Off the top of my head,

I'd say paint the doors and the handrail spindles something fun, then get one of those cool tree wall decals (I forgot who has them, anyone?) for the left wall - assuming that's the one you see from the living room, or paint a silhouette of a tree.

Over the stairs, I'm liking the more modern "stair gallery" idea of blowing up a couple of personal photos to poster size.

I would pick something that took advantage of the height.

We had a similar problem/opportunity with a stairwell in our apartment that created a space 20 ft high. We're into mid century Scandinavian decor and hung a floor to ceiling vertical piece of Marimekko fabric on one wall of the stairwell (about 7 yards total). The result was quite satisfying. It may also be a good space for a large mobile suspended from the ceiling.

60s...Paint the tall wall to the right of the door a strong color:
tangerine, carribbean blue, chrome yellow, whatever works for you...but BOLD!. Then, hang a large abstract painting or even a framed retro print on it...It needs to be BIG...Keep everthing else white, clean & spare.

My guess is that whatever you actually do, it should relate nicely to how your living room and other adjacent rooms are decorated. It looks like a nice entryway to me and if you have spare, minimalist decor in ajoining rooms then you may want to leave the room as is (well, maybe get rid of the cardboard box).

I think the existing light fixture is fine, but if you really wanted to add impact to the space, then I would suggest that you pick a different hanging fixture rather than paint a wall. There are many amazing choices out there depending on your style. Since I don't know how the rooms are decorated, I can't recommend any particular ones, but I would suggest something dramatic or interesting that sets the stage for the next rooms. I would also suggest that you pay attention to how natural light illuminates the space and then pick a fixture that complements or enhances the lighting of the room during the night. The fixture that is there looks to cast a light directly down on the floor which may mean that the scope of the space could be lost during the night hours.

Painting a wall is always an option.

You can also hang pictures or artwork or if the style permits hang a quilt or a rug (e.g. a brightly patterened kilim).

We had the EXACT same issue in our old place.
We painted the walls a light gray, and installed a hanging lamp that created interesting shadows and light on the walls around it. That way it didn't clash with the decor of either room it simply created patterns on the walls.

I agree that your options depend on what the adjoining rooms look like. But a wall of bright paint, and large art, seem like good ideas. Or leave the walls white but hang one or more large paintings on one wall. I also don't think the key rack and plant help the look as they are both too small for the space. You need tall and dramatic given the height of the entry. And I don't think the light is dramatic enough for that space; plus it is too dark.

It would be much more of a project, and might not work depending on variables, but your entry might benefit from replacing the glass with clear glass (or with glass sandblasted with a pattern that lets in more light but maintains privacy), replacing the door with a glass door, replacing the tile with wood to match your stairs (and your other rooms it seems), and perhaps building in a niche in the wall next to the closet door (think built in bookcase for bright objects, keys, etc.).

A lot of potential, but a lot of work. And make sure it flows with your other rooms.

My first thoughts were along the same lines as KWorld. Here's exactly what I'd do (I don't have any background in design so I could be WAY off from other readers). In these entryways the first place your eyes want to go is down because that's where all the action is and you forget how much space is up higher because you never look there. I'd use the light fixture and some large artwork high up on the walls to draw the eyes up, and add a long, slim vertical accent like a coat stand. Since you describe it as a "60's modern" home I'm going to assume you want to decorate it in that style, meaning keeping the glass. I'd go with a clear colored glass globe light fixture to mimic the texture of the glass behind, hide the wall-hanging landing strip by moving those items to a slim, minimalist occasional table at the top or bottom of the stairs, get a taller, leafier plant, hang a large piece of artwork on the wall to the left of the front door (people going up and down the stairs don't have to crane their necks to see it.) and paint the right wall (only) a bright color that coordinates with the other rooms in the house, the globe and the artwork in some way (either matching, chromatic, or complimentary - love sascha1's color suggestions).

What a fun space to play with!!

If you have the budget for it, go for a wallpaper with a little bit of sheen on the wall to the right, and the wall facing your entry door (on your stair landing). It would look great with all of the light from those textured windows. If you go for a solid color and paint the wall, you may not be satisfied with the results- the shadows from the windows can do really strange things to the color.

Plus, if you go for a wallpaper with several colors, it gives you the opportunity to introduce the color scheme for the rest of your house. It would be really dramatic, but not overwhelming like a big art piece could be.

Just remember that whatever you do- it should harmonize with the colors outside of your house as well- your exterior paint color, plants, etc. Since it's right next to your front door, you don't want it to clash!

On a related note- definitely paint your front door to break up that white wall.

I like this lamp:
http://dwell.co.uk/ProductImages/400-102129.jpg

this one:
http://my-interior-decoration.ablog.ro/2006-10/img/200610/4396.jpg

etc:
http://www.verner-panton.com/imgPrj/Panton_pic647/2135.jpg

Just one note: Your existing light fixture is nice, but it is much too small for the area. Think large scale. Use the small one somewhere else in your house.

I don't think you really have to do much to this space.

- If those are blinds in the windows on both sides of the doors I would put sheer cloth there instead. Not hanging, but the taut kind.

- I would get rid of the pot of sticks and put a plant that is green/has color and can benefit from being in front of a window.

- Then maybe if it needs something more add a few small pictures going down the stairs or along that hallway. I like white frames on white walls.

oh and...

I wouldn't do anything "HUGE". You have a HUGE window that is beautiful already. You don't want anything to compete with that.

Overhead storage. Lots of it.

Huge art, or textiles if you're on a tighter budget.

I like them white, just as they are. Leave the walls alone and put up a fabulous chandelier, an unframed mirror or two, paint the door, and put down a great rug.

Another option: There's a certain typical kind of house built in my area that has huge two story walls like this. One thing I have seen done, is to divide the wall horizontally and paint the upper "story" and the lower "story" complementary pastel colors. Instead of a straight line separating the colors, the division is some sort of silhouetted relief. Around here, that tends to be stylized waves curling into each other. If you live in an urban area, I could imagine a skyline. If you want to maintain a modern graphic look to complement the strong graphic lines of those great windows, I could imagine a variegated pattern to make the transition (i.e. if your colors are salmon and robin's egg (don't pick those colors) then some salmon rectangles (or ovals or whatever) on the robin's egg background and some robin's egg rectangles on the salmon background at the transition area.

It's just paint until you find that great 8 foot piece of art.

Have fun!

Keep the walls white up to the height of the doorways and then above that height paint it perhaps a grey? or what ever fits your color scheme and hang some awesome black and white artwork. That's what I would do. Good luck!

I agree with splitting the wall color just above the door height, but keep it very subtle. Two shades difference with the darker shade on bottom. Replace the light with a large, dramatic, almost art-piece pendant. Hang it a little lower so it's more of a focal point upon entry. (Move the existing fixture somewhere else in the house-- it's cool and fits the style of the home.) Get a larger rug, but don't take emphasis from the light fixture with anything too bold. If budget allows I would replace the door with a wooden-framed glass door, if you can match the gridded glass that exists (which is very fabulous!). Looks like a beautiful house, good luck.

No one has commented on what to do with the stairs. I would run a runner up them (or wrapped, if they're the type of stairs you can see through). The carpet will soak up the noise that comes from high-ceiling rooms, and will warm up the space psychologically, making it a more welcoming entrance.

What I'm picking up from the comments is to go bold, no matter what you do, and I agree. I live in a mid-century modern, and I find that with such strong and dramatic architecture, you can't be wimpy about your decorating choices.

I LOVE these pendants...

http://www.allmodernlighting.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=LBL6126&refid=FR92-LBL6126

and, you wouldn't need to paint the walls.

I'm an idiot -- I didn't pay attention to how much light you have.

Do you have room for a super-tall living wall? They're pretty shallow, but I can't tell how much room you'd need to clear at that bottom set of stairs.

Nice suggestions, all.

It looks from the pictures that the space is very tall but very cramped just as you come in the door / come down the stairs. And it's also very bland. I would suggest you replace the current doormat with something that blends in with the tiles (or else put a much larger rug that covers most if not all of the tiles) to make the floor "footprint" look larger.

I would also paint the walls and the wooden window/doorframes of the front door a strong colour that would contrast with the white of the living room door and the light coming through all those windows, and that would show up interesting shadows at all times of day. Unfortunately it's hard to think of anything that would look good with that colour floortile. If you can't cover them completely with a rug, would it be possible to replace them with something nicer?

I would immediately get rid of that wall organiser and put in an old-fashioned coatrack that would cast a lovely shadow (if you can bring yourself not to overwhelm it with coats!). You also need some kind of small table, maybe even just a bit bigger than potstand size, to fulfill the functions of that wall organiser.

And finally I agree with other posters who have commented on the current light-fitting - it's very nice but far too small. You should replace it, the suggestion of one that casts an interesting shadow is a very good one I think.

Wow, what a gorgeous space! Honestly, I don't think you need to do much more than add some of your own personality to the space. But here are my suggestions:

- install a more dramatic, maybe even larger, light fixture
- paint the front door a really fun colour
- you might also consider losing the vertical blinds in the side windows, unless you need the privacy (I would bet the glass originally matched the upper window)

That upper window is amazing! I would kill to have something that let that much light into my home.

This is a great space to work with!

I agree with what many posters have written -- a more dramatic light fixture, accent wall in a bright colour, which integrates with the rest of the house...

The other advice I'd give is to keep with the stylistic spirit of the home -- in this case, don't split the wall with different colours as that is not a look in keeping with the style of the house. Also, keep in the "modern" pallet of colours -- bright bold colours, or appropriate neutrals. Salmon and Robin's Egg Blue have a very different aesthetic sensibility.

Here are my suggestions -- of course, I don't have a clue what your approach is in the rest of the house, so it is rather a stab in the dark...

The most dramatic and over-sized light fixture that I think would look great in your hallway, from inside and out, is the 120A Noguchi ceiling light, which is a 47" diameter globe:

http://akaristore.stores.yahoo.net/mod30a45a55a.html

The best paint pallet is from http://ktcolorusa.com/ .

My inclination would be to use Yves Klein Blue (International Klein Blue) as an accent wall, but there are other amazing paints too, including neutrals which could be used on more than one wall, from the Corbusier (iron grey, cerulean blue, chestnut for example). They are expensive, but good paint can take the place of art, and is much less expensive.

To contrast with that brilliant blue, I would hang some of Thout Design's walnut utilitiles... The wood grain would be gorgeous, and it would be simultaneously dramatic and practical.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/organizing/thout-designs-utilitile-hallway-organization-032944

If the flooring is black slate, just tidy up the grout (there are kits for that); if it is ceramic tile, install black slate -- it is a great texture and more authentic look. Plus, in a small space, it would not be very expensive.

You may wish to lay a red Persian or kilim type rug in the entrance to make it more welcoming, comfortable and textured.

Do not try putting a plant in the entry -- it gets in the way, and the drafts will kill it.

And as someone already mentioned, the mini blinds don't work -- either have nothing (we have the same sort of side lights, and quite like them uncovered), or find the exact same glass as used in the top window, and use that.

Good luck, it's a great space, a real opportunity!

Here's a much cheaper version of the ceiling fixture (if you can find someone to sell you just one!!)

http://www.lunabazaar.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=659

I had completely forgotten about mschatelaine's light fixture solution! It's a great idea because if you have cold feet about changing the light fixture and just want to get an idea of the shape and color - those paper fixtures can be purchased in many cases for less than $10, in a variety of colors, and might fit *over* the top of your existing fixture so you can leave it up for a day or two to decide.

Great idea!!

Clean & polish the floor tiles
Hang a larger pendant -- make it the focal point
Change out ho-hum door hardware with something that works off the new light fixture
Paint walls, trim and doors all the same pale neutral shade

great space. now play with scale.

a much larger ceiling light is a good start. {i'm seeing a david weeks mobile chandelier, but they are very pricey.}

your landing strip is also off. a longer chunky narrow floating ledge (the thinkness of your railing) with a larger alcove or mirror would work better.

if you're going to have a pot with a plant change the current one for a tall narrow tree.

a truly enormous painting would be great.

i love white walls but i might paint the door or get a more colorful rug and, given the luxury of height, i'd probably paint or wallpaper the ceiling.

have fun.

Congratulations. It's go great natural light.

Some thoughts to spruce it up - Your first step needs to be a new light fixture - one that fills the volume. Second, lose the blinds on the side windows (try frosted film for privacy or you could replace the window with reeded or frosted glass although the film would be cheaper).

After that you have two choices for the walls - a collage of photos and prints or a single large abstract print. If your family is still growing and you have a photo hobbyist in the family, maybe the collage is the way to go. You can also rotate the gallery over time.

I also concur with the earlier recommendation of adding a landing strip. My home life has changed for the better once I learned the value of this key piece of furniture. A simple sleek console table with a big basket underneath to hold random sneakers and dog leashes etc. Slightly organizes the chaos of life but still looks sweet.

Good luck. Post the results.

Just a couple more thoughts/clarifications --

Thouts's Utilitile concept is that of a hallway landingstrip in a space where there is little or no room for furniture, like yours. It is truly ingenious, as it folds up, and is quite decorative/sculptural while being practical.

As for filling out the walls... if you *do* want to hang pictures, how about movie posters from the era of your house? That would be quite cool, and fun to assemble.

There are many sources for vintage posters... the one I am most familiar with is:

http://www.terry-posters.com/

Maybe posters from Italian or American movies from the 1960s to early '70s... that would be cool!

http://www.terry-posters.com/posters/attribute-2-origin-of-film/55-italy

Check out the ones for: Fellini's 8 1/2; Dobrodruzstvi with Monica Vitti; Nesnadna Laska -- Sex Can Be Difficult; The Mattei Affair; Hold Up; Frigo, America, America (the poster for The Apartment is one of my all-time favourites, but it is not for sale!); Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; Chinatown; Four Friends... loads, and loads of possibilities -- think of the cool posters from Italy or France you could try to track down.

They would look really good framed in simple discreet gallery frames such as those available from:

http://www.metroframes.com/

I'd have everything framed the same with the same wood -- the Standard in 101 or 115 in walnut (unfinished, and just oil) or maple (clear) (depending what else you do in the room), with spacers and strainers.

Leave the walls white. Lose the blinds. Use coloured window film on the 2 sidelights and transom. Create a custom multi-coloured super graphic that ties the 3 panes together. This will filter coloured sunlight into your bright white entry.

What a wonderful problem! Beautiful space. I would start with the light fixture too, go HUGE. The paper lantern is a really economical choice but you could even go for something ornate, if you kept your other choices toned down. Your entry floor looks like slate, durable, authentic, Once you choose your accent color i'd get a rug to match the color. I also like painting the entry door.

Bigger issue, i don't know what the situation is with the closet and adjacent wall is, but i would end up taking the door off so you could build-in a bench in the closet and a niche in the wall to have a larger landing strip to accomodate children. The walnut modular system another poster put up would really jive with you space.
Another vote for film over those side windows, they need to match the top window, and they make film in that pattern. Agian, if feasible i'd swap the patterened glass for clear and frost the side windows 3/4 of the way up.

Lastly if you can find something in colors that jive with adjacent spaces, wallpaper!

and send us afters!

Hey everyone - thanks for all the fabulous suggestions! We have been debating this one since we moved in in November, because we also love the space and want to make sure we show it off. Will update when we have an 'after'. Thanks again - you guys are great!!

Beth,
I would keep it very spare, and since this dramatic entryway the house's first impression, make sure it speaks quality before you go for any decor there. Replace the older tile floors with hardwood for warmth, find nicer fixtures for both the entry and closet doors in keeping with the house's design, and find a stunning chandelier that you love. After these key elements are in, you may need to do little else but paint the walls a subtle shade of gray or taupe to offset the white door and trim. Good luck, and please show us when you're done.

I think that painting or not would depend upon what you have going on in the adjoining rooms.

Ideally I think that a new chandelier that makes more of an impact and some sort of large scale artwork on both walls that correspond with each other.