches wide, so I am looking for a table/chest less than 36 inches wide and about 36 inches tall. It needs to be fairly shallow to keep the hallway from being too congested. The photo has a plant. I probably wouldn't have room for a plant unless I use a chest that is narrow.

I am also posting a photo of the fake plant that I have had in this spot since we moved in 15 years ago. I knew it wasn't the right proportion for the space when I put it there, but I had the tub/stand and it was a cheap, fast solution for a blank spot in the house. Somehow, this was never a priority to work on until now. I assume that I am on the right track by ditching this plant.

My new year's resolution is to get this done before I let something else take priority!

something i would do is get rid of the carpet on the stairs exposing the hardwood underneath. or i would recommend putting a table, and buy pretty flower and put them on top

You need something to work with the bench and the two pieces of art over the bench. I like the idea of a small chest/table there with a lamp on it.

What color is the bench?

The bench is a cherry stain. I've had it for 25 years and it was just a "space filler" when I bought it. Not great quality. I am thinking that new upholstery might be part of this transformation. I am looking at some chests on line, but I also want to stop by a local second hand store that carries lots of wood pieces. Thought I might find just the piece there. I wouldn't be opposed to having a painted chest. The foyer bridges the front of the house which has teal type colors with the rear of the house that has red. So, whatever is in the foyer needs to coordinate with both of those. The family room in the rear would also be moving toward the teal tones except we decided that neither of us cared enough about the whole house matching to spend the money it would take to replace our sofas in the family room. After I find the right chest I will post some pics of various art pieces I have around the house. I may need to do a little shuffling to get art that coordinates on the two walls.

LOVE THIS IDEA! Find a fun piece that you can custom paint.....yes! And shopping and shuffling in the house is actually a fun thing to do.

Check craigslist for your area, too.

I love shopping in my own house. I seriously considered lugging a dresser downstairs that I have in an upstairs bathroom, but it fits perfectly where it is so I would just be trading one dilemma for another! Artwork though, I think I might have lots of options around the house. I was thinking I needed a fairly large piece, but now as I look at the area, I am thinking that a fairly small one might work......also depends on the lamp. Chest first, then art!

Go for an artificial tree with a mirror behind and an uplight on the floor in an amber color on a dimmer switch. Have these in 3 different rooms where real trees won't work, good luck! Or fairy LED lights on the tree.

Kitchener64- your idea is intriguing, but I'm not sure I am bold enough to try to pull it off! I can see me investing in a fake tree and a large mirror and then just not being able to pull it together. Also like the LED lights in the tree. I have two large Norfolk pines in other places in the house. My hubby loves them and I hate them. The large one in the Sun room might get a string of lights......might make me love it, too!

Re purchasing tree/ mirror, everything can be returned, just try it, you might be surprised!

A chest with a lamp and a chair would look nice in this space.

I wouldn't recommend an artificial or silk tree. Fake trees are dust collectors

Artwork would look nice with a chest and chair.

Yes, I am definitely in the chest camp. Not sure if there is room for a chair. Only have 50 inches to work with and there is a beach on an angled wall just across the hallway from this wall.