We recently took possession of a 850 square foot rancher (1966 vintage) and we're wanting to improve the layout and add more windows.

The former owners had a teeny tiny "dining area" that was effectively in the entry way, since the functional main entrance of the house is the back door (marked as "main entry" on floor plan below)

I would appreciate any suggestions for improving our proposed layout. We're trying to make more of an eating area away from the main door, make the living room bigger by removing the bump-out for the "front" door, add windows to the west wall. One challenge is what to do with furniture layout around the front door - do we keep circulation here even though it will be unused, or do we ignore it completely and put the couch along that adjacent wall to the right?

Do we move the couch to the right-hand wall and block the door? Or possibly put a console table behind the couch (with 1-2 short lamps) so that there isn't an end table on that side?

Perspective of the new eating area idea with bench (storage) seat and new windows above. We need a beam across the top because we've taken out that wall. Idea to hang a pendant lamp from the beam.