I was reading this laughing and thinking, 'Hmmm...it sounds like my Siamese kitty (who's now 15) when he was a kitten!". Siamese love vertical areas and CLIMBING and perching up high. If you do not provide something for them to climb, they will improvise. They can be very stubborn and prefer to dominate. I love Siamese cats...because I like the challenge. When he was a kitten, he would actually leap onto the top of the door. Yes - the door. Not a shelf...the top of a door..that 2 inch wide space and balance there, then, leap on me when I walked by. Also, he fell out of two different second floor windows via the screen. Once was leaping at a bird on the tree through the window, the other time...who knows? The squirt bottle thing never worked on my Siamese - Saki. It became a game to him where he would be naughty because he knew I would squirt him so he could run through the house playing 'chase me, chase me'. Obviously, I had to come up with another strategy. This was not working! The time-out thing seemed to work the best. He hated being seperated from me and would howl behind closed doors. Some of the behavior you describe is just 'Siamese Kitten' and he'll grow out of it. But, you do need to establish that you are the one in charge. Okay this will sound weird, but, when he uses you as a human scratching post, try grabbing him by the scruff (the mamma-cat way) to immobolize him, look him in the face and make a very loud angry cat sound (RRRREOW!) with hissing. I know...it sounds weird and you don't want to be on YouTube doing this, but sometimes, if you 'speak their language' - they get it. For whatever it's worth, they do calm down eventually and you'll find you miss the crazy Siamese antics.

Ok, I'm laughing my socks off. At the question and the responses, and the repeated references to loos! Such a very British term. . . I don't have magazine racks or bookcases in my bathrooms today (they are very tiny) but we have been known to read in them. FYI, My best buy ever (20 years ago) was a huge wall mounted crossword puzzle in the guest bathroom. So funny to see which clues had been filled in after a dinner party -- I so wish I could find another one! I'm guessing that there are many "closet" readers out there! Nah, it isn't tacky, per se, but it is probably an unsanitary "intellectual" kind of thing . . . So funny!

I think it will look wonderful. I've been putting off getting one for the same spot in our new bathroom, but you are inspiring me to get going on it. I agree with arcy, except all the studies I've read (and my common sense) say that rather being dangerous, exposure to a "normal" amount of germs/dirt is what makes life less dangerous. Those kids that suck their thumbs, or are the youngest children in a big family of boys (ie, likely to be exposed to lots of dirt), etc. have been shown to be the healthiest, therefore life is less dangerous for them.

Random thoughts: You say you need to be practical -- but you're talking about removing existing cabinets and replacing them with some pricey things (glass fronts). I assume you're doing an Airbnb for profit? I'd keep the cabinets you have /perhaps paint them. Yes, it would be nice for the peninsula not to protrude into the room, but how many times will you need to rent this place to pay for those new cabinets? Imagine you're renting an Airbnb. What're you going to consider first? Probably location. Then beds /bed size. Then general space and amenities -- your balcony and seating areas are great. But would you really look at an Airbnb online and say, "Oh, I'll stay in this one because it'll be so easy to find things in the kitchen!" No. I think you're losing sight of the focus: profit. Note, too, that your space seems to be set up for couples ... so you probably only need a few small pots and pans. This isn't a place that'll be rented by big families who'll need full sets of cookware. Even people who do cook in an Airbnb is going to focus on quick-and-easy -- after all, they're on vacation, and few of us put lots of effort into cooking when we don't have our favorite knives, all our spices, etc. What I think you should emphasize: your small appliances. A couple is going to want a coffee maker, a microwave (probably for rewarming leftovers from meals out), and a toaster. Also, an above poster made a good point about ample tableware. Personally, I think it's reasonable for a renter to assume that they'll have "two meals worth" of plates /bowls. I mean, if a couple stays here, they should be able to assume that they can eat breakfast /put their plates in the dishwasher and still have plates in the cupboard for their dinner meal. The problem, of course, is that the owner must constantly keep up with these things -- if a previous renter broke /threw away a bowl, the cupboard is now "short". A smart owner would buy a BUNCH of tableware, but not necessarily put it all out at once.I would expect -- as a renter -- to find a small set of basic cookware, a large /small casserole dish, a cookie sheet, a pizza pan, a pitcher and a couple cooking spoons /spatulas /knives. I would not expect a meat thermometer and similar things. People who expect to cook in Airbnbs/similar places plan to cook basic meals -- probably things that they can do without a recipe, with only a couple ingredients. They don't assume spices beyond S&P, and they don't want to buy a bunch of groceries that won't be used up. I'd assume Airbnb renters would cook up a steak and baked potato, or they'd bake a couple chicken breasts with broccoli -- nice food, but simple. With that in mind, do you have a small closet in this space that could be "locked up space" for you or a maid to access cleaning goods, extra tableware, light bulbs, etc.? You don't want to give renters full access to all your "extra stuff" because some will take it with them. As for a pot rack, I'm not a big fan. My mother had a huge one over a small island when I was a child, and the pots that weren't used often definitely picked up a "haze of dirt" -- probably because they were so close to the range that they picked up grease from cooking. And -- in our case -- the light was above the pot rack. Worst choice possible: The light was diffused by all the pots, while highlighting the grease on dirty pots. But my mom loved that thing because it opened up cabinet space. That little Ikea island looks ideal -- small, affordable. Perhaps a local carpenter could whip up something similar? Yeah, it'd cost more, but you have to do what's possible. No to a Julia-Child pegboard. This space looks like it's a one-room space (great option for a couple), and a pegboard isn't all that attractive. If the kitchen were in a separate space ... no, not even then. Inside a pantry ... that's a yes. But not for this space. Having said that, your space looks lovely. I think you'll be successful in renting it as a romantic get-away space for couples.