Your entryway might be a little bland, but it's far more up to date that your inspiration picture. While wallpaper has come a long way, it tends to work best in more private areas of the home like powder rooms and dens.

For your entry way find an entry table you love, get some art or a mirror for above it and swap out that boob light for something nicer. Then call it a day. it's not a large area so don't overwhelm it with objects. Less is more.

Carolina: My husband said the same thing lol he was so sad to hear I wanted to add wallpaper. I think I understand what you mean about the silver wallpaper you suggested. I tend to fear florals so maybe I can find something similar in a damask print? Am I completely off base?

Sina: Yes I was going to swap out that light first thing! Lol. Everything about me is "too much", I usually do need the reins pulled in, otherwise I'd be wearing blue eyeshadow & ball gowns everywhere...

Sina's right, what the space needs is distinctive artwork.

Can you change the front door? Maybe something in a stained wood?

doesn't matter if your house is smaller, you can still have a beautiful well decorated space, and if you like wallpaper you can have it, personally I love wallpaper

Yes! I can! That's a great idea. (Door)

the nice thing about buying under budget is that we have some wiggle room to make unnecessary changes.

i also wanted to recoat the floors something a little warmer & maybe a teeny bit darker. Is that nuts?

do you have hardwood all through? I think is a good idea to refinish the floors before moving, I would put hardwood in the dining room too

Dyliane: we do! That's a main reason we purchased. Looks like they were recently done but I would not have chosen that color.

also I agree about wallpaper I love it too : ) I just have a history of going overboard with everything and kind of ruining my projects lol. Trying to learn to scale back.

Sophie: I just finished the sopranos and kept saying "I LOVE that house!" I end up wading into gaudy territory every time I make big decisions ..

Learn to focus on glam rather than gaudy. No reason a small space can't be glam. Just add a bit of restraint and watch your scale.

I honestly don't see why you can't use the pearly wall paper that you like. It does not work in those pictures you posted, however it can really work in your home as long as you play up the glam factor. As you mentioned above, stain the floors a darker color. replace the fixture with something slightly glam though not too shiney. Add a mirrored accent table and some nice art above it.

I love some of the glam inspiration photos posted - there is no reason you can't go glam in a smaller setting if all the components work together.

The wallpaper in the photos you posted is the least objectionable aspect as IMHO everything fights each other - that mustard divan - the "Orientalish" rug - they all seem to have been picked at random.

Why don't you google Hollywood Regency as it's a glam look that pulls together very eclectic design elements and it's experiencing a new interest.

I love wallpaper but don't think it holds up as well to traffic in a small and narrow foyer so I would suggest artwork in the foyer and wallpaper in other spaces.

Looks like your home might be a Cape Cod. Do you have any plans to open the walls between the foyer and the dining area? Looks like the stair rail could be improved upon. What about a stunning runner up the stairs?

No metallic wallpaper in the foyer. Save it for a powder room. if you have one.

Bev: that room off to the left is actually a kitchen (dining room in back- it's a little odd). But in any event I think it could be opened up & would look a lot nicer. Thank you for this idea! Funny, I mentioned changing the railing & the realtor looked at me like I was nuts lol

Helen: I used to be very into Hollywood regency but then I kind of started to appreciate less showy aesthetics. I think I kind of went backwards with the wallpaper lol

Bev: ah! Perfect! This was so nice of you to do ! Will send photos when we start decorating

There is nothing like a perfect wallpaper to liven up an ordinary area.

Add some paneling, paint the inside of your door…inspiration photo from Thibaut wallpaper (which I always use.)

Notice the Moravian star light on ceiling. I would also replace the fan in the other room with a ceiling light.

Your foyer is narrow and dark. I would enlarge that doorway into the dining area to make it a large archway. Also, seconds on the suggestion to removing the ceiling fan and replace it with a hanging light fixture.

If you know you tend to go overboard you could save yourself a lot of $ by working with a designer and creating a cohesive plan for your house. Looking at your foyer I would want to spend my money on the basics not wallpaper. Your entry is tight. I would open it up with a glass door

and widen the entry into the dining room. I would not do an arch as that can look dated. I would also unify the area by putting hardwood in the dining room. If you were under like the floor stained before you move in is the time to do it. You can update your stairs by staining them to match your new floor color. Then change the lighting. Then think about an entry table and art.

That is an absolutely gorgeous space, and I love the incorporation of the rugs. With the right determination, you can pull of that space.

Are the risers of the staircase wood? They are often painted. That can be an interesting place for a sturdy wallpaper or tile if you do not put a runner on the stairs.

Congrats on the new home. Like the entry as is

That wallpaper and elaborate style only work well in a really large entry with the wide staircase.

That said, you could use the wallpaper you like on an accent wall in the entry or elsewhere.

Rather than overpowering your smaller entry, choose one wall as your accent wall -- as a place to express your personal tastes without adversely affecting the value of your new home by painting or otherwise covering the wood in your new entry in an effort to make it something it's not.

You could use wallpaper on the wall around the front door.

Alternately, you do have a short wall that you face across from the bottom of the stairs and another short wall (?w/door?) at a right angle to it -- that could be used as your accent wall(s).

Wouldn't put wallpaper on the stair risers -- too "busy" -- too distracting.

Go for it! You aspire to grand, opulent, deco, statement, and you purchased 'french county' - Add your splashes of wallpaper, add everything you love, it will be just for you. Do what you love, buy that special piece that just catches your eye, and suddenly once you get it home you will see how it all comes to fit together into a design that is uniquely all you! I would never hesitate to make my home my 'gypsy crib' .... it is what I aspire too, big and small! Inspire yourself, do what you love, your heart knows the way. Trust it. - Love your home! The fun begins! Much Love! ♥

Corinne, I agree with the others about that entryway not being especially appealing to me personally, but I *love* your sense of humor about yourself, and think you seem delightful!

I also agree with the stair risers idea; that could be really fun, and you could have your shiny glam paper there without it being overwhelming, especially if you leave the rest white with just some shiny accents like the image Beverly provided. Decoenthusiaste's images are also lovely, IMO. And you have those cool stepped walls to the right of the door (when you walk in); maybe, if your heart is set on paper, paper *one* of those "steps?" I'd do the second one. So when you walk in you see the stair risers, but have a plain wall to your right; then when you take a few steps in, boom, there's a section of shiny paper that matches the stair risers. It's not overwhelming but it's there, just as an accent to the cool shiny silvers, mirrors, and glass; opulent but not overwhelming. And if you decide you hate it eventually, it's easy to take paper off just one wall section. (Tip: mix liquid fabric softener and water in a spray bottle to soften the glue. It works and it's cheaper than the expensive glue-removal sprays they sell. Plus it smells lovely!)

Best of luck to you! Remember, it's your home, and it should be what you want. You seem like such a charming person, and I bet your home will be, too!

I believe that the overall style of the home tends to speak to how the interior is best designed. Can you post pictures of your exterior and living areas? I would focus on buying a new front door that complements your exterior, refinish the floors, and then simply live in your home for a while before launching into a lot of projects. I suppose you many need to refinish the wood of the staircase if you stain the floors darker. In any case, you have plenty of time, no need to rush things, enjoy the design/execution process-its just so fun!

Instead of wallpaper you could use pearlescent metallic paint for a more subtle and durable effect

Btw I firmly believe that if something really appeals to you, you should incorporate it in your home. Chances are you will like it more than what's "correct"

If you use a very subtle (non floral, since you don't like it) pearlized wallpaper, I think it could brighten your foyer and reflect your style in an understated, not gaudy way. Adding a mirror similar to ones tqttqtbw suggested would give it a glam look without being too over the top.

I love the wallpaper! The most memorable (and beautiful) home show house I ever toured had sage green/darker green bamboo wallpaper with gold accents. It was beautiful! The living room had sage green painted walls and it was just a lovely space! :)