Vikrant, is the picture taken from the front of your Entry door? I love your style and pieces. Just a few suggestions if this is the view when you first step into the foyer, I am not an expert! Ganesh in the place of the mirror to greet you and your guests as Goddess Lakshmi is supposedly behind him, will create more prosperity to the household. A recessed focal light from the ceiling to highlight its beauty. Another silver empty frame placing behind Ganesh, similar to the mirror to frame the idol or a Rajasthani silver jali work piece that way the wall behind would not look empty either! The beautiful mirror can be placed where you have the Ganesh now, that way the positive energy coming into your house does not get bounced back or out...

The Green Antiques Idea book "Decorating with Chinese Antiques - Design the Ultimate Beach House" has some creative ideas about how to achieve a fabulous East meets West design which gels modern design with the inclusion of numerous antiques (some even painted bright colors as suggested by Blawnox Upholstery above!). http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/29094412/list/Decorating-with-Chinese-Antiques---Design-the-Ultimate-Beach-House This might not be the style which you are seeking, but similar mix and match old and new concepts can also be applied to many other style homes - see for example photo's from the Dream House project (a 7,000 sq.ft. Frank Lloyd Wright inspired prairie house which from the outside looks much like the world famous Robbie house). Completely different from the beach house example above, but nevertheless merging the old and the new in interesting ways. http://www.houzz.com/projects/594005

you are thinking about the space right now. it looks odd, no doubt. 1) when you fill in with the furniture, just make sure the three steps are hidden. 2) consider three potted plants of different height, so the rectangle is complete. 3) glass bowl with Siamese fighting fish for each step 4) figurines of different heights 5) 2inch square wooden bar on each step up to the top of the rectangle. and complete the entire rectangle if you want with a smaller rectangle open in the center my suggestion is, there is a reason why this space ended up like this. it will look great once you put something there. things like these are what make your house unique.

@corner Stone designs. sorry if I had given an impression it mud slinging. but objectively speaking the suggestion to go for a chimney just because someone asked for it instead of addressing the real issue us not what I intended to do. one has to understand all the negatives as well veggie going in for a decision . just like you have the right to suggest there is nothing wrong in pointing out the issues in the proposed solution. none of us are internet warriors but most of us are "sold" items that we will never need in our life by creating an illusion. I know that dinner call it business but I am not in such one and I have the luxury to call a spade a spade. Even now the person who asked for is not sure in what they want but they think that a chimney will solve the issue. engineering doesn't work that way. unless we know what the real issue us, which isn't clear if it is the smoke or the smell and the your of food cooked, the frequency, the 80/20 utility of the kitchen we are not even close to understanding the problem. my intent is to emphasize the importance of understanding the problem and then look for issue and not provide a ready made solution. we can all suggest something by seeing a picture that fire will come and catch the chef if it is located in the window but do you think that what you say is practical. you may construct this as much slinging be as a novice I have a genuine question. how many houses have such a fire accident. we don't even know if the stove is electric or gas. if it is electric then they just no question of fire. so I encourage you to objectively approach and not see this as a mud slinging thing as that's not the point.