How about things you use at the eating area, such as:
condiments -- salt, pepper, sugar, ketchup... or
tumblers...or
napkins...or
put in a magazine rack for magazines, catalogs, and newspapers?

Thank you both. I like the idea of a place for the newspaper, since my normal place for it is to keep it spread out all over the table all day :-).

Also the stool. I've got a little stool that would fit right in there. How do you keep the stool from falling out every time you open the door though? I've got Fibber McGee's Closet Syndrome.

I was originally planning on having a "cantry" or at least, that is what the Gardenwebbers ended up calling it. I liked the idea of a shallow cabinet (I was planning 6") for rows of cans or spices or whatever. I ended up changing our layout for other reasons and had to loose the cantry. :(

I keep rice, legumes, nuts, specialty flours in mason jars. I would love to have a 6" cabinet for storing them (with shelves placed just right so that no space is wasted.)

This cabinet over the sink is 6'' deep.

I used to have one similar in size (maybe a little wider) at the end of our counter, facing the entrance from the open living area. I had them put a glass door on it and used it for glasses and liquor cabinet and a few decorative items. Cabinet people thought I was crazy to put glass down there, but when they saw it finished, they began making the same suggestions to other clients!

Guess it depends on how accessible it is, is it easily reached like the cabinet in Holligator's pic, is it under an overhang, behind stools?

Then what do you have/use that fits in those dimensions that you would like to have (can't say handy, cuz I don't know how 'handy' it will be). I might use it for flower arranging stuff, if I had a cupboard that size, vases, oasis, marbles, etc. Could fit wrapping supplies, mailing, homework...lunch bags...plastic bags...

It will be very accessable. Along the length of a 42 inch side of my island, 27 inches will be overhang for a stool, and then the 15 inches of this cabinet will come up to the edge of the granite. I'll try later to insert a drawing, but the cabinetry under the island will create an "L" shape, and the empty area will house a stool.

I'm reluctant to have anything breakable in there, especially the booze, because of the kiddies who will have access to it.

Still, the (not-clear) glass door might look nice down there, even it's just hiding plastic cups & the newspaper.

Thanks, you guys. You're giving me a lot to think about.

We have two of those "found" spaces.

ok, now that's smart. wiring it is a stroke of genius.

anyway, you stole my suggestion, which was to put a dustpan and small brush in there, but your little cabinet with an outlet in it gives me the idea to put a dustbuster in the cabinet.

If you *really* wire it up, you could put lots of rechargeables in there. Dustbuster, flashlight, electric screwdriver/

Recharging station for cell phones, PDAs, Gameboys, etc.

(put the outlets on a switch, or use a powerstrip w/ a switch, and you could turn them all off at once when you go on vacation)

Wow, cat_mom. I have to figure out a way to do that. LOVE those cabs. Very clever.

I will have a blank space like that in out butler's pantry (actually 6 inch deep but will be in a shallow blind corner too). I decided to use Ikea stainless cabs in there. Has anyone used just a door, mounted somehow? Or has anyone adjusted the Ikea cabinet boxes to be a custom size? I wonder how hard that would be. I did read about some modifications on Ikeafans but have to look further.

I just have to say, these are some very smart ideas!

Oh my gosh, I LOVE all these ideas! I'm going to have to get a 6" cabinet on the end of every cabinet run now....one for cans/jars, one for charging, one for the newspaper....

Seriously, the only thing that would concern me about glass is making sure that it's not going to get kicked, bashed or banged by the kids.

There was a kitchen on FKB which had base cabinets on the island with the lower half of the doors wood, and the upper half glass. So you got the display with less danger of the kids putting a foot through the glass.

holligator and cat mom..what make of step stool do you have...and/or where did you get it?

TIA

Williams-Sonoma. Not cheap but well worth it with regards to how thin it is, its lightness of weight, ease of use (open/close), and of course looks! We had to cut down the legs for it to fit in the cab (rubber feet slide/pop out, cut down with a hacksaw, and pop feet back in--voila!).

Here is a link that might be useful: W-S step stool

We have two 6" deep cabinets in our island. We use them for oils, vinegar, cat food, etc. They are very handy.