Personally if I were to put a runner down the area I'd keep it either plain or a very soft muted colour palate maybe with the grey and natural colours as right now it looks quite classy so you don't want to make it to bold or in your face just soft and calming for the area to enhance it all as one look. I don't really think you need one at all as I love the softness of the area as a whole as it is, sometimes less is more but it once again comes down to personal taste.

Thank you so much for your advice, in particular to bigreader and Julie Herbert. Here's a photo but note Im awaiting all that timber to be removed and daughter yet to sweep up the potting mix. I tried a blue one on each side as well but it didn't look quite right. I actually think 2 on each side might be enough. Note, in the big pot on left is a ground cover that will sprawl and out and done pot all going well. Do you think/Any suggestions for anything else I could do in this area? I'm still getting used to colour of mat. Now for the back door. Ive put some pots there that I had painted a light grey. Im wondering if they dont provide enough contrast with deck. Your thoughts? I was going to put a buxus in the one on the right (purely because they're are numerous in garden I can poach).

Normally , it is me saying red , orange or yellow for the front door , so its actually great to see just about everyone else suggesting that here ! And although I agree if you are keeping that door ( and it is a nice door ) then the bold colours would go great , and it probably doesn't fit your Kung Fu scheme haha , but how about a similar door but in a really nice solid 'strong grained' timber with a rich mid brown stain ?

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 .