If you're in the planning stages think about eliminating the jogs in the front wall - it'll be easier to frame and give you more interior floor space. Check with builder - if it costs less to frame the front wall as one continuous wall broken only by the front door, then it shouldn't be too hard to convince your DH. My DR is 13'1" x 14'3", and even though I have a large hutch on one side and small buffet on the end, I only seat 6. I bought 2 more chairs (unfinished) on CL, we'll have to move the buffet away from the stair wall in order to seat 8 people and still have room to push the 2 chairs at the ends out for people (arm chairs) to get in and out and also be able to walk past one end to get to kitchen. As far as opening up the stairs, I can't tell how far the wall comes out in front of your bottom tread (or how much room you have from the front of the tread to the front wall), but pretty much you'll just be getting rid of the door and then losing maybe 3ft of wall space from the door to the corner (depending on run of stairs). Unless you're planning on putting a big screen TV or large hutch on that wall, I don't think it will affect furniture placement much. And if the door isn't 36" or more, having it open will as I said help with moving furniture like sofa in, even if you have a newel post there before moving in. I only have 36" from edge of bottom tread and opposite wall, there was no way we could have moved the DR furniture in with a newel post in front of, or even on, the bottom tread. And forget about a wall and door there (which I originally wanted, but glad the builder talked me out of)! My DR table is 42" wide - a lot of sofas are close to 40" front to back.

You could use some of that eyelet fabric over the mirrors on the 2 center quadrants from top to bottom and let the far left and far right mirrors unveiled. They make something called ticky tack, that teachers use to hold posters and things on walls(no nails). I wonder if that wouldn't work on your favorite eyelet pattern?, and not damage the wood/fabric/mirrors? A friend took pieces of an old heirloom lace piece and did that in her miniature curio cabinet she inherited over the back mirror lined surface.. She now uses the cabinet to hold all of her essential oil(many mini bottles)collection. If you like the country style dishware, the eyelet in the tea color(or you can tea stain some yourself) might look very pretty inside the darkwood and contrast with your white dishes? And tone down the shiny of the mirror? There is this product, that might be perfect for such an application: https://www.amazon.com/Sticky-Reusable-Gallery-Quality-Adhesive/dp/B01GEGXP0K/ref=asc_df_B01GEGXP0K/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198062181806&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7000896296704938960&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027311&hvtargid=pla-323734168208&psc=1

I will definitely air dry. We have plenty of other sports equipment ourselves, and I am a big air-dryer of many things, even my sports bras, regular bras, and a whole lot of clothing. Thanks all, I feel better. It’s a Nike bag with several pockets. Pretty much almost like a book bag. And I have some Odorban so will throw some of that in with my Tide Free and Gentle. There’s not so much crumbs as just field dirt and stink from shoes, shin guards and sweaty stuff. Phew, girls are as bad as boys when it comes to sports! Yes, I do have a top loader with a large tub (no agitator) and plan to use the delicate cycle. I may indeed put it in a pillowcase. Not sure I have a large enough mesh bag but will see if DH has something. I know we have some fairly large laundry bags somewhere. And will throw in a couple of old towels. We have plenty of those, lol, always around for some spill or the dog or whatever. Now that I think about it and read through the comments again, it is probably a good idea to give it a soak first in the laundry sink in the Odorban. Off to do that now, maybe along with the shoes. This forum is great! Thanks for having my back! And good luck to all of you with little off to school soon!

For a relatively small windowless room, white/almond/beige countertop (habitat ReStore?) and walls painted light greenish-blue for airy feeling would look great. Maybe paint backslash area only with accent color. I think fluorescent lighting makes everybody look weird so I'd have daylight 3500K+ bulbs in floor lamp and hanging fixtures if possible. (consignment/Goodwill?) and paint bulletin board frames the accent color. Have fun!