I don't know about these...it seems that they would both block the path to the kitchen. I think that wall-mounted items would be better in this case!

I think that chair looks a bit wide and bulky for this space, but the idea is definitely a good one. Also, a little shelf [landing strip, or some other use], artwork, bulletin board with reminders, or a wall-hung coat rack would work in the space.

I hate it when traffic patterns are disrupted. Only wal lhung and pretty flat things should be used here. For coats, a few cool hooks might work, as long as the coats aren't too bulky when hung. Art that hangs filling the space is also good. Maybe a slender vase of something in the stairs corner, but not anything that spreads out...

Any person with the slightest background in design would utilize the wall, not floor, space in this area. What about open book shelves for cookbooks, carefully color-coordinated to fuse one room's pallette with the next.. or a wall-mounted wine display to hold bottles to be enjoyed in both the kitchen and living room.. Or a floorlength mirror?

That corner doesn't need anything - maybe a mirror and a plant - and that's coming from a confirmed Maximalist.

I think it was Chanel who said one secret to being well dressed was to remove one decorative item (bracelet, scarf, etc.) after you think you're done dressing. Same here.
The mirror and light (as shown in the original article in The Oregonian) are the most appropriate choice among those presented.
However, this is Portland, how about an umbrella stand tucked next to those stairs?

I don't know why but I personally really love using this kind of space. It stimulates the imagination I guess, but I think they could have been a bit more creative with their ideas.
The doorway looks wide enough to let some floor space to be used, I'm not bothered by the coat roack or chair actually.

Why is this so mysterious? Slap a decent picture up proportional to the space, done. I can't tell completely, but it seems as if chairs and other stuff on the ground would partially block traffic flow. The only one of these that appears to work is the mirror/table combo (the scarves look nice, but the coat rack has legs that appear to protrude just a bit too much).

What about an indoor plant?

what about a wall sticker?

like these:

http://www.nest-living.com/pages/ferm-living

This would be a great spot to display a small collection, especially if proper spotlighting were installed. Some ideas: Vintage cooking collectibles (hand egg-beaters, flour-sifters, copper molds, etc.; a set of similarly-framed souvenirs from a hobby or travel (small pottery pieces, vintage tools...) It seems to me this would be especially well suited for a collection of objects that are three-dimensional rather than two-dimensional ones, because of the changing angle the viewer has as he or she climbs or descends the stairs. Could be stunning.

Shelves-for-cats-to-climb would be really cool.......it would be like a living sculpture.

And they could try to kill you as you walk by.

I vote for something on the wall, nothing on the floor. It's a doorway, stuff blocking a doorway is annoying.

Yeah wall mounted only please. Preferably a wall mounted homicidal cat.

I agree that there are plenty of wallmounted options, yet every single example in the article uses something that's on the floor and blocks that doorway. Bizarre...

I don't think the chair nor the coat rack would actually block the door. Using my very basic knowledge of perspective, I drew out the lines at the bottom and side of the door, and I think it's not actually a door - it's more like an archway or something. I would guess maybe 4-5 feet wide? So the little bit next to the stairs really isn't part of the traffic flow, it is just a 'dead zone.'

Looks like the path into the kitchen, which means it probably gets a lot of traffic. I'm not a fan of putting anything on the floor and am in the "address the wall" camp. If someone HAD to put a table there, I'd go with a demilune shape to cut the risk of hitting a sharp corner.

Found art sculpture: a selection of flat stones, in varying diameters, piled one on top of the other

Framed art: lean two pictures against the wall, slightly overlapping, one black & white and one in vivid color

Both "solutions" would only block the traffic flow.

The only things that might work would be a slender floor lamp, maybe a couple small floor cushions, a slender magazine rack, etc.

I think artwork on the wall would be enough so it's not over done.

Aside from whether the coat rack belongs there, I think it's a gorgeous coat rack. Does anyone know where I can get one like it? Thanks!