Looks to me like you have a great canvas to work with. Congratulations!

there are so many ways to showcase your own personal style.

the entry is the introduction to your home, your chance to show who you are. Put together a mood board of images you can see yourself living in and see what you come up with.

What is your idea of ”fresh traditional” ?

Forget the shiplap. That ship has sailed.

Thank you, Lyn. Love that colorful rug! Good ideas!

Have you considered art, photos, plants?

Before AI gets into this dilemma go search for entry designs for yourself . Art IMO is always the first step since I collect original art and do not think what I love has to "go with " anything else .Fresh traditional ???? I do agree your entry is an introduction to the rest of your home .

Start buying art and artifacts you love. It takes time to have a collection.

You can start with inexpensive, but larger, tapestries from Anthropologie and replace as you find/buy finer pieces of art.

https://www.anthropologie.com/wall-art?itemType=Tapestries

Look for art in antique stores, local art galleries, art school shows, seasonal art shows, and when traveling.

Buy what "speaks to you" and it will work in every house you own and will never be "dated".

For most of us it takes years/decades to have collections like these ... but it starts with one piece.

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If you mean/like modern traditional, the article below might help.

https://www.scoutandnimble.com/blog/design-style-feature-elements-of-modern-traditional-interior-design/?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=organic&epik=dj0yJnU9QjZZakNaNHBneUZZMHlWcjJmdVhLQWY4UWVBXzhDb3AmcD0wJm49VGVCdGI4a2lPdTdTSFA1Y3VHUzVWUSZ0PUFBQUFBR28zOTg0

Suggest looking on line (Pinterest, Instagram, etc) for MT hall combos to define a jumping off point. If you want a wall treatment, molding would be a nice addition and a rug, lighting, and art choices will have a big impact.

Wallpaper in the open downstairs stairwell would be nice. Be sure it works style and color wise with the entrance and your living room (looks like it‘s adjacent).

What do you want to see when you walk into your home.

Consider - crown moulding, wall paneling, a bench with oversized artwork above it, board and batten, etc - architectural details.

Maybe a cascading chandelier going downstairs.

If you want fresh traditional, then I think wallpaper is the way to go. It will warm up your white spaces and add color to the monochromatic look currently there. You could add wainscoting on the lower part of the walls, and wallpaper on the uppers. You could also paint the trim in an actual color instead of white.

Oh, and "fresh traditional" I take to mean updated, not your 1980s/1990s dour traditional. Meaning "traditional with a twist." The decorator James Farmer does this so very well!

https://www.jamesfarmer.com/pages/portfolio

Still way too traditional for me but if that is the look Nikki likes then wallpaper will certainly be a good choice .

Wainscotting would certainly add to the entryway. Instead of committing to wallpaper, you could add color with more depth. I would place a large mirror over the entry table and place the pics on the opposite wall. A vase with greenery and a couple of more smaller objects on the table will add interest. A colorful entry rug picking up color from the paint or wall paper, whichever you choose to go with. Look up entryways on Houzz for great ideas

Here's a concept with paint and bronze wallpaper for the inset ceiling.

Exact colors TBD.

Source: Schafer & Company https://share.google/BL83ELKn5rskEYGY5

For a fresh traditional look, a classic grasscloth or a subtle botanical wallpaper on that long right wall would look incredible. It adds instant texture and warmth to a long hallway without making it feel cluttered or closed in

You have a lot of bare walls that are just begging for artwork. Adding art plus a rug and accessories should go a long way toward warming your home up and giving it character.

@tracefloyd - it looks like we had a similar idea for the tray ceiling. I started doing a visual the other day and used a matte gold paint color on tray. And a sort of wallpaper effect on the walls with paint and a stencil.

This is very sloppy and incomplete, as you can see.

I didn’t spend much time on it, and wasn't planning to post it- until I just saw your wallpaper tray with similar color.

I have no idea what OP means by ”fresh traditional”. So anything is just a guess.

A wallpaper effect can be created with any paint color(s) and stencil; and art can also possibly be hung over this wall treatment.

Etsy.com has many, many stencil options. I would imagine The Amazon does, too.

I just saw this one on Etsy on a quick search. I love peacocks- so I saved it. This seller ships from UK. All of the images shown below were done using the same stencil; so you can get a sense of the creative possibilities.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1141767080/chinoiserie-wall-stencil-botanical?ref=elp_anchor_listing&sts=1&variation0=2400910312

The sky is really the limit as far as creative possibilities. Plus, it’s a way to get a wallpaper type look, without getting a marriage license.

Other than that, if you do want a wallpaper in the entry- just papering the tray, as @tracefloyd shows, is a nice approach. And you can hang some art on the walls. Etsy.com is a good resource- for all types of art.

papering the tray will look outstanding

or even painting it complimentary color to new paint color on walls but deeper tone. yes! so many possibilities!

No ship lap, as that is an exterior siding, usually on a boat (hence the name) because the rabbetts keep water out of siding.

I would leave the walls white. Choosing your main color in your furniture and draperies, you could paint the tray ceiling and the door the same color. Add a rug. Inspiration photo:

Carry on with the scheme for the power room using wallpaper.

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Moving into the living room, keep white and your choice of color, and add accents.