I had a real mental block about this hallway so thanks for all your suggestions, as you can see some of them have been incorporated. I had the little dog on hand but I wouldn't have thought of putting him in here, he seems 'right at home' in that spot thanks to Susan's suggestion. The table drawers open, one has a spare 'runner' in it for the top of the table, the other has a vintage (very thin!) telephone directory. Since only a few people and businesses had telephones in the early 1900s I'll have to come up with a good 'story' for there being one in this house which appears to be quite middle class - perhaps the inhabitants have a more important position in society than the house would lead us to believe - let me know if you come up with something! I have tried to achieve an air of relative formality here, befitting the most 'public' part of the house, while at the same time making it welcoming. When I come back to this project in a few weeks I'll probably add a stair carpet, perhaps some pictures on the walls, a plant stand or perhaps a 'what-not' shelf in the corner, and a coat hook or two.