Kathie, this is going to be of absolutely no help to you right now, but I swear I have your foyer's cousin at my home. I don't have the two "closets" on either side of the entry door. I do have the open space to one side as you do, but where you have the french doors, mine is a solid wall. Everything else looks just like yours. As I said, cousin but not exactly a twin to yours. I have that ledge up there just as you do....oh, and all the oak, too. Okay, all that is nice huh? Problem is I am not at this particular house right now....I am at our lake home that we have been remodeling for the last two years. I may get to our other home next week and if hubby can teach me how to take and post pics, I will show you my foyer. I have the most adorable "circus people" on my ledge...hard to imagine I know. I have a curio cabinet where your grandfather clock is right now. I will say I think my space was little easier to work with as I didn't have as many open spaces as you do. Anyway, if you want and can think of it, remind me to show you your foyer's cousin. HA! It might give you a few ideas...or at the very least, be a little bit fun. Happy Decorating...it never seems to end, ya know pup

I have a similar problem for the area over my buffet. I wanted to hang a framed piece but thought the flanking buffet lamps would be partially blocking the painting. The designer said that the lamp shades SHOULD overlap the framed piece partially so that they relate to each other. Otherwise the painting is just hanging there. Try to look through magazines and you'll see that the lamps and other objects on tables frequently go into the space of what's hanging above. Just my two cents--or my designer's.

Thank you all, The night stand lamps sit on the night stands and a matching pair. The wall where the high boy dresser (my husband's dresser) is is not wide enough for my dresser and the TV is mounted above the high dresser so switching dressers isn't doable. Mimipadv, maybe I need to get a taller lamp for my dresser (or do away with it all together) ?

I like the idea of lowering it! And I most certainly like the idea of not cluttering the top. Adding a liner, to me, would make it a little too busy. The chunky lamp on the left helps a lot. Now... to find a chunky simple lamp with a West Indies/British Colonial feel that is not so busy so I won't take away from the roseate spoonbill. Ha! Any ideas would be most appreciated!