Eryngiums are notorious for having remarkably penetrating taproots, which makes transplanting them difficult at best. I am surprised it "popped" out easily - trying to remove self-seeded eryngiums where not wanted is almost impossible. If it is an eryngium, I'd bet money most of the root is still in place :-)

Is that overhead lighting working for you in the old bathroom? A light bar and 2 sconces for our remodel last year took 3 months to get (long story) so we had to only use the ceiling cans. One above each sink. The shadows on our faces were awful, both for applying makeup and shaving. I put a diffuser in the cans which softened the light and helped a bit, but I was SO grateful when the new lights were installed. I don't care for the way they reflect off the wall in your photo, but it might only look that way in a pic, not in real light. They are very close to the wall. Taking out the soffit will open the room up more, but make sure there isn't other important stuff behind it (like pipes). -Babka

How much DIY is your family capable of? Is this unit made of maple? If you can order lower doors to match the new kitchen for a reasonable cost and if this would make you feel less at the mercy of the original builder, such a change wouldn't be a big deal. If this wood matches woodwork in other rooms, halls, etc. the suggestion to get new hardware to complement that other woodwork will give it a new feeling. Although the photos of your family are probably very comforting, try rearranging the contents of the display and rotating some of the photos to another spot and take advantage of the existing glass doors to display something that would give the spot a different and new-to-you aspect. A collection? books less than a foot in depth? Just a couple photos and a special object? Dried flowers in a fabulous vase? The reason for this suggestion is to help you detach from the "same old same old" that clings to the spot and thwarts new thinking so that you can make a good decision. Similarly, is there a way to introduce a color that dominates in the living room so that you can get used to this color in the display--such as wallpaper or a painted hunk of posterboard or something? I envy you this unit. We have a similar stairwell closet along a hall, a stupid deep, narrow, inaccessible coat closet with a sloped floor over the basement stairway. If only the builder had been like yours and designed for us a shelf cupboard on the opposite side of the stairs below. I've even considered knocking into the wall in order to get one!

Rebecca, Localeater, and Suzannes: Thanks for your suggestion to live with it a while. Kksmama; I did do a Houzz search on hanging utensils and it was a big help and gave me some ideas of what to hang and how it looks. I bought a few things at my favorite discount store and hung them up and it does brighten up the area. Mgoblue: It is good to know you liked the one you had. I will give it a try. I think cleaning items once in a while in the dishwasher is a good idea. The hard part is cleaning the tile and utensil bar hooks. My husband has been using the egg separator I had hung there a couple weeks ago and it's quicker than looking in a drawer!