SFGate

krystigomm88 Side note: The floors, paint, banisters, are all going to be updated. The tacky coat hangers are also coming down.

carolannr I always like a hanging fixture in an entry.

Tres McKinney Design Hang an attractive pendant light over the front door as a focal point A beautiful runner down the hall will lead your eye to the living room.
Eliminate the coat rack as it just makes the hall look narrower. Replace the coat rack with a large mirror with a light sconce on each side. This will make the hall feel wider and more inviting. On the opposite wall create a tight grouping of art or a large painting with a picture light above. Paint the front door a color such as black, red, dark green or navy blue. orange or what ever will compliment the color scheme of your living room.

Tres McKinney Design PS. Paint the stair banister white or black. replace the carpeted treads with hardwood and a runner. The deep piled, fully carpeted stairs looks heavy and dated. A lighter handling of the stairs will lighten up the feel of the hall. A low pile flat weave carpet and hardwood treads will update the look of the entry and hall as well. If the stairs under the carpet are not hardwood and your budget does not permit replacing with hardwood then paint the existing stairs a dark charcoal or black and add the stair runner.

krystigomm88 I was thinking about doing the stair banister to look like this pic... We're going to replace the floors with handscraped dark wood. What do you think?

krystigomm88 You can't see in the first/second picture, but the entryway right above the door is vaulted to the second floor. So would a pendant light still work? Also would putting a small bench or skinny entry table with a small lamp be a bad idea? I don't want to make the entry look crowded.

snickers01 I recently purchased a narrow console at the website bizchair.com it's only 11 inches wide and has a weathered look to it. It's made by the company Pulaski. I think it would fit nicely with your your decor and the amount of space you have, even if you decide to make the banister a darker color. It will give you a nice focal point when you walk in and you could hang either a mirror or a picture above it. The console also has two small drawers- a perfect place for car keys or whatever you need to grab before walking out the door.