The bench would look much neater in the space where your husbands slippers are. This way you remove a tripping hazard on the stairs, plus give the shoes a new home. Just have people remove their shoes while still on the wood floor not the carpet.

Thanks for the bench suggestion, not sure it is right, but may be on the right path. It rains and is chilly in the Pacific Northwest pretty much daily from October through May. Where would my tall rain boots and winter boots go that would be way too tall for that shoe bench go (not that I have multiple pairs of each, but that's 2 pairs of frequently worn boots that wouldn't fit on that bench and would need a home)? Also, what about the moisture from the bottoms of shoes? Even wiped on a doormat, they still have moisture and dirt. Seems the bottoms would not dry well in an enclosed space and could ruin a laminate finish quickly?

Have lived here over a year and sleep upstairs (having to come downstairs in the dark to go to the bathroom or if one of us wakes up before the other) and have never had any navigation issues with the shoe rack where it is, but while it is functional it is admittedly not terribly attractive. My husband only owns 3 pairs of shoes and I own 9, so it's not like we have tons and tons of shoes, but a storage solution for shoes seems like it should fit his shoes and 6 of mine, depending on season. The other side of the entry is even more cramped, so I wouldn't see having a big shoe rack next to the bookshelf and storing tall boots across from it as a viable option either, nor would moving the dehumidifier which faces the door next to the front door:

Can't you keep shoes in your bedroom?

Anything on that first step will look out of place and crowded, ur better off using the suggestion like Darzy has given. This is sort of like my entrance but without the steps or any place to put a piece of furniture nearby. makes u wonder what the heck these builders are thinking when designing a house! Lol. :)

I don't know the measurement of the space but yes I think that something like this even if not the same could solve your dilemma , remove the coat rack that you have there , the shoes if not used everyday can be stored inside the bench and the slippers under it ,probably you could fit a boot tray under it too in case some shoes are wet and need to dry before been put away .

Thank Genevieve. The landing isn't my issue though, it is the empty space by the bookshelf I'm struggling to figure out what to put there. The landing is functional, tidy even if it's not super pretty and IMO not worth a bigger investment. I might keep my eyes open for a nicer shoe rack that would hide the shoes a bit better, but still small like what we have. One of those all in one coat rack units (which I have seen before) would be way taller than the stairs in that blank space, which to me would be very visually irritating.

I don't really want to move the stuff on the landing over there if it will create new issues with shoe storage which do not currently exist. That shoes rack may be a bit basic, but it holds all our shoes in a fairly neat and orderly fashion without needing to dry in a tray, be stored in other rooms shoes don't belong etc... Honestly, I was thinking something like a plant or something along those lines for that space. We don't use a seat to put on shoes, but maybe even just a regular bench of the non-storage variety there just to fill that space? I don't like having dysfunctional or unneeded storage units and have largely avoided storage furniture despite always living in small spaces. If it won't work exactly how I need for what I need to store, then it won't get used for it's intended purpose and invites holding onto junk that is true clutter.

Hang some interesting framed art there. It's okay if it's too low in this case. If you want, put an artificial plant (gasp) to the right of the bookcase too.

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Your space has no "interest". It's functional only. Adding fun art, or wallpaper...will give the entry some interest and style. You could wallpaper that one wall only....

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Not sure about that much art, but that is definitely on the right track! I already have a nice framed... [Smith] Family Est. 20** sign there. The ceiling is about 15' in that area (yes, VERY high ceilings), so I'm not sure we could wallpaper.

What about moving the bookshelf to the other side of the hallway? It would be beside the utility closet door, leaving the wall under the stairs totally blank? But it would also be half on carpet, half on hard floor which seems it could be a design no-no?

an umbrella stand

I like the balance of the dresser picture, maybe a bit more eclectic than traditional. Maybe a second tall apothecary jar instead of lamps? Should I maybe move the bookshelf to the opposite blank wall and have nothing under the stairs but maybe some kind of art? But what shape of art for such an odd angled wall?

We took a look at some things we've been holding off throwing out yesterday. We have some large, slender pieces of white laminate from some old flat pack furniture we've been 50/50 on tossing or keeping for some kind of project. My husband thinks he could cut up and use the pieces with some creative use of trim to make a little custom-fit bench/cabinet to hide the shoe rack under the coats very similar to that very nice picture of the rather expensive looking one.

If your hubby is like mine there will be a LOT of resistance to any change of where his slippers are parked. I would place a nice bench with ample room for slippers underneath. Nice for sitting on when putting on footwear.

if your husband loves this project then what about this on a smaller scale to fit your space

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If you have a utility closet there, make a space in it for the shoes!!!

Something very simple like this?

A plant. My generation would put a plant there to soften that corner.

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I have been taking small wooden boxes and tiling them with stone or ceramic tiles to match the area. Then I can set a plant on the tiled box so that it is not sitting on the floor. Or you can use a little plaster pedestal. If the area is absolutely terrible for plants, then a floor vase with peacock feathers or boughs of seasonal flora (pussy willows, flowering branches, fall leaves, evergreens) or fake versions of those.

My husband is going to help me get the bench built this weekend. I have been making some changes to this area to make it a little less "utilitarian" and a bit more inviting. I rearranged the bookshelf following some styling tips and put a "welcome" sign above the coat rack. I plan to get this rug for in front of the door and put a boot tray to the side of the bookshelf:

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You can definitely go with one of Ikea's shoe cabinets! I have that one in my entryway and it's amazing. It's slim and fits so many things! Check it out.