Hi Leah. As you like timber what about using a decorative timber screen to fit that space? Enough decoration to give privacy, but open enough so light can come through. Kind of like a picture that draws your eye rather than an ugly square of glass. I'm sure houzz has an article showing these decorative screens in various styles. I have some typical geometrical chinese wooden windows in mind, but I'm sure you could find some laser cut specialist to do your design in metal, or a carpenter to do it in wood.

It appears to be a very wide corridor, you could look into a series of framed artworks (similar to the attached picture) and on the opposite wall, some black framed open shelving (refer to the attached photo). Shelving that is 350mm deep should not affect access requirements of the corridor.

The powder room looks great -- the subways are almost always nice ( and are here ) , the wallpaper is subtle but nice and also adds interest , the floor is darker so it isn't all the same , and the timber just sets it off . Contrast that with the entrance , and it is an off-white nothing , for want a better expression . With a nothing greyish toned carpet to really reinforce the unloved or unthoughtabout nature , and at least you are thinking about it . As bigreader says -- go and get a brighter coloured abstract print or painting , prop it against a wall , and see how different it makes the place feel . Pick the dominant colour in the print , and buy a rug in a similar tone , whether its red or blue or yellow or green . Sure , change the flooring if you want or if its worn , or just add the rug . A rug is easier and cheaper hahaha . But the biggest sin IMO -- the front door ! It might just be because its all white and off-white , but not only is the round handle boring , it actually looks to be visually in the wrong place to me -- it mightn't be , but thats what it looks like in the pic . Anyway , are you allowed to change the door ? A wooden one , one with a tall slim opaque window up one side or 4 small horizontal windows or anything but the flat plain white door IMO . Two people have mentioned flat black paint for the front door -- personally , I wouldn't . I'd be more likely to go for a 1950's mint smint green or apricot or even a mauve in preference to a black -- plus 1950's California tones sort of references the round topped doors too . Add the art and rug , and you are $2k or less all up , and have a theme going .

You could create an ‘art gallery’ and light each canvas along the entry. This would draw the eye down the hall. Consider what is at the end of the space, where the eye stops and add a feature piece of furniture, paint colour or sculpture there.