Have you tried cornering the two chairs (L-shape)? One on the window side, one on the laundry wall? Give them some space in between. Add some drama in corner like a full plant on an eye catching pedestal. Also need some color, consider interesting picture above the chair on laundry wall. If you have any children's artwork have it custom framed and show it off proudly.

Please don't pressure wash wood siding unless you like to see splinters flying in the air. As soft and spongey as that is, that is not a good idea. New siding with a factory applied color might be, highly recommended. Had a family next door pressure wash their deck which the previous owners had applied some of that 'great gel stain' tooo...mildewy now, gel stain ed by sap from trees above, etc etc........pressure washer....wallah.....holes in deck floor. Do NOT force water into your wood siding/sub walls/etc. You really might need some consult specialist in this case, but I do not see why painting this would help it for more than a couple of years. New siding, would be the most effective use of dollars and labor, you might check into this and see. Anytime you have a wood of this age, there is just the sense it has served its' purpose. I don't know what people put on homes like this other than wood, but NEW WOOD siding at minimum would seem the best cure for the problems. Have others experienced different results? Curious to hear from others with similar aged homes.

Fun space. Interesting low stools with a picture leaning against wall and vintage riding boots. Textured, bold color and interesting lines for your choice of stools would be one of many options. A lucite table with artwork or sculpture. Stool with stacked books. Lucite table with stool underneath or riding boots. Lots of options. Not sure your office decor but if you keep door closed treat it as receiving area for guests. Simple and understated.

thank you @Jennifer K We don't have a door to the basement stairs now, so I suspect it's not code. That hall closet you see jutting into the laundry room is actually a "drop zone." I'm thinking something along the lines of the photo below. That's more valuable to me than a laundry sink. I have a slop sink in the basement, so while a laundry sink is a nice-to-have, I'm willing to sacrifice it, I think. I was worried about the lack of any kind of drop zone in the previous iterations. I do wonder if there's a more efficient laundry room layout, especially if we get rid of the window. I was having similar thoughts about the small walls against what's marked as the playroom and will look at that again. I agree with your point that the playroom is unlikely to stay that way. I give it another two years before it becomes an "adult" space. (Fingers crossed!) We'll never use it as a dining room because it's too small, though that's what it was when we bought the house. The fireplace can't be killed because our ancient steam heat uses the chimney. To your point on the foyer closet under the stairs: The floorplan is deceiving! It's actually a large, really useful closet with lots of coat hanging space on the right and shelves for winter gear. So that will stay as-is. Thank you!