Dear Rebecca, I love your comment! I think you're right, and I don't want people to arrive and be greeted with a big mess. My kids range from 5 to 13yo. I do have a laundry room that I can try to fit their stuff in, but how about guests? we are used to take our shoes off because we also have light carpet upstairs. I can ask my kids to put theirs in the laundry room, but where I live is so dusty that everybody take their shoes off (I don't even have to ask) and then I have guests' shoes everywhere...
Do you think a small shoe bench would work in that space? or will it look bad/weird?

A shoe bench wouldn't look BAD, but I wouldn't recommend it because inevitably your family will max it out asap. Guests can line up their shoes by the door and I don't think that's a bad thing. I once kept a little basket for people to take off their shoes, which is an option. I also had slippers in there for guests to wear if they forgot socks (which made it impossible for my family to pile things inside).

I think your best bet is a console table (something that looks fragile makes people interpret it as a "non-dump zone") with artwork and a lamp (I think I see an outlet?) or vase or some accessory. Maybe you can do the slipper basket thing underneath.

They key will be to get your 13 year old and husband to set the example for the younger kids. The younger ones always want to act older and will likely follow suit. Depending on the size, I think the laundry room is a perfect place for family storage, but you don't want it to get overwhelmed to the point that it's hard to get to the washer/dryer. No one wants household chores to get harder, amiright? lol

I should clarify - a bench would look fine. But I would stray away from the bench that has the baskets below it. Those are the ones that you will inevitably max out. But if it's a nice looking upholstered bench with open space below, I think that's fine. You offer space for your guests to sit while taking off their shoes and they can put their shoes below while visiting.

But make sure your family doesn't start doing the same, or it becomes the collective family shoe pile and no one can find the matching pair!

Do you mean something like this?? With a basket underneath? I just improvised with things I had around...lol

Is it okay to be behind the door when it's opened?

I think the suggestion of a round table for your space was perfect. Center it under the chandelier.

Or maybe use this other wall for the console table and just the basket next to the door...
(I need to lower the painting and then get a bigger table I think...)

Agree totally with Rebecca - if you so much as slightly imply that it's okay to dump crap in the entry hall, then ALL the crap will get dumped in the entry hall. Having the family unlearn that behavior later if you later decide you don't want the entry hall to be a dump zone will be difficult.

My parents have a lovely traditional house with a formal entry hall. My dad liked it to be pristine. "WHOSE SHOES ARE THESE??" was pretty much his catchphrase. So yeah, even with clear rules about not dumping our crap there and not providing any seating or surfaces on which to place things, we still managed to leave stuff there on occasion.

I'm with my dad with this one, despite getting yelled at about shoes from time to time (they were always my sisters' shoes anyway). It's very nice to have the first impression of your home be clean and serene, without cast-off backpacks and shoes and other stuff cluttering it up.

I do think the door will damage the table if it's kept at the location of the second-to-last photo.

I like the last picture the best. And I agree, larger table and lower artwork. And you could still do a basket by the door if you want for shoes. Or the shoes can go under the console table. Whatever works best for you. The goal is to create sustainable habits that keep the space as clean as possible!

thank you so much Rebecca!! I really appreciate your insights!!