perfect. i think i know what to do now. in my previous life i worked at a high powered private school. giant houses many built to perfection. many said they regretted having a dining room. so i thought hard about that and realized i felt the same way. so for your entry room, lets make that like an old fashioned antiroom. a cupboard for coats, boots, a place to put the door decorations for the different seasons and holidays. you also wish to have a bench and or chairs that are comfortable to remove shoes and put on more comfortable slippers etc., you can also store your purse etc. here. if you like a small table to write checks to the boyscouts and other chairities that come by. place a small bowl on it for your keys etc. everything has a place. not a lot of extra tops so you can;t just throw things down. you can make this a little luxiourious. artwork on the walls etc. next you have that living room. well that becomes your formal entertainment room. nice if it has doors so it is always clean. mine was like an old parlor/library/ art gallery. i had a table in the center for research and to look nice in front of the fireplace with 2 desk/dining room chairs with it. normally has a chrystal vase of flowers, a row of book shelves not necessarily in front of the wall mine were 2 thick back to back. straight out from the wall. i had another table in front of the front window, with another chair. put everything in here to allow you to have wonderful get togethers. your current dining room becomes your personal family room. a table with 2 chairs for games, puzzles, eating those things you can't eat on your couch. your tv, which there are lots of walls for it in here. will settle in comfy, you can have a couple of recliners or loungers to watch that tv in enjoy the sunday paper etc. now you have at least 4 tables sitting around each is the size of a desk, 30 x 50. you gather all the places you have placed dining chairs. you put them together and you have a dining room. you can have one table for a buffet or all to feed 12 with 5 tables. if you don't have enough space in front room then open doors and expand into entry room or traditional dining room. guys never mind moving furniture when you are feeding them.

the photo is better. I won’t change my advice, though. With the mirror gone and the chandelier hanging lower, it will fill that space, and the black works with the black of the firebox. The brick shelves give you the opportunity to place art, tall and rectangular, on the shelves. Not exactly your fireplace, but close enough to give you a picture of my ideas. I noticed something else in my inspiration photo, which never occured to me…While choosig art with black frame, paint the white brick shelves black.

Benches are great for kids and I suggest having only one bench if you really want it and putting chairs at the head and end of the table along with chairs on the opposite side. You want to think about if you have guests or relatives over with health issues. Well made chairs with backs work best for them! My dining room table is similar to this and it does have a leaf for when we have several people over for dinner!

I'd keep in mind the view into the kitchen - if white - doesn't hurt to pick neutrals, or a color, that you'd like to repeat in other area --https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Collection-Geometric-Anti-Static-Water-Repellent/dp/B01MCT4BW4/ref=pd_vtp_3?pd_rd_w=6mmR4&pf_rd_p=55cbb45e-2534-4809-9135-12f41eecb852&pf_rd_r=HEEXC2J3DRVJWDYAQQZN&pd_rd_r=6d477b29-703f-4746-8ef1-d6d89ffcf26c&pd_rd_wg=o2CNr&pd_rd_i=B01M63J8EI&th=1