Max Taxable, thanks for the assistance. Can you tell me how I can accomplish my goal? Do I reduce the welcome message and social media divs?
Personally Soaringpine, I think the 'air" above the sidebar lets the page breathe. Your site looks really sharp. Use of white space is pagination 101 and in your case it serves as a great CVI (center of visual impact) that holds the eye and makes it want to look around more. I'd leave it. BUT, you want to get rid of your CVI, so....
It is unknown to me at this time how one would try to tie the sidebar to the breadcrumb instead of forumhome. If it could be done it might compress the Divs you have for the social media icons and the welcome message, but I don't know. I would need admin credentials in order to take a look around the settings and the scripts for this.
EXTRA: How much time do your users spend looking at the forum home page? It is hidden from guests, must be logged in to even see it, and I highly doubt anyone is sitting there looking at it. They're out in postbit and in the forums, reading and posting - where there is no sidebar.
A difference that makes no difference, is no difference.