Do you need a rug? We just have a small one for people to wipe feet on but otherwise left it open and most of our friends now I think about it have the same or not even the small one inside the door.

Huh, had never considered going without a rug - maybe I should! Thanks

KJ - we put a small one next to the door/bench area to put shoes on when it is winter/rainy season here but it goes away 75% of the year. I can't imaging going back, wood is way easier to keep clean than my rug there ever was!!

I agree that going without a rug is probably your best move. You can follow your heart for what to put on the wall -- one always should, anyway. If you feel lost, I suggest you look at clean, modern abstracts for a start, in colours you love. I'm not directly recommending this painting, because it's sold, but it's a good page to look at, anyway. I can just imagine something like this above that console. In terms of wider decoration, you could then use the colours in the painting by carrying them through to adjoining rooms. There are so many ways to do that.

https://www.1stdibs.com/art/paintings/abstract-paintings/melissa-payne-baker-room-to-grow-mixed-media-on-canvas-abstract-painting/id-a_2587083/