How wide is your entrance way? Mine is 122cm and I have a 40 cm wide console table that works. An indoor plant or some sculpture each side of the table reduces the starkness of it too. Otherwise some floating shelves is good to decorate - just be warned, people (especially husbands) do have a habit of throwing keys, mail, newspapers, etc. in this area. I would not consider the darker wall, while it looks great and makes a fabulous impact statement, your bright and cheerful entry is far more liveable on a daily basis. Art to me is the best answer, search 'arranging wall art' on Houzz and you will get hundreds of ideas. You can use paintings or photos, just choose your theme and colour choice. Black and white can look stunning too and as you will see from Houzz photos an eclectic mix works as well. One idea I picked up was painting the frames in a solid colour - I project I hope to work on this year. [houzz=] [houzz=] [houzz=] I love the layout of your home too.

Emily A permanently roofed al fresco will reduce some summer heat gain (although sitting out there may be uncomfortable) and will do the same for winter. From scanning the comments it appears that you are at a point where you can still may major changes; I cannot recommend strongly enough getting the orientation of your new home right, it will be warmer in winter, cooler in summer and be significantly cheaper (if not free) to run with some appropriately detailed insulation. I do understand the appeal of a floorplan that seems to be all you have aspired too but have seen many a case where people have later regretted those decisions. If you are unsure about the pros and cons of various floorplans then get a design professional (building designer/architect) to give you guidance on an hourly rates basis. good luck

As mentioned by Embrace Interiors it is all about balance and it sounds like your tiles are dominating your space. You need to draw the eye up and away from the tiles by providing a point of interest at eye level that has a similar visual weight - art work, lighting etc. A hall runner or rug in a neutral colour (non-slip) will reduce the visual impact of the tiles and also bring texture and warmth to the space.

The hallway is bright and welcoming. Forget a mat as you have dogs as well as elderly family. Unless the chair is serving a purpose, I would remove it and add a full-length wall hung mirror which will reflect light and make the hall look an indeterminate length and you can used it to see your reflection before you leave the house.