Hi, I love your foyer just as it is. It looks formal, yes, but not in a bad way. I think you could funk it up a bit with the furniture or add some art. The room looks so inviting, like I want to see what is around the corner or up the beautiful stairs.

Also if you hung a beautiful mirror over that hall table it would reflect whatever light is there and brighten the space.

If you are changing rug on floor I would de-rug the stairs. Hate to take away a fun ride for daughter, but maybe not a good idea anyway. A mirror is a good idea for over table and look at a new chandelier. I am a big fan of wallpaper, if you can find the perfect pattern. Remember if you wallpaper it is a bear to change if you don't like it or tire of it. Paint is a much easier fix. What is the Lantern Yellow paint who makes it?

If music room's style or furnishings might lend itself toward wallpaper as a tie-in-- leave it on 1st floor [or if that of 2nd floor, then leave wallpaper on staircase, etc.].

This is one of those times when you need to buy the rug and then decide on the walls. A different rug might make a big difference on how you view the paper. It is a little formal pattern for the rugs you liked, but I would get rug and then decide on paint or paper. The rug for this area will be the main focus, so make that hard decision and buy it. Remember one bite at a time.

Actually, I also love your foyer and your staircase. Your wallpaper is pale enough to be unimposing. I am not nuts about the chandelier, but it will do. Perhaps, you might want to get the other rooms done, before you do the foyer, and try out different effects before you start ripping out the wall paper and stair carpet? I do agree, if you rip it out, paint is loads easier, can't tell you all the wall paper i have dealt with. a night mare.

As far as your daughter goes, well better than at home, then at school. In the old days there were not a lot of 2 story homes to go around. Although I had seen a stair case, I was never alone with one. I decided to thump down my only known staircase, at school, on my bottom. My bottom was threatened in far worse ways after, lol. make a deal you gotta be there though.

Add aged/ distressed to reduce the formality. But you might need also to reduce the amount of wallpaper imo ....and buy a solid area rug / rustic mirror downstairs. Rug color from runner?

Has interesting mirror detail.

Thanks everyone! Yep, it is a lot of wallpaper..we thought about reducing the amount of it so the effect is dampened a bit, like maybe taking it off the beginning of the hallway on the second floor. Good call too addressing rug/mirror/chandelier maybe first before tackling the wallpaper.

if you are planning for adjacent spaces to be bold, i'd go neutral here. since removing the paper going up the stairs will not be easy, would you consider adding a wainscot on the lower half going up the stairs and leaving the paper on the upper portion? then remove the paper in just the foyer and go with a neutral similar to that in the paper? maybe something like a revere pewter? a great mirror above the chest of drawers would be nice, then add some art to the long wall on the right? even nicely matted and framed art prints would be a great addition....original art can be very costly, the prints would be a solution and would add some tecture, color and personality until original art is in the budget. i'd look for pieces that have the colors of the adjacent spaces in them, to create some flow.

You may contact me directly from my website. If you do want to stick with wallpaper, I would recommend a natural grasscloth. It really warms a space up and they have so much to choose from now in solids and patterns, in different colors and textures. I have a great resource for that and can send you some free samples. If you do away with wallpaper, I would recommend a light wall color with a collection of art going up your stairs or one big piece.

I have numerous resources and relationships with art, furniture, paint/wallpaper and lighting companies. I would love to help in any way. My clients never pay retail.

Best,

Kim

www.KimNielsenInteriors.com

Could you actually bring lighting to the stairwell? If so, it would be nice to see a nice long pendant chandelier in there.

We make lighting from blown and fused glass, and do this look for our clients all the time using any of our pendant lights. It's a very elegant look that will help fill in some of the void on the wall as well.

www.shakuff.com

Are runner and area rug identical? Good condition? Do you like colors? - the chest redone with distressed look/ Annie Sloan?, or new mirror in tones from rugs maybe...

I'm repeating myself I guess, but you can't beat pattern if it's not overdone - you said it's also in the hallway upstairs? :)

Everdebz, the runner was from the previous owners. The area rug we brought from our apartment. Both are somewhat close in style but definitely not the same. Both are in good condition. I don't love that chest so would like to redo it at some point. The wallpaper pattern stops after the doorway you can see upstairs. Definitely thinking of a lighter pattern. Kim Nielson, I do like grasscloth..was thinking also something the below link...

https://www.houzz.com/photos/classic-coastal-colonial-foyer-traditional-staircase-newark-phvw-vp~338289

Is the hand rail painted black or it just a darker stain? I would probably paint it white.

Patrick Gerbracht- the link you just posted IS grasscloth. Isn't it fantastic! Would you like a free sample(s) sent to you? You may email me.

KimNielsenInteriors@gmail.com

www.KimNielsenInteriors.com

While the existing wall covering is a nice look, I am very, very much in favor of a "fresher, more current" wall covering look. I'll take a look in my library and post anything I think might be an option for you.

Sounds great Siegler! Kim, I was going to say I would like a free sample, but my wife made a great point that the blue is probably too dark for the foyer since it faces north...probably will wind up going with a lighter pattern.

Er612, that's just a darker stain. That's a good tip also that I never would have thought of...

Bad energy for mirror to face door & it throws you back out. Place mirror across stairs.

This rug makes the wallpaper look as good as new! It would look great with rug-free stairs or with a neutral patterned runner.

The light may be too big. I just liked it and had to try.

http://www.companyc.com/product/pierre.do?defaultSku=19239&sortby=ourPicksAscend

I love the wallpaper! Looks very Windsor Smith. Remove the stair runner and carpets. Try more natural finishes. I would hate to see you remove any of that great wallpaper!

It's weird, but the wallpaper looks better in the photo than in person! It's not horrendous by any means and we don't see it and think geez, that has to GO now, but I think we'll want to refresh it.

i think that you will love the rug once you freshen up the wallpaper. the juxtaposition of fresh wallpaper against a traditional rug will look eclectic and interesting! check out Thibaut wallpaper....they have some neutral graphics that are great (their website is very user friendly and shows a lot of their products in settings). Raffia is always great, but be mindful that the cost of it is higher as is the installation. all the best to you, and if you need assistance in wallpaper selection, please call us.

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/house-in-dublin-4-contemporary-staircase-dublin-phvw-vp~10947125[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/house-in-dublin-4-contemporary-staircase-dublin-phvw-vp~10947125)

painting the celling a light shade of gray would help pop your moldings

That's a great idea JP. Are there any Houzz pictures you find that show that?

Thanks!

gone with the wind

Should you wish to change your wallpaper, and can't find any to suit, we create wallpaper from your images, and also from our stock library of over 15 million images. There are all sorts of modern, understated patterns that would give that wall a new lease of life - and as part of the service our design team make them to measure - so you have full control over how the wall will look, International delivery only £20 GBP.

If you would like a free sample you can get one here: www.pictowall.co.uk/free-sample

-Dan

Pictowall.co.uk