First thing that jumps out is the light fixture above the door. The color temperature is about 3500k-4000k and does not match the other immediate visible light fixtures. That is truck stop territory white light. I'd fix that first because color will appear dramatically different at night when the light is adjusted to the more normal 2700k-3000k color.

Agreed, all the lighting will be replaced over time.

That light may affect your color choice I believe, careful not to let it factor in. BTW, no one says that that ceiling needs to be lit up like that. I'd rather have a fixture that leaves the higher ceiling shadowy at night so it doesn't feel so cavernous.... and get those curtains/window coverings up to the ceiling. I'll let the pro's handle the color. Beautiful entry!

Beautiful entry! Exciting to move into a new home! Right now, the wall color and floor color are ok together.

If I were you, I would think about the project as a whole. You have pretty high ceilings, and will probably need a pro painter. Quality paint and a quality painter are not cheap.

Also, if you plan to replace the floors, your baseboards will need to be removed and possibly your door jambs and casings - either removed or trimmed with an "undercut saw". Then all the painted walls will need to be "touched up". Or you may decide to have all the trim painted.

Also, you may or may not like the double front doors (the style is a little dated, and they can be very drafty in a cold climate).

They could be replaced with a 42" wide single door with sidelights. If you pick a style with more glass, then your lighting will change again, so now, any color you pick now might change dramatically.

It's also important to coordinate the plans for any changes to the exterior with your changes to the interior.

There's a proper order to projects that will save you time and money in the long run.

There are lots of colors I could recommend for a lovely foyer.

Light gray would NOT be one of them.

IMO first you replace the floors then you paint . Before that you deal with the lighting so tha all the choices you make work. Wall color is IMO always the last choice .Sorry but "normal" lighting is not 2700K that is yellow and not in any way normal. I love 4000L LED lighting it mimics bright daylight which IMO is normal If you want modern then 4000 or 3500 K is the lighting you want. That staircase will always scream 70S so what is the plan there ? Slow down and make decisions in the proper order . A new house is always going to take time to see how it all functions for you . Is the kitchen perfect ? If not IMO start there

Yes, gray paint would not go with your current woodwork or possible future flooring so wood not jump to painting. From what I can tell about trends(no expert though), “ light gray” for wall colors would not be considered “ modern” ( I assume you mean updated) and certainly just painting that color won’t suddenly update the area. The painting project alone will not be an inexpensive fix, as it might in , say, a bedroom, and it’s likely you’d pick a color that just a bit down the road will no longer look good, so I agree you should start making more of a Plan- a list, wishlist, inspo photos/ mood board.

Agree with the pros. If you want to update and modernize, gray isn’t what you want. The gray trend is over.

Plus, introduction of gray would cause a long chain of color changes through the whole house and its features.

Your entry way looks nice right now. I actually like your flooring, and wouldnt change it. I also wouldnt paint it gray. I do like gray paint, and dont care if its out of style or not, but, it has to be in the right place, and the right color. Its a pretty house. I would change out light fixtures, but, you do want the bulbs, to be at least 3000k and led daylight type. I would prefer the 3500k led daylight. 2700 makes everything look a bit yellowish. Since you are just moving in, and it really doesnt need doing over right now, it would be a lot better to live in the house 6 months, at minimum, and by the end of those 6 months, or even a yr, you will know, exactly what you really like, and what you really dont like, and what needs changing and what doesnt need to be changed. Save your money now, for unexpected surprises, and there always seem to be a few of those when you buy a new to you house.

The foyer is the introduction into your house. It sets the tone and expectations for the style and colors in the rest of the house. So if you like gray and will still like gray even when it's not popular anymore, then gray might be the right color for you. But your foyer could take a dark gray because it's spacious and well lit. Or you might decide to use white to keep it neutral.

Since you have just moved in there will likely be a lot of different things you want to change. If you haven't already, start compiling Ideabooks in Houzz by room to define your style. Make a list of all the things you want to do. Group together items that make sense to do together. Prioritize the list. There is no right or wrong for prioritizing, but if you need a new roof or HVAC those should come first. You might find the foyer comes first for you, or last, but in any case, I agree with the commenters who have said you should change the floors and stairway first before painting. It is expensive to have professionals paint a foyer, so you don't want to have to do it twice.

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I disagree about gray if you like cool colors gray still works. I have contemporay style in a MCM home and used Vancouver Day from C2 I just repainted after 15 yrs and still used the same color it works . I think colors come and go but your style rarely changes much

If you have any substantial artwork than 2700 K is the preferred color temperature to display art. 4000 K is daylight white but it’s night time in your home when you have the light on and that kind of color temperature will disturb sleep patterns. No truckstop 4000 K unless you’re a long haul trucker!

If it were me (I had a similar foyer), the most impacful thing you can do is to update the staircase. Will have to remove runner and only replace when floors/walls are figured out. We did ourselves; not hard but labour intensive, so spread out. The cost of labour to have walls painted, as you’ll need a pro (trust me) it really won’t update enough. Suggest repainting when changing flooring and only be inconvenienced once, as both are huge jobs. New lighting, a large rug, art, even painting the interior of the door will be money better spent.

Hard to suggest a color for kitchen and suggest looking on line for ideas. Your best bet though is work with backsplash and counter. To modernize, new hardware, lighting and window treatments.