In Need of Big Ideas

Internets--I have a challenge for you.

I know there have got to be at least a few people who read here that love a vicarious renovation/decorating project. Right? Well do I have one for you--a toughie, Germaine called it when I gave her a sneak peak late last night. She might have been understating it.

Our kitchen has lovely cabinetry, but one wall of that lovely cabinetry I can't quite figure out what to do with. Here's how the previous owners used it. 

They had a small flat screen TV in a nook above their breakfast table, a 6 foot folding table at a right angle with the wall with two chairs on each side. On either side of the table are fairly shallow cabinets--13"--that go from floor to almost ceiling. The space to the left of the cabinets (in the photo) is where the back door opens.

Here's a shot of what we're working with once the TV and breakfast table are gone and the door is open.



[I will now interrupt this blog post to do a different blog post:]

YAY OUR NEW FLOORS!! AREN'T THEY BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT AND AWESOME AND NOT BLUE? I LOVE THEM SO.

[Carry on.]

Now here's the question: What in the world do we do with this wall?

Things to consider...
1. The small wall cabinet on the right hand side is our fuse box, so that needs to stay accessible.

2. We have no interest in having a TV in the kitchen.

3. We have very little interest in having a table in the kitchen, the dining room is right next door and we plan on using it.
4. Yes, there are THREE power outlets in the open space.
5. We've been told--assured even--that these are modular cabinets. Each pair of doors marks a section that can be taken out and rearranged. The smooth vertical panels on either side of the center section and on the far right are just spacers.
6. We would like the option of keeping the back door standing open (there's a nice glass storm door there as well), so we want it to have space.
7. We still haven't identified what's hanging off the top of the cabinets on the left side.




8. Yes, those are the heights of the previous owner's children and grandchildren in the door frame on the far right. They come from tall stock. Eventually we will paint over that. But it makes me a little sad.
9. We don't have the recommended kitchen "work triangle" now. Moving the refrigerator to this wall could help, but there is almost certainly a depth issue. And plumbing.
10. For what it's worth, we don't have a surplus of counter space in this kitchen. Cabinets, yes. Counter space. Not quite as much.



11. New floors are a dusty business. [BUT SO SO BEAUTIFUL!!]

For your further consideration:
The cabinets are 13" deep.
The open space is 37" wide in the current configuration.
The shelf where the TV was is about 24" deep.

Now I have a few ideas in mind--I have been thinking on this problem for a couple of months now. But I don't want to pollute your brilliance with my ideas, so I'm leaving it wide open. Think on it. Send this link to your design-minded friends. And then share your creative genius with us.

We will greatly appreciate it.