If you attached a cup holder to the post I'd want my chair right near it. Could you make it into a sort of side table, between the post and the house?

If you have some lightweight or folding chairs and some boxes I’d try some practice arrangements- taking into account any other obstacles or areas you can’t place furniture, views, Sun directions ( which I know will vary with season)— and maybe some logical groupings will emerge, some measurements.

What kind of seating and how much of it do you want? Chairs, table and chairs to sit at, an outdoor sofa? Do you enjoy sitting on the long built in bench even though there is no back to it?

I am looking to have 4 chairs and a couple small tables. I am not sure the bench will get used much. Possibly a cocktail table in middle…but not sure how that would work.

Leave the post area alone, it’s just access anyway. Focus your seating area to the left( yard facing). If you still want to dress the post area, grouping if plants in pots.

Use the post as an anchor point for seating facing the bench.

Waht is on the upper deck ? IMO it looks like the upper deck is not really well built anyway so I would remove it but I need more info.

Okay here's four chairs, two side tables, two ottomans and a game/cocktail table for the bench.

Keep clear the area between the two posts. Use that space for traffic flow. Is it in your budget to remove the built in bench and add a railing? If so, it will make a larger seating area in that space more suitable for four chairs. If no, get four chairs from your house - folding folding, dining dining, whatever and move them around in that area to visualize what will work.

Do you have the chairs selected? I think you meed narrow chairs here. Nothing too chunky.