I would leave the top with existing trim to nake it look like a wide doorway. lose the bottom part? or maybe lose the goofy 2x6 which has always bothered me?

I would not have a lone column in the middle. So keep the pony wall until you determine if the post is not load bearing.

The pony wall makes a good room divider for the Dining Room, because clearly there is a different room on the other side with the header there regardless.

So if you need to keep the post, keep the pony wall.

Thanks for the doggie photo! Sweet pup.

If you hope to visually connect the spaces, they should not be so very different in style color schemes. The yellow walls (that's not the right color for even this room) in the large room contrast too much with the teal walls in the garage room.

I am in process of painting all main living spaces white. the teal is an accent wall and the rest of that room is slso white.

You need to ask a contractor if that is a load bearing wall. I’m guessing it is, which explains the annoying post. It also makes me think you don’t have the right beam across the opening to take that post down and would have to install one.

There are some good ideas here around keeping the pony wall and making it look more cohesive with the two areas. Just painting everything white will give this whole area a better feel.

It may be a good idea to have a contractor look at that opening. Especially if the renovations were a DIY by the prior owner. If that opening needs support and there is not a properly sized beam already installed, it’s hard to believe that 2x6 post is adequate support.

Call a reputable GC or a framing contractor for a consultation please. No engineer is necessary yet. You can't know what you can do until you know what's been done. That 2x6 is not a good sign.

Goid point. the house is about 75 yesrs old and there was a ton of not great DiY done at some point including garage conversion then a flipper cane in a few years ago and just covered stuff up.

I agree garage convesrions are often DIY and not to code so before doing anything get it checked or did you have a home inspection when you bought.