The new layout is a huge improvement! I assume that's a DW to the right of the sink, with the fridge recessed into the same location as your current fridge? The only change I would suggest would be to move the range to the left a little bit. A wider prep space between the sink and the cooktop would be more useful than a wide work space on the other side of the range.

For the load-bearing wall, what if you kept a wall in the middle third of the room, with the two outer thirds open for easy passage between living room and dining room? If you want more openness and light, the "wall" could be open shelves--shelf vertical pieces doubling as structural support.

Great point about the counterspace. Any ideas how to design the kitchrn without opening the wall?

Which wall? The wall between kitchen and living, or the short wall immediately left of your range?

The wall between kitchen and living.

If you want to keep that entire wall intact, I would shorten or eliminate the short wall that it connects to, the wall that kind of frames the dining table. That wold help the dining table feel relatively open and easy to access from the living room. I do think it would work best though to make a doorway, even a narrow 30" one, on the right side of that wall. If you do, you connect the rooms better. And, you could eliminate the kitchen-side doorway to the hall, and put more pantry cabinets on that wall.