If you have plenty of storage elsewhere and/or a fairly large kitchen, deadening out a corner may be OK. However, as Madeline616 specifically stated, this is a small kitchen. Small kitchens typically are short on storage, so even an "inefficient" storage area is better than no storage! Personally, I find that corner susans are more useful than the blind corner cabinets (and you don't need a small child to retrieve fallen items!) for base cabinets and easy-reach cabs to be more useful for upper cabinets...both with a 90-degree corner (i.e., no diagonal), but to each his own. (For uppers, height may be a deciding factor...I'm 5'10" and can reach into the corner easy-reach cabs fairly well.) In my experience a corner cab of some sort is standard (susan, blind, easy-reach) - if you want to eliminate that corner storage, you have to tell the KD or cabinetmaker you want it eliminated. Did the cabinetmaker include extra stile width on the sides of the cabinets to accommodate the filler that's needed in cabinets installed in a corner with a dead corner? You need either that or significant filler to allow the doors/drawers to open and clear the drawer pulls/knobs on the other side of the corner. The corner cabs mentioned above provide "natural" filler... Personally, I'd get the cabinetmaker to make a corner cabinet of some sort!

Creating symmetry could help without adding a lot more items that could create a clutter vibe. You might consider rehanging the three octagon shelving pieces, one centered over each sofa cushion, placed to to form a slightly diagonal line with the smallest one at the high end and the add two new pieces -- higher over the left (aligned with where the first and second cushion meet) and lower than the diagonal line on the right (aligned where the middle and third cushion meet). Make these two newly added boxes or frames or decorative items of similar size and somehow relevant to each other, including the most dominant color. You could even add additional octagon shelving painted in your favorite bright or bold color.. https://www.etsy.com/listing/743522404/floating-geometric-octagon-shelf?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=octagon+shelf&ref=sr_gallery-1-8 You could choose two bold colored circles; https://www.etsy.com/listing/564205623/blue-agate-stone-design-circle-music?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_christmas_Art_and_Collectibles&utm_custom1=944d3c0c-df9a-4299-b772-94d6c8670b80&utm_content=go_1707294370_69268675129_331635229824_pla-314954651933_c__564205623&utm_custom2=1707294370&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuc260cX46QIVGEmGCh01wg9FEAQYBSABEgJKv_D_BwE https://www.etsy.com/listing/564209897/colored-ocean-waves-falling-down-circle?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_christmas_Home_and_Living&utm_custom1=944d3c0c-df9a-4299-b772-94d6c8670b80&utm_content=go_1707294370_69268674649_331635229806_pla-303628061699_c__564209897&utm_custom2=1707294370&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuc260cX46QIVGEmGCh01wg9FEAQYAiABEgIpPPD_BwE or add a different art form such as pressed metal wall art with pieces of similar size to each other. https://www.touchofclass.com/infinity-sun-wall-art-bronze/p/W842-001/?kc=ZMFPFS8&code=YMF03&color=Bronze&size=&tid=YMFPLA&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw9PlwMT46QIVA2yGCh1xDAMjEAkYAiABEgLeO_D_BwE https://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Artwork-Celtic-Handmade-Certified/dp/B0155G6JYO https://www.amazon.com/Urban-Designs-Handcrafted-Flock-Birds/dp/B0168873L6/ref=pd_lpo_201_img_0/136-9494044-5156007?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0168873L6&pd_rd_r=e390fd56-50ca-4460-a3e1-177ef7557f00&pd_rd_w=ezai0&pd_rd_wg=3Q8cq&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=6MXHM1EYMTEX2KNCS78G&psc=1&refRID=6MXHM1EYMTEX2KNCS78G https://www.amazon.com/Octagon-Octagonal-Hanging-Geometric-Decorative/dp/B07Q2MCNTR https://www.antiquefarmhouse.com/hand-carved-scalloped-wall-mirror.html https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RHVZ33W/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07RHVZ33W&pd_rd_w=qYKx2&pf_rd_p=48d372c1-f7e1-4b8b-9d02-4bd86f5158c5&pd_rd_wg=h8EXz&pf_rd_r=G2S2W9Z4T4C442S6NW94&pd_rd_r=b919e319-2abf-412d-96cf-b1a6c589cb14&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExTVZZNDFISUdDQUkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0MTU0NzgzSjRXQzJJOVgxT0VVJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAyNDgyMjg2Qk1QMElETlE1Nkwmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl Mirrors wouldn't be my first choice but some people like them.

not a fire hazard, lost of people like to have a decorative cover like that. You can't tell from his photo, but there wouldn't be a top to it, so just a lattice that is kept about 6" - 12" off of the unit itself. I would recommend the patio/landing spot there. Then if you have the room, you could put a small tree or some kind of hedge plant.

I can see updates are needed, but IMHO giving up a main floor bedroom and full bath is not ideal. Your market is admittedly a younger one (I am very familiar with it) but I’d ask a local realtor first. In general, a main floor B/B is a gold mine. Even younger folks can break a leg or need back surgery unexpectedly. Were it my house, I’d remove the walls to open up the L-zone around the stairs to every extent possible, but leave that bed/bath corner and two small hall closets. Then I’d do whatever I had to do structurally, be it LVLs or columns or whatever. I would put the kitchen where the dining room is, put the dining room where the office is, and get rid of the office altogether. Then I would float the stairs, and if it suits the character of the house, use either cable-rail or thin metal balusters. You would still have a very open space, but retain your home’s current flexibility. But that’s me, not you. Whatever you chose, I look forward to the before and after pics. Good luck.