Boy I don't know if I'd try. My contractor (fired) was trying that one one of the cabinets in our first order that was shipped wrong (without it's toe kick drawer). Uninstalled, he had it upside down and was prying the front off. It had been glued and screwed (or nailed?) and I showed up right after he got it off. The damage to the side of the cabinet was quite bad. He didnt care because it wasn't going to be exposed. He also took off the plastic supports that were on the corner, which the cabinet company had a cow about. Unless you are quite sure how it's constructed, I'd not try to take the whole front off. One option you could try I guess (and it would be akward working) is to cut the front a few inches away from each side and pull it off. Then attach a board on the insides (forming the side of your drawer) with blume glides on them. Then build your box and slide it in, using a matching piece for the front... That's a lot of work when stools are under ten bucks :)

I've got a size 14 shoe, and while I notice that my toes do occasionally go under the toe kick, I also notice that they hit the toe kick sometimes. My assumption is that I would frequently kick the toe kick if I hadn't become conditioned to sense what space is available. I also assume that if there were no toe kick at all, I would eventually become conditioned to just position my feet further back without thinking about it. Then again, that's a lot of assuming. ;)

How high do you think the "furniture" bottom of the cabinet should be? For those of you who have the "no toe kick" look, what size is the trim at the bottom of your cabinet. What other things must I consider besides loss of cabinet space etc. The picture below is one I like for style. I think it is a Christopher Peacock kitchen from eons ago. The base looks pretty high, maybe 5 or 6 inches? I have seen a stepping block at the bottom of cabinets or a tray that slips out with dog dishes in them. What else could you slip in there?

I think Love's toe kick drawers are about the best around. Had I seen those, I'd have copied them myself, but if you go with a simpler drawer, I'll tell you what mine are (we have 3 rooms with toe kick drawers). My son's (in his bathroom...he's 3) is 4 1/2 deep (the area you're specifically asking about). This is to accomidate turning the drawer upside down (it's reinforced) to use as a step stool up to the sink a bit. My master bath toe kicks are 4" as well, and they're built to be hidden (not obvious) unlike my kitchen, which are 3.5" and given that I've put handles on them, they're not hidden. One key to a toe kick drawer (not like Loves) is full extension glides. You already loose a few inches where the cabinet overhangs, so full extention gives you as much as you can get in room. In the kitchen, we'd lose a lot of function on the base cabs that are 24" deep if they weren't full extension. I also have them for my sinks, but they're only about 15" or so deep to accomidate the pipes running up from the floor...but even that little space is useful for extra sponges, etc. I love my toe kick drawers...and during the appraisal the appraisor went nuts over them heh heh