We used to have a counter that was piled high with junk in the old kitchen. So I worked in a 'command center' but really it was just a place for the junk. KD suggested if it was too big, we would fill it with the junk. Reduce space available for junk and likely have less. Turns out, he was right again!! LOL We put the phone and a mail holder in this cab. I also have a notepad and a couple pens. I keep an envelope in the back for tax receipts and FSA receipts. Hung command hooks on the back wall for spare keys (we have everyday keys closer to the door) and for calendar on door. Also a clip for each kid's pertinent stuff. Stained drawer below holds other kid stuff that I don't need all the time - class lists, pencils, glue sticks, etc. Cell phones aren't in there b/c I keep mine on my desk and he keeps his on the counter under the cab with his vitamins. Then he grabs it all on the way out the door. But one phone on the counter doesn't bother me - it's mostly camouflaged by the fruit bowl anyway. So, all the other stuff we used to have on the counter? Well, now it gets put away where it should - filing cabinet in spare room, recycling bin, wherever. We didn't allow so much space for it and we are able to better deal with the clutter now. You'll also see I could have used more than one shelf here for command stuff, but I like having the cups/filters/tea bags right by the coffee machines.

We have a completely open floor plan for our old condo. Our command center(s) is not fancy but works. This organizer actually covers up the new electric panel and is great to organize coupons, school forms, calendar, lunches, and lists. In the wooden bowl on the shelf next to it we put wallets and charge iPhone behind the bowl. Keys also sometimes end up there if not hung up on the first floor landing. I The old hutch we saved, the bottom drawers holdsall user manuals, mortgage and other important household docs,. The middle drawer is for my husband school teaching projects and things he is grading. My office area is open to the living and holds all the other stuff we need and is where we pay bills, where I work and where hubby does his projects. From living room

I vote for either a wider window, or keep the uppers with doors -- both look good, so you just have to decide whether you need the extra storage. One suggestion - if its not already ordered/built, consider making one of the lower cabinets a roll-out so you can put your printer on it (rather than in an upper cabinet). Put a plug in the back of that cabinet so it can always stay plugged in.

I think it's possible you mistook the hutch for the command center. The command center would be located in the bottom right-hand side of the kitchen layout. Yes, it's only 30" wide, but I do not intend to use it as a desk that I would sit down at and I can't give it more space, so it is what it is. It's a command center that from time to time the kids may pull a stool up to. The computer is an all-in-one and it's very mobile. It's more likely that they'd set it on the island nearby. The kids have iPads they can take into their bedrooms. Mostly this would contain our mail and bulletin board items, move the printer out of the front room, and get the paper shredder out of the dining room. It's rare that we need to access the filing cabinet on rare occasions, so it's no biggie to flip the secretary door up - although it would actually be accessible with the door down, just not to its full depth. The computer is actually smaller than the dimensions I used...may be able to make the doors longer and the secretary door shorter, thus less overhand in front when down.