Crossing with another curled dorsal ruffled petal type is the type of breeding that has been registered more than anything else - with Paph spicerianum and a few spicer heavy complex like Bruno. The 2 pictures I have seen really just look a lot like spicer. Yawn.
Crosses with Maudiae-types have also been registered, and a couple with small species like helenae and barbigerum. Crosses with villosum, fairrieanum and wardii complete the list of registered hybrids.
Rather than dull, I think some of the darker forms of tranlienanum are quite attractive, and I think that intensity of color of those is worth breeding with. The small size can contribute to teacup types. The very ruffled petals are interesting, especially in the ones that have a white edge.
What is conspicuous is the complete lack of brachy, parvi, cochlo and multifloral crosses. Also complex crosses other than spicer heavy types.
I would try brachy crosses, either the heavily spotted to almost solid dark forms or go for small size with thaianum and niveum. Also parvi, with delenatii or vietnamense or their hybrids. Pick any colorful cochlo to get to small very ruffled semi-sequentials. Maybe a spotted red complex. But what I'd really like to see is a cross with a dark flowered twisty petal multifloral - get that white edge, see how the ruffles and twists combine, on a small plant with 2-3 flowers. Oh, and Paph henryanum for sure.