Hello! I’m renovating my kitchen and would love some advice on how to make the best use of the space.

My main dilemma is whether or not to open the kitchen up to the living room. I’ve considered a few different ways of doing so, but none have felt completely natural because of the placement of the staircase and the main walking path from the hallway and laundry room through the kitchen into the living room. Ideally, I’d like to keep that circulation path as open and unobstructed as possible.

I’ve attached the floor plan along with a few photos of the space for reference. I’d love to hear how others might approach the layout. Open to incorporating the breakfast nook into the kitchen and knocking down/opening up walls.