The chest is too large for the wall. Consider a demilune or narrow table and mirror.

-beautiful space

-you'll have a very hard time finding a bench..then it'd be too narrow to use it comfortably, and shoes will add clutter which kinda defeats the purpose..I see two doors, next to the entry one-is one of them for a coat closet? if yes-any possibility to store shoes there, on these three tiered shelves or the likes of them?

-I love the cabinet..seems a bit too deep for the space..if you're set on incorporating it there rather than in the other room though-I can think of two types of mirror..a pagoda one that will echo both the cabinet and the pattern of your stairs runner a bit..these are usually tall, rectangular, and can come in gold or different colors like black, blue, orange etc. Usually not cheap. If they are the finish won't be amazing lets say(ask me how I know). Here are examples..I'd go with simpler rather than elaborate shape..but since you've just started working on the house-hard to say, I might be wrong. see whether they speak to you at all

https://www.google.com/search?q=pagoda+mirror&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVt4rZjqbVAhXllVQKHUIEDL0QsxgIKQ&biw=1366&bih=638

Another mirror type that come to mind-bone inlay one..These, can be round, rectangular, etc..I'd love gray for your space, because of the wall color? but they come in very different combos. Also, not the cheapest mirror out there..I really love them though.

Some examples of bone inlay mirrors: https://www.google.com/search?q=bone+inlay+mirror&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitgqTmj6bVAhVlhlQKHfJxBZMQsxgIKQ&biw=1366&bih=638

obviously these are just thoughts, not suggestions yet..you gotta like them first as a concept..then choose. There are many out there, Google search is a limited tool.

You can put a mirror like that, echoing your husbands' furniture, regardless whether you have this cabinet there or something else..entries usually inform us..give us immediate feel of the overall mood of the house.

I like your plan of looking for a different entry rug, worthy of your beautiful flooring. I agree also you don't really need a runner in that hallway(correct me if I'm wrong)

Do you need help with a rug suggestions?

It is a pity you don't have something like a landing strip or what they call it, next to your door..that's a very common issue though. I'd just work around it somehow..find something small and pretty like a tray, for keys etc, to put on that shelf..maybe add a little plant..would organize the coat closet to hold everyday most used shoes, maybe backpacks? jackets obviously. better to organize very well one space, then to see how to tackle the problem further if still exists.

What do you store in the cabinet? I know my hallway thing looks deceivingly small yet holds incredible amount of useful stuff..

You are so sweet. And of course you would want to incorporate what is precious to your husband into the home you share. You will have an interesting home that tells a story about another culture and isn't just "decorated". It has meaning.

What do yo consider to be YOUR style preference? There will be a way to blend them.

Asian pieces are a staple of great interiors :-) Seriously, that chest will look very smart once it has some pretty ceramics sitting atop it.

These are sang-de-boeuf pieces from one of my favorite ceramicists, Frances Palmer. I think something like them would look quite handsome on that chest. But really, I am a sucker for all things Asian, from the pieces with a light delicate touch, to the earth ceramics that have been repaired with a streak of gold.

Oh and here is one more of Palmer's pieces. She makes porcelain as well as pottery. The porcelain she makes is a modern riff on Chinese blue export.

And here is a piece with a more Japanese feel.

Delft pieces would like nice as well ...

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. Before I went to bed last night, I realized rather than scratching my head to design around the Asian cabinet, I needed to take the problem OUT of the equation - and will be putting it elsewhere in the house. Therefore, Beverly and april - agreed, its too big for the space and beverly appreciate the suggestions that def is more MY taste. also april - i saw the bamboo pagoda mirrors before and fell in love with it - so def that is something im taking a much closer look at. and yes, def need help with rug suggestions. re the cabinet - i store basically crap in there for now, haha. nothing in particular. We do store shoes in the closet but its a matter of always putting the shoes INSIDE rather than keeping it outside. Our garage entrance is in the basement so we dont use the mudroom as much.

We didnt have a runner in the hallway before until recently - again, my husbands old runner that he got back from his relatives - and so its being placed there now - but totally doesnt match my sense of style.

My style is much more modern, chic, simple yet elegant, bright colors, but i dont want the whole house to be something out of a magazine with grays and blues so i need pops of color. His taste is a bit more old fashion, reds/burgundy color, antiques but hes been really great listening and being open minded to suggestions. And def trying my best to furnish the house with existing pieces and working with what we have.

modern plus antiques-usually great potential..i can foresee a very cool house..yes, choke full of ceramics..and mirrors..and other really wonderful things. that strangely all work together just fine, even finer than fine lol. will take some time, but will be very satisfying a process

but before I start rambling..do you have other chest, narrower chest or console, that can be repurposed and put where the cabinet currently is?

a console like Beverly suggested will look cool, airy and work with other furnishings..it won't have storage though..so it's a trade off..with you deciding whether to go for one or find something in-between

..now rug-should be durable, washable, etc? how about inside-outside rugs?

(I even have two of these. I don't want to cover the floors since I enjoy them too much. lol. One I probably got somewhere like Gilt or OneKingsLane, the selection is huge there but they change it..flash sales. Another one-which I really like even though it's rolled in the closet:) is from Ballard Designs..and last night I checked them out for you and saw a couple that might work..?

Dash and Albert carry inside outside rugs too.

I don't post any spaceific suggestions yet, because it's my guess inside outside rug would work..and you might want something else

..back to console-do you know these tables, with legs turned a bit inward? help me whoever remembers a proper name. these can be different purpose thus height and width(coffe, console you name it)....often come in color..work with many styles..

not to complicate things even more, but im thinking of turning the small coat closet (further from the front door, next to the empty wall) into a mini-mudroom. We have a larger coat closet on the leftside of the hallway.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1RNRA_enUS661US661&biw=1920&bih=1110&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=transforming+a+coat+closet+into+mudroom&oq=transforming+a+coat+closet+into+mudroom&gs_l=psy-ab.3...3403.6233.0.6913.22.17.4.0.0.0.143.1335.12j5.17.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..5.1.54...0i7i30k1.1KOkyO6VIyQ

i suggested this to my hubs - lets see what he says, but i think its so practical. will have to measure out the smaller coat closet but its not much - just has a rod, shelf at the top and thats it. it could so much cooler opening it up with no doors, putting a nice color paint in the back, hanging hooks for kids coats and bookbags and most importantly - creating a sitting bench. plus a place to store kids shoes at the bottom. thoughts?? maybe im just getting overly excited about this idea. and we do have a larger coat closet that we will use, plus we have a real mudroom (located in the basement).

april - thanks for complimenting me on my floors. youre right i should really leave it and get a smaller rug so it doesnt hide my floors. i need a practical rug so indoor/outdoor sounds good to me!

console - im not too worried about the storage. i also thought that if it had space at the bottom, then perhaps i could put a x bench as part of the decor.

What about something like this http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40241451/

or this

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70245872/

for the bench? I'd be inclined to put it along the wall to the left of the door. As for a replacement for the (beautiful) Asian cabinet, if we continue the Ikea theme I've always thought this http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20169559/

and this

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20267606/

were very cool ideas for storing shoes in the entryway while also filling the narrow cabinet need.

converting a closet is a cool idea

i'd be tempted to have a door on the closet though..not a real door..maybe a curtain so you can draw it when needed..? open-shut?

I think boils down to your type

generally i find there are two types of people(well there are much more but in terms of storing things)-the out-in-the open people, and the-put-everything-in the-drawer people..I'm definitely the second type

fitting the closet so it's more tailored to your daily needs though is a very sensible thing..like, that what they exist for, right? closets

how to organize it exactly and how open to make it-will depend on what you find more easy useful and aesthetically pleasing for yourself and family

(my DH and DD are out-in-the open people..totally different approach let me tell you. Whatever they find helpful and even relaxing drives me crazy.

So..who wants a crazy lady of the house? No one does. So the house is tailored to my needs lol. In terms of storage and organization. Except for the garage..where I quietly suffer each time when I need to be there..)

Yours should be tailored to yours, and your family's.