We are re-doing a townhouse internally due to it being overrun and horribly destroyed by previous owner and 30 cats. it smelt worse than you think.

I have included two photos, the first being our own home entry wall which we have removed due to it being rotted. We do need to replace it however as it is structural and no budget for steel beam. There is also a pipe against the wall which has been boxed in.

Second photo is from another angle of a neighboring townhouse with same format.

I don't mind having a little barrier between entry and living/dining, as it gives a bit of separation and where the dining table is sitting in that photo will be a playroom for the toddler (so there will be mess which i'm, happy to provide privacy there.

I guess my question is, would you re-build as it was? I don't mind the look of it being re-built as it was by putting a nice timber top on it like the neighbours have.

another option we have thought of is not having the shelf and putting in lean timber slats as a privacy screen. OR having both a shelf and timber slat privacy screen.

struggling with making a decision.