"matching is for amateurs". i think it would be good to decide modern or traditional tho.

The first thing I would do is remove the series of rugs and leave the floor bare if you can or one large one half way down that compliments one at door. If you don't already have one, a large chandelier in the foyer area. I would remove the small nic nack type items: shelf on the left, small round table on the right, small picture between the doorways, basket - consider larger pieces for more impact - scale is important in the size of this room. Where the settee is on the left, I would add a console table there with a large mirror or art above and a chair on either side (pic #1). You could add a light, which will give you soft low lighting when entertaining. Looks like you have 2 pieces of art on right that match the 3rd on opposite wall; if you have room, I would hang them together on right or closer to front door. I would then look for a larger settee and place by the door with large art above (or your set of 3 prints), as it's a handy location for people to be able to sit down to put on their shoes.

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Go wider with the rugs. sisal or jute could work as well as different Oriental or Persians. I like the chairs & 3 things hanging above them in the foreground. I do like the shelf on the wall that someone else told you to remove. Those are great for hallways. I could see a narrow console table on a wall that will fit it, with a lamp on it & painting above it. I would remove the other sets of seating items. Hallways make ideal gallery walls for paintings, prints, mirrors & other wall hangings too.

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Hi, some different concepts below for your hallway design. Hope this was helpful. Good Luck! Y

Top - art wall that's formal

Middle - art wall that's casual with a console for extra decor

Bottom - adding ceiling lights like pendants, too add a bit drama when you see them in a row. Also the area rugs could be smaller showing a bit more wood, giving a nice balance of textures.

Well, first of all I would like to mention that Maureen is always correct in her assessments. That said, I would want to ask what have you specifically purchased for your foyer? Are there items you have pulled from other areas and for those items you have purchased, are you within the time frame of being allowed to return any of those items? You never want to go from a very large rug (entrance) down to too narrow rugs for a long hallway, so I am in the hopes the smaller rugs can be returned? Maureen's idea of bringing the settee closer to the front door makes sense. I'm also thinking perhaps a mirror over the settee would serve well to "check" yourself before you open the door? I like the idea of an art gallery, assuming you love everything you have placed in your foyer. If there is anything you don't love, I would take it down as an exercise in editing the space. You will always find room for pieces you don't love for that space. I agree with Maureen the small piece of art (on left as you come in) and the shelf need to be removed. If you are a minimalist then these two pieces in particular just become more stuff and visual noise. Before I make any solid suggestions, I would like to know the answers to my earlier questions. BTW, I love your foyer, the floors and lighting. You have a wonderful space with which to work.

@Karen - thanks so much for referencing my assessments; oftentimes I think I'm quite off, but I do enjoy trying!

Maureen, you always give great advice and I feel that needs to be pointed out to someone who may not know you and your skills. :)

Thanks all!! I'm renting here in Germany (arrived in June) and wish to show my international guests a little American style...Many have been amazed by the "American" sofa:-) (which I prefer the European-style sofa), lamps, etc. so these are all really great ideas and things I can work with.

@ Karen, to answer your question, there is nothing in the space that I absolutely love. It's mostly filled with items from other rooms (as I could no longer stand the echo from its emptiness), until I begin my travels and collecting :-). Its a must to have a place for those entering our home to sit and remove shoes so I have a bench and shoe-shelf at other end of hallway(not seen in photo)but I can put slippers there and remove the small basket or I may even move this to the area just outside the door to the flat. The hallway is off 3-other rooms (dining, pool-table/bar and den) that are connected/open to each other thanks to pocket doors...so I will place larger rugs at those openings onto the hallway, and remove the runners. The larger rug is an outdoor that was laid/w runners to protect floors as movers entered Space.So nothing with long-term intent there...except the street signs, over the doors, recently acquired from London...this helps me and others direct guests to rooms using the name rather than "4th door to the right," for example.There are 10 doors off hallway.

I will be traveling in coming months and plan to pick up a few wider rugs (@SandraD) (non-matchie @nnigrt) and will be on the look out for sideboy, console next week at flea markets in Belgium. If I don't find what I am looking for I have a carpenter on tap to make me a table like the one in the photo @Maureen posted, but with a shelf(I can store extra dishes, linens, etc. for easy access during receptions/training) and 2 small shelfs on either side that can be pulled and then tucked away when not in use.

The Marble shelf in the hallway is permanent. I currently have a memo board propped up there for courses, events in area, business cards etc., I love the shelf as it's great for guests to set plates, glasses during events, and I sometimes remove the board when guests are here. I wanted to hang something above the shelf but thought it would interfere with glasses (the shelf is narrow) so decided against it. Though I have placed a small footed mirror there once...guest used to quickly check teeth, hair, sort of discreetly while interacting.

@studioyyang- I will certainly incorporate the gallery idea, using photos from our travels, seminars, and local treasures from the area. I like the idea of the same sized frames...more polished (I teach etiquette/protocol courses, so it's important) but then again, the photo shop underneath me can print photos on canvas and maybe the collage of various sizes may work as well.

Thank you to all of you for thoughtful, creative suggestions!

You have a wonderful place to start a huge art gallery takes up no room for people to trip over, and that huge beautiful hallway would be like your private museum! Yummy!