I don't think it would be worth the money to buy another appliance just for the purpose of making that empty hole look good. Honestly, I would just do the wine rack, despite the fact that it would be a bad location for wine. You're doing this to make your house look good to sell, and the vast majority of the people looking to buy won't be serious enough wine drinkers to realize that's a bad spot (and if they are, they'll also realize that they can rip it out themselves if they buy the house and don't want to store wine there). It would be a kindness to the next homeowner if you put chose a wine rack that wouldn't be difficult to remove -- maybe a freestanding wood rack stained to match the cabinets, sized to fit most of the space. Or a wrought-iron one could look pretty, too.

Is it possible to take out the little shelf holding the cookbooks? If so, I would put the cookbooks up above & turn the space below into a coffee station.

I would remove the microwave on the right. Since you already have a power source wired into that space, I'd install a light into the "ceiling" of the remaining hole.

If the wood can be stained to match the cabs, great. If not, then line the hole with tile, drywall painted to match other kitchen walls, or even black glass (with a strong light).

Then I would leave the new space almost completely empty. Maybe put one nice crystal or glass bowl, empty, and a stack of color coordinated "nice" dishtowels.

The reason I recommend mostly empty space there is because you're planning to sell, and most buyers will see empty space as a location to put their stuff. It's human nature to have difficulty seeing past other people's stuff to imagine your own in the same space. So, the more empty space you can leave, the more your buyers can see their own things in your kitchen. (I think that's why realtors ask sellers to remove most of the stuff off their kitchen counters, and all the family-specific stuff like personal photos.)

You've actually got a nice, flexible, selling spot there if you take out the microwave.

I also like the suggestion to take out the cookbook stand, move the books to the empty space, and use the counter space for something else.

Thanks for the suggestions! I actually was rethinking the wine rack just for looks, but keeping the space open for staging is a good idea too.

The cookbook stand on the counter is removable. I could see if it fits into the space above. I'll have to check out the electrical situation both on the counter and in the cab itself to see if lighting inside the cab would work. There's an undercab florescent light currently above the cookbooks.

It seems like the cabinet interior is unfinished, so I'm concerned about matching the oak inside. Maybe drywall painted the wall color (which is going to change too) is a good plan.

The tile is going to go - we're having granite installed.

So my current thinking is to just remove the microwave, see what it looks like, finish the area if necessary, stage it nicely with a (very) few items and go from there.

Hoping to sell the microwaves on Craig's List. The oven is beyond help.

I also think removing the cookbook shelf and putting them in the alcove above is a better idea. Right now, the counter with the shelf looks cluttered. W/o the shelf, it's more counterspace and/or landing space for the oven & MW, always a plus when selling!

I would also leave the outlet for the future owner to do whatever they want w/the alcove....you'll have to anyway b/c you cannot cover over a live or potentially-live wire inside a wall. Just make sure the cover blends in with the wall if it isn't covered by the cookbooks.

I would probably also pack up some of the cookbooks so you have room for a nice bookend and made small vase or somesuch in the alcove as well...it will make the alcove look bigger and more useful.

I wouldn't bother trying to re-use that shelf in the alcove...you don't need it and it just adds clutter...just put the books on the floor of the alcove. If the floor is lower than the frame, get a piece of wood to raise it to the same height as the frame and paint it.

I agree about all the books looking cluttered - I'll pack up all but 2-3 (at most) when we stage. I often see kitchens staged with just one cookbook, open on the counter to a delicious-looking photo.

What doesn't really show in my photo above is the cave-like nature of the counter area. It's very deep, and I have to bend down to reach the cookbooks in the back. That's why I was concerned about adding yet another cave-like area above the counter. Lightening up the interior of the cabinet is going to be important.

You could lessen the depth of the existing microwave cabinet. Seems that a simple frame could be built with sheetrock to the face - perhaps at 12" depth. Refinish this to match walls.

Whatcha think?
Rosie

I wouldn't mess with the depth, and I wouldn't buy a replacement microwave. A buyer needs to see what can be done with that space. In a former home, we had a countertop microwave in a similar niche-like space. A toaster or toaster oven could go there too, if there's an outlet handy.

I suggest when you stage your home that you pack up all but the absolute essentials. Buyers need to see space.

If you want to eliminate the alcove altogether, you might consider very carefully cutting away the alcove, sanding the bottom cut edges, and either staining it to match the cabinets or re-installing the bottom of the alcove over the bottom of the cabinet above (thus utilizing the finished outside bottom of the alcove).

It looks like you have full-height finished end panels b/w the oven cabinet & MW/alcove cabinet and b/w the refrigerator & MW/alcove cab...so the sides may not be an issue either if you remove the alcove. You may have to patch a couple of screw holes, but the finished panel should still be there.

Another option would be to reduce the height of the alcove. Very carefully cut out the bottom of the alcove, shorten the height of the alcove sides and re-install the bottom of the alcove at the higher height.

Or, reduce the depth of the alcove by very carefully cutting out the bottom and the sides. Trim the sides & bottom to a shallower depth (trim from the back) and re-installing the sides & backs at the new depth (and height, if you like...see previous paragraph).

I think Gizmonike is right, leave the alcove alone. I was just giving you options if you really, really wanted to do something about the height/depth.

If I were a potential buyer, I would probably look at the arrangement and mentally remove the oven/MW and replace w/a double oven and be glad there was also a place for either a built-in MW or a shelf for it.

I don't think you should go to the expense/trouble to do that, let the new owners do it...if they want to!

The important thing is that there are options!

Or, the new owners might replace the MW above the oven w/an Advantium, steam oven, or other and still have a place for a MW.

See? That alcove could actually turn out to be an advantage!

you might overcome the cave-like quality of the counter area if you made the bottom of the alcove into a glass shelf, and lit both the new alcove shelf and the counter below with a light that shines down through the glass shelf.

Hi all - thanks again for your thoughts. I think some kind of better light in the counter area might be required because the tile is going to be replaced with a dark granite (= darker cave).