Could you take one more photo? We need to see the view as you enter the front door.

Sure, the first pic below is me literally standing in my doorway. I've done some work to the area already...the second picture shows my progress. I upholstered a seat to sit on top of the bench and put some items on the wall.

I like the meaning of the sign and the addition of the cushion. I think switching the rugs from solid black to a warm colored pattern would also make it more welcoming. You could also consider hanging artwork on the wall near the stairs.

Add some themed pillows to your bench that can coordinate with a rug. Maybe just one long pretty lumbar (i.e., not too tall) pillow along the back wall. You are almost there. Good luck

[houzz=https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-entry-contemporary-entry-phvw-vp~1926944]

Remove the black rugs, replace with a natural rug or pick up the color from your bench fabric. A nice strong pop of color for pillows, pull from the colors you have in your wall decor.

There are a lot of doors off of the foyer, are they all necessary, however, I would assume that they are. Update the hardware on the doors and possibly change or paint them - all of your doors should match in paint color and style. Painting the walls in the foyer would make a huge difference. It appears tight, with the bench across from the hall closet - is the bench necessary. Can you remove the bench and possibly remove some of the walls on either side to open it up. I'd replace the dated chandelier and the rugs. Also consider painting the trim. Your sign is nice and can go anywhere in the hallway...Hope this helps.

Remove the rugs. They are to dark and they make the entire hall dark. I suggest you cover the sitting over the wall with a huge mirror and add a strip of led lights on the top/ceiling. Paint the doors around white or a pastels (whatever colour you like). I guess that the double doors across the seating are storage so you can paint that too in same colours. Put a thick seating on the seater in same pastel colours (choose a fabric that is modern, personally preference flowers or abstract shapes in same family colours as the pastels on the doors). I would add 2 smaller cushions in the corners of the seating just to make it more inviting. Other suggestion is to put a mural on opposite side of the sitting stretching over the double doors, wall and the White door. Choose a relaxing theme like forest path or bridge over water something that creates the sensation of indefinite space. You need to get some lightning. Strips of led lights around either floor and walls or walls and ceiling will make the space look brighter. About the sign I will put it in a more exposed space than the hall. In the kitchen or a more special place. Remember the hall is a space where you just pass often in a hurry and you don't have enough time even to look at it. Soon You start to forget about it.

Your entry should be treated like an important room in your home. A place to pause rather than rush through. Paint it with Benjamin Moore's Breath of Fresh Air and place blue, grey, and ivory cushions on the bench. A mirror framed by two sconces will add spaciousness to this welcoming environment. All the best!

I would also paint all the doors the same color as the walls there, choose a colorful pattern for the rug and bench cover, add pillows. One thing to consider instead of lots of fussy small photos, create a large collage of photos and art prints, quotes and cards, well framed, then attach your sign to the outside of the glass for a 3-D effect, or, this is a great place for a sizeable chalkboard, with hooks beneath it, and place your "Many Welcomes" above that. Some lighting in the alcove could also add character to an otherwise dark pass through space. A recessed fixture above could wash the alcove with light and spotlight the art and fabrics, a colorful spot to draw the eye in the room of many doors. High traffic area where changing the rugs and fabrics can make seasonal displays, don't be afraid to have fun with it, and change it often.

Yes, the dark rugs are very distracting and jarring. Also, the one in front of the entry door is too large. A bold pattern type of bench cushion? Alternatively, since your bench looks as if it opens/closes making a cushion impractical, you could choose a more interesting rug. Maybe hooks on the side walls above the seat -- I can't imagine a seated entry area without convenient hooks. I know it's done, but I don't like or think it's practical to hang art in the area behind your head on a seat or bench. But I do like the idea of a mirror in there. And, the darker paint in the bench area makes it dark and dreary.

Hi, I love your sign. Unfortunately, the rugs must go and there's no reason to have one in the foyer by the bench. Put a pretty Irish green one at front door of course. Hang the beautiful sentiment right at entry of door. All the doors should be painted a dark gray (Sherwin Williams Black Fox). The honey oak wood and the light fixtures are dating your home. Also change the light fixtures. Amazing what changing fixtures will do to a space and they are not expensive, get them from Home Depot. Best of luck on your lovely home and updating the entry to really express A HUNDRED THOUSAND WELCOMES!

Something like this, if you keep the black. (You could also add a black wooden shelf under the photos.)

Or this to add color. (More than one pillow).

What about some board and batten whith white and blue (navy) cushions?

One more photo please? When a guest enters the space (rather than just a pizza delivery person standing at the door) where do their eyes go? What is to the left of the landing? I'm wondering if this nook is more of a supporting role rather than the star in welcoming your guests.

One more with more color for ideas. Also, hanging photos or a shelf in your nook would work just fine. They would be up much higher than your head would reach when seated.

I love the ideas of family or travel photos. You have a start. You can either mix all the frames, but you need more. We filled our mini vestibule on one side with family photos and on the other travel - and they were largely 4x6 snapshots, framed in thin black wood or thinner black plastic frames. Some were in slightly larger frames, allowing for a mat, and then in the center of the side where one would look before leaving was a square mirror. In fact, if you live nearby, you can have it since we've remodeled and have no vestibule and no place for the mirror. I live in the mid-Hudson Valley, New York. I'd ship it but it probably cost as much as the shipping. I think I got it at Marshall's or Home Place.

Also - you might want to lay out an area on the floor the size of the wall space and arrange everything there. And definitely include some pictures of Ireland.

I'd like to see a light in the alcove if possible, maybe a flush mount drum fixture.

Black rugs must go.Try something like these:

Here's a tighter photo grouping--looks more deliberate--and rugs and art in the outer foyer.

Please consider purchasing any art or art prints from one of your favorite local artists or a gallery that represents them, not a mass producing art print, sometimes and often an art theft conglomerate. I don't know anything about the place mentioned specifically. They could be legit. Artists appreciate being direct recipients of purchases.

Wow! There are so many great comments here! Please give me some time to respond to everyone!

I do intend to paint the walls and add some beautiful rugs and coordinating pillows. I don't really have a color scheme in the house yet...hubby and I are trying to commit to colors, which is why I kept the bench cushion a bit neutral. I absolutely love some of the picture collages, pillows and rugs that you have shown me!

Now that I have had some time to look at what I have so far, I think that the collage will have to be moved a bit. The lowest picture is actually where your head would be if an adult were sitting on the bench, so it might have to go up. And looking at the tighter grouping mentioned, it does look a lot better.

Also, I do have some ideas for the artwork going on the wall by the stairs. It seems I am having some commitment issues lol!

Depending on the color and color scheme you are going to be using I like the idea of just placing one beautiful painting in the main wall, and your husband's sign picture in the small wall where you will see it as soon as you open the front door. Definitely a seat cushion with throw pillows against the wall it will make a very cozy and welcoming front foyer.

@Rhoda, you are correct that Gallery Direct and Great Big Canvas (along with art.com, I might add) do "mass" produce giclees. Mass produce may be a bit of a misnomer since the art is printed to order, but rest assured, the artists get a significant cut of the take and do appreciate when you buy their pieces.

Think of it this way: most working artists will never get the big bucks of a Hockney or a Twombley for their originals, but they just might make a living if they can sell ten or so copies. So don't feel bad about buying from these places. They allow many artists to survive.

FWIW, Ann has purchased two pieces (one of them The Canary) from Great Big Canvas and says the quality is excellent and they were easy to work with.

At first glance the one door in the hall that is painted white and has a natural wood door jam/molding is in conflict with all the other doors in this section...I would simply paint the door jam/molding white (same as the wall color) and keep all the rest natural wood. Do the same around the front entry door jam/molding. This should remove the attention that is drawn to these two doors and that distracts causing unrest to the eye, as the natural wood is in conflict with the painted door and draws the eye around the door instead of into the room and flow down the hall. Making these meld into the wall color/all white doors should resolve the conflict/distraction.

I like what you have done with the bench and wall above it. Hope this helps and is easy on the budget! Enjoy making your home your own!

Thanks! Yes, the white door leads to the garage and is metal. I have been wondering how to deal with it. This sounds like a good idea! I know many people would like me to paint out all of the oak doors and trim, but the house is full of it, so that's not really an option right now. Maybe making the odd door out blend with the wall is the perfect answer!

Keeping only one rug just inside the door that is a color that will visually "disappear" could help.

Beware using too many small items on the walls as they could easily end up conveying the feel of clutter -- especially with all those doors.

Since you have one painted door among the interior wood doors. Consider securely affixing the word/sign/art to that painted door at about eye level -- perhaps after painting it a different color that could make your art visually "pop" -- and then create a square box/frame around it (preferably with the art centered and incorporating most of the width of the door) using wood trim boards that match the other doors and then add vertical board(s) below it -- visually put the treasured word/sign/art on a pedestal -- while creating a "higher" purpose to the different door rather than having it just be the "odd" one that stands out because it is different.

As long as the hardware on all the doors match, they will continue to look fine and will not clash with this art piece; however, if you could match the metal look of the art piece on all the door hardware, and if doing so is not a budget busting idea, you might consider that.

I also note that the steps seem to be a "half" flight of steps. Is there a wall -- enough space above the steps and just below the ceiling -- so that your word/sign/art would fit there, or so you could hang a board there to which the sign is affixed -- so your word/sign/art would be the first item seen when guests enter your home?

Looking at your comment above, I don't think your problem is the wall color. It is the honey oak. Very 80s, please consider painting or re-staining wood before painting walls.

Visual clutter is definitely an issue in the space: several doors, multiple wall planes, variable colors and materials on doors and trim, multiple small items on the wall. I would tear down small wall between bench and entry opening up the space to light and sight, hang a large, light and bright, painting flanked by two sconces above bench. Consider removing folding closet doors creating an alcove and placing a mirror with dresser beneath and a ceiling-to-floor armoire. The mirror will reflect the cheerful painting and double the space visually, also creating some symmetry to the space. The welcoming sign would hang on back wall above bench. Paint all doors visible from entry and all trim the same as wall to make them as little visible as possible. Also add a pretty hanging light above mirror in alcove. No rug needed there but could place a lighter one by front door.

Rinse it off ... :)

This might have your colors: