You might paint the walls a bold color you really love, but I would recommend staying away from wallpaper as it is costly and too difficult to change. I agree with another poster that wider trim around the doors would help, and I would suggest that you paint all the trim white and add crown molding and a mop-board along the floor-wall junctures. I love the wood-tone door and would keep it as an accent piece and for contrast. You might add large, framed mirrors to the walls to reflect light and perhaps add a console table with a fairly large lamp. An interesting print area rug also can add pizzazz to this space. If you can use the bold wall color as an accent throughout the house, it will help to tie the entire color scheme together and give your home a unified look. In the offset hallway shown in Photos Two, Three, and Four, I would suggest you place a desk and chair and/or perhaps some bookcases and curio cabinets to make an interesting entrance way that can double as a study or home office. As an alternative, you could place a narrow dining table with leaves that fold down to allow easy traffic through the hallway. Above the table you could display some framed mirrors and, in matching frames, family photos that can serve as conversation starters. When you entertain, the fold-down dining table could be pulled out and/or moved to another room to accommodate your guests.

We have a architectural hardware store and sell a range of black lever and pull handles. They are really popular at the moment, and I'm loving the look!

Does anybody know where to source black matt door handles from? I can only find a couple of online NZ stores that do. HELP!!

Hi Oliver, not sure if you are still after some ideas or not. I would paint the concrete steps a neutral medium grey and the front door a reasonably bold colour of your choice that fits in with the 'Deco' style of your house. Maybe a bold blue or green could work. Alternatively, if it fits with other detailing around the house, paint the steps a deep terracotta/brick colour and the front door a darker deep colour of smokey blue or keep it black. Cheers, Christine.