Hi Mskarlam. Your vestibule looks like it still has its original wainscot, and it looks like that's its original lighting, so there's no way I'd consider messing around with either of those things, although you might want to switch your bulb for a period-style model. These days, there are actual low-energy bulbs made in a historically-correct shape, with a simulated exposed-filament that won't make your electric meter do cartwheels the way an authentic carbon-filament bulb would do. The current curly-fluorescent lamp isn't doing anything for the vibe of the space. I also would suggest looking around for a geometric patterned polypropylene area rug in warmer tones rug to replace your current dead-grey industrial carpet. It will be just as easy to clean, and will also protect your wood floors in the rest of your house. That was the function of actual vestibules in the first place: to provide a convenient place for visitors to sit down and remove their snowy boots before they entered the hall proper. I know: from seventh grade until tenth grade, my family lived in Beloit, Wisconsin and before that, we never had a house with a vestibule before. After we moved to Peoria, Illinois, we never had one again, and our floors always looked like hell, from tracking sidewalk salt into the rest of the house. The suggestion to add a stencil border is a good one, because with a stencil, you can chose your colors yourself, rather that relying on a wallpaper company's idea of period-appropriate colors. When you choose the design itself, I'd look for something that relates to your new rug. Regards, MAGNAVERDE.

That's part of the problem. When we put that floor in about 6 years ago we wnet with an inexpensive option and regret it now. We put in linoleum. It looks nice enough, but now it's hard to tie in the entry room.

Presuming you have an excellent doormat outisde the door, how about putting a large area rug you like to be underfoot right as guests walk in, a rug that would be positioned where you currently show that light gray rug as people walk in, but much much larger. Create the space so that someone walking in has immediately to the left a neat tidy place to get rid of a wet jacket, umbrella or hat. And it’s a comfortable space for two people to stand, turn around, with the rug underfoot. Then think about adding a different round rug between the 2 closet doors in the short space of hallway leading to the kitchen. Take away that console table with the plant. Hang art on the walls instead or a mirror with a thin floating shelf. Let’s say you picked a round bright colored rug for the space closer to the kitchen. Would a square or rectangular entry rug like these work for you? nothing this elaborate, and no upper cabinets, but how about a fraction of this on the left wall as someone walks in?

You will get a lot of pushback here about wood tile next to real wood. The consensus seems to be that the wood tile looks fake next to the real wood. If you can't do real wood in the entry way, you might consider another material. If you post pictures of the space, you will get more targeted suggestions for an alternative to the wood look tile.