I had a few extra inches planned between my refrigerator and framed entranceway so that the refrigerator door could open fully. A panel was supposed to cover it. I never would have been able to do something really useful with the few inches as I didn't need a pull-out that big right next to my doorway. After the sheetrock was put up, we discovered a few more inches! I remembered that someone on this forum had a cabinet mounted sideways next to the refrigerator so that it opened out. I kind of used that idea but the cabinet opening is on the other side of the doorway. So now I've got a recessed custom built-in cabinet in my tiny mudroom. The cabinet depth is the door frame and "kitchen filler space". The filler space is covered by a small panel and I think of it as my reclaimed/found space! jayne

Everyone really is not that different. There’s just different amounts of space, and stuff. We all pretty much interact with that space and stuff the same way., only differing because of the space or stuff. I use a knife to smash garlic. My sis used a garlic press. I have a fancy corkscrew. My sis doesn’t drink wine. I try to wear an apron. She doesn’t own a one. We all store our salad greens in the fridge, and our canned tomatoes in a pantry or cabinet that acts as a pantry. We all wash our hands and knives frequently during prep, I hope, and use the space between the water source and cooking zone the most. Unless it doesn’t exist, as in an urban micro kitchen. If you design a kitchen that complies with 30 of the rest of the 31 Rules, then #27 takes care of itself. Landing space in the zones is especially important. As is that 36” of uninterrupted room close to water for prep. Figure out the Big Picture. The Small Picture solves itself if you do that. Also, do some mis en place thinking about task centers having the materials they need stored in those task centers.

First try putting film on the glass door cabinets. That will give you several new storage places. You can buy the film at Home Depot or Menards. Then look at your in-cabinet storage. Could you use some extra shelves in some cabinets? Turntables often store more because one can access what is in the back. Could hooks in an upper cabinet be used for mugs and so free up shelf space? In other words, make sure that you are using every cubic inch of storage space wisely. It goes without saying to be sure to purge duplicates and other items that aren't especially useful.

How you plan to use the cabinet matters. If you want a coffee maker on that countertop, just add an overhead cabinet above the ?thermostat? but would try to minimize open shelving. You might consider a combination of shelf and cabinet. You could add one open shelf (shallow rather than deep ) above the light switch and electrical outlet, so you can reach/use the switch and outlet but leave open the space from that shelf to above the ?thermostat? (if that needs to stay in place). You could put your spices or coffee related items a shallow wood tray that sits on that open shelf. You'd still have access to and use of the countertop. Then you could go ahead and add a full overhead cabinet above that ?thermostat?. You could have doors to access that overhead cabinet from both the kitchen and hallway and either door could have shallow shelves within the door.