Zazz, I only have my own old feather duster, but that's an idea for the under the dishwasher and cabinets bits. I have tried to ignore the remaining powder I see ooze out. Oh Cathy....I guess it's true, we'd all take our own problems if they were out on a table to share. Soap!!! oh-my-god. I never had that much spill but the only idea I can think of ...Flylady also I believe...is to mop it up with towels and use them as the 'base' for lots of upcoming loads of laundry. (But will that screw up a washing machine with dishwashing soap????)

I think it definitely would add value to your house because the next owner wouldn't have to go through what your going through now. I think you're right that people want more usable, functional space. Too many people think they want totally open spaces but they end up with what you have now with wasted and useless space. and in furnishing those purposeless areas, they end up with something that looks like a furniture store showroom. Boring! I agree with squaring it off and placing the French doors facing the foyer. An added benefit when finished, is you gain some wall space in your living room for a wide but not too deep statement cabinet that could hold a lot of the kids' toys and games. If you have frequent guests and need an extra bed, I like the idea of a fold-up couch or desk/bed set-up to give the room an extra function.

It requires proper air flow for ventilation. It requires proper accessibility for servicing. It requires proper clearances to combustible materials. It would have to be a pretty large cupboard with louvered doors in order to accomplish those needs. Needs that are currently being met by having it out in the open.

There are lots of options and lots of questions. It would be helpful to see pictures of the full kitchen and the ceiling. - Are you looking to install recessed lighting throughout the entire kitchen? - Do you have access to the attic above the kitchen? I'm guessing that your house was constructed with trusses. What you are calling a beam is really the bottom of a truss. Drywalling over that opening is not that big a project. It would require some electrical work because it's against code to make a junction box inaccessible. But it's not as daunting as it may sound. Here are some types of trusses. Here are what trusses look like when installed There are three primary options for LED recessed lighting. 1. Wafer thin disk lights like these: 2. LED lights that mount to a J-Box (the j stands for junction) like these: Here's what one might look like from below: 3. The traditional standard can with an LED trim kit: Any of these could work. Depending upon how handy you are, it can be a rather straightforward project - especially with roof trusses.