Welcome to our Genkan.

This is a traditional style'd Genkan(Entrance Hall), with a not so traditionally finished ceiling.
Usually there would be black floorboards, but these would let dust through, etc. so we replaced with 12mm plywood tongue & grooved together and washable wallpapered the underside.
The entrance floor is still the same compacted dirt as is traditional, but will probably give way to a levelled floor with slate tiles or similar - when we find them.
As mentioned in a previous entry with two example pictures, I want to re-finish with a bamboo floor on the upper level, but as this is low priority, I'll probably not take on the task for a while - or wait till the floor gets more worn out which will be some years...

The entrance step houses shoe boxes with sliding doors all the way around (Which have been cleaned and lemon oiled). The step is quite high - as is traditional, so I'll probably make a rough but pretty step out of some log cuttings somewhere along the line to make stepping up & down easier for the little ones and future guests.

There's still trim to fit on the corners of the walls where the stairs are and the furniture isn't going to stay where it is. We have a grandfather clock to go where the lamp is currently - and as we can't think of an alternative home for it, there's a very large mirror my wife uses for dancing practice, which will go where the chest of drawers is. We'll see - as we're not really sure if the mirror will look good there, or a very large painting!

We're also toying with the idea of putting in some eyelets on one of the beams and having a removable indoor swing for our daughter. We'll see. The furniture will probably slowly change to match with our home and and when we can afford it.

It's funny to think - Just a little over 2 weeks ago, this was a woodworking workshop & an absolute mess and was still dirty (But mostly cleaned) when we moved in!