I'd put a plant on a stand or an umbrella holder in that corner by the front door.
I can't tell how wide a space there is under that pic but if it's wide enough I'd thing about narrow table.

Thanks. I was thinking about an umbrella stand but my DH think that's crazy since we don't use long umbrellas. So, it would be completely for show. I was thinking of a plant to, but I haven't been able to keep a plant alive ever, although I love them. I love orchids. Should I try to incorporate that in somehow?

An umbrella stand with curly willow.

I think you also need something else, or an addition to the mirror, over the bench.

Hi gobruno-- looks great but how about a rug to add warmth to the space and I agree that something tall in the corner would look nice.
Hope you are enjoying your new house!

How about a couple of smallish pillows propped at one end of the bench? I agree, a plant in the corner by the front door would be nice.

I'd like sconces near the mirror, either for candles or actual lights.

I agree with gobruno. If you have the space, something taller than the bench, like a narrow table might look nice.

Your mirror looks alittle underscaled from what I can tell from the photo. Do you have room for a sofa table that the bench could fit under? That way you could add color w/flowers, lamps, photo's etc. Maybe even a chest with a chair on either side.

Is there enough room for a thin dark table or even a very thin cabinet under the mirror?

I see that there is an electrical outlet -- so you could add a colorful glass or ceramic lamp that would tie in the mirror and the table visually. Perhaps in the wonderful colors of your artwork?

And of course -- there would be enough room for a tall white orchid (faux or real) in a dark low pottery dish on the left-hand side of the table too!

Thanks for the suggestions. I was looking at getting a larger rug for that space that would extend into the foyer. Would a natural sisal or jute rug work the best or something with a pattern? I was also thinking of a table over the bench, but then it wouldn't be as inviting to sit on the bench, and the bench wouldn't get a ton of use if you had to take the extra step to pull it out from under a table. So, I was thinking of may be a ledge? I agree, I wish I had wired that area for sconces so that I could have sconces on each side of the mirror. Too late for that! Ok, may be I will go for the umbrella stand. I could see how sometimes that would be useful. May be I could convert my family from those compact umbrellas to the long ones. I'm sure that our boys would love using them as swords at the very least....

I don't think a table over the bench works, for the reasons gobruno mentioned. I think a bench with a high back would look better in that space. Is getting a different bench a possibility?

Instead of the umbrella stand, you could put a very small, square table in that corner... (like a plant stand table... in dark wood.) Then, you could put whatever decorative item on it...... like curly willow in a vase, as someone else mentioned.

Men just don't get the idea of putting something up just for decorative purposes! I also like the suggestions of the umbrella stand and a rug. Since it sounds like you have children, how about some baskets under the bench? You could use it as a shoe, hat or scarf storage spot or just a catch all for the downstairs clutter that is waiting to be transporated upstairs.

A Pottery Barn photo that shows a way to add visual height above/around a bench...

Lolaruen, thanks for the PB photo. I love PB stuff, but I crack up at some of the stylings seen in magazines and catalogs. It's so unrealistic and practical. I couldn't imagine having some random rocks and loose fireplace in my foyer. My DH would have a fit and my kids would throw/roll the rocks around our wood floors. : ) Anyway, I've thought about an art wall, but I'm going to do that in another part of the house. I'm wondering if there is something other than framed art/photos I could use to fill the space. I also have framed photos going up the stairs; so, I just feel like it would be too much. KWIM?

I think theres too much space between the mirror and the bench. They need to be more connected. I think either art as in the PB picture, or a taller object beneath the mirror. A bench with a back would be useful with kids as was already suggested. Thats a lot of space to fill. PB has some entryway furniture with coat hangers and bench combined that would fill that space and be useful.