Please show us pics of the entire room. It is hard to take this one sliver out of context.

I suspect if you have no immediate storage or other functional needs that come to mind, it would be nice to have nothing there. One of the joys of kids being gone is you don't have to pack things into every nook and cranny of your home. You have room to breathe now!

Your photo and your description of how you used the space, I can't visualize how it worked.

Would you take more photos?

Who played football? Quarterback?

What will the room be used for?

The room is a family room- just for tv watching- not used much any more though- football season the most. Here the the rest of the room, standing about where the empty space is.

I’d enclose it for storage, or beverage/snack bar

Depending on how wide that area is you could put a small cabinet there. Store games or blankets.

It’s not what you asked, but I’m curious about the covering on your stairway steps. Permanent or temporary?

Temp because the cats scratch it- I need to replace the Velcro so it it tighter.

I don't think you need anything there