What is your current aisle width to the island? This is important. If you are comfortable reducing that width everything else is doable. We have a full depth Samsung french door that is in a run of base and wall cabinets that are pulled forward to match the depth of the refrigerator. The added bonus for us is that while the cabinets are pulled forward the counter depth is an extra 6" deep along this run so we added appliance garages along the whole length under the upper cabinets. The stand mixer, the toaster, the food processor, the bread machine, etc. are all housed in there but we still have enough functional room in front of the appliance garages---about 18"---to use for a sandwich and breakfast making area. So much depends on your actual measurements and how you intend to use the space. Good luck.

Here's a couple options. Pull the drywall put 1/2" ply to line the opening and it's now 28 1/2". Pull the cabs 4" forward with very usefull added counter space. Do the same recess and add a 2x4 and 1/2" drywall run the length of the wall to the left as needed to bring that section forward. Build the end panel you have to the right of the frig into an 8" end wall. Rotate the frig on an angle so the left side meets the counter depth pulled out to 26" and the rear right corner is recessed in the new wall. The left side trim panel can run straight back on that side. Add up the costs and see how it compares with this $5700 Liebherr FD. Here is a link that might be useful: Liebherr 36

We used the top half of the china cabinet I inherited in the library of our former house. I had a plain box base made to hold it, stained it to the same color, and put it behind the small end of an L-shaped sofa, because with its own base, it was too tall to fit in our 8' rooms. It actually started life as a secretary-bookcase, but my great-grandfather, who bought it at auction, only bought the top half, and had a nice but distinctly inferior bottom made for it then. I've tried to find the other half, but with no success. Sigh. So much for its potential value. But I digress ... I put a few groups of nice old books, a couple of pewter pitchers, a plate or two, and some other attractive things in it. I also lined the back wall with a piece of cream jacquard fabric to lighten the whole business. Not sure how well you can see, but here it was: It was traditional in old houses to line the doors of large secretary-bookcases like this one with gathered green cloth to protect the books from sunlight, so you'd be in good company if you decided to put fabric in yours.

I think you're right about that. Especially for our kitchen, I believe our cabinets are handmade and the base cabinets are very deep. If we go with stock cabinets on those it will change the footprint of our kitchen. I'd rather keep the base cabinets and maybe just refinish them. They may be hand made but are very simple and plain inside.