Good Morning, Oldbat2B! May I just say, your kitchen looks amazing!

If you are doing stainless behind the cook top, consider a stainless shelf. There were a couple of kitchens from a few years ago that did that, and had it fabricated right into the splash. The other thing I recall someone doing was just what you are saying, support for the shelf was metal though, and I think came from IKEA, possibly a glass shelf. I will dig through the FKB and see if I can find them.

Or maybe on second reading of your OP I am missing the point? Is there going to be tile behind or Stainless? Hmmm I am off to search the FKB...

So you want to put the box in the six inch space, right? That will be cool! Still looking....

I don't think I'd like to see a box sitting on your counter behind your stove. A shelf would be OK.

Thanks claybabe! I'm thinking of something above the 6" space, which would mount to the wall or run all the way from the CT to the hood. IE., be a bumped out wall, which is then recessed. Cooktop is 48" wide, so outer dimensions might be 48" wide by full height by 4" bumpout, or maybe even 57" wide.

I'd prefer not to have a special tile pattern behind the cooktop area but like the idea of highlighting it with display items/oils/utensils. Unfortunately, it's not closed in, so I can't easily run a shelf between the sides.

The pot filler I purchased is a wall mount, and I will need to bring it closer to the front of the cooktop, somehow. (Can't return and get one of the vertical ones). I might be able to find an extension piece for it, but I have to reach it somehow on the back wall. (My CT's are 30'' on this wall plus the additional 6 for the bumpout). I don't want to have to stretch for it, partly why I was thinking of bringing it forward. I know it needs to be mounted to something, securely.

Marcolo, I agree the idea of a box plopped on the back of the counter doesn't sound very nice, and I can't visualize how it would look. Any maybe with my existing CT bumpout and hood bumpout, I have too many bumpouts.

There's got to be some way to highlight the area. OT - love the way your layout is developing!

hi oldbat2b, i was thinking of bumping out my range and doing something similar also. but i ended up not being able to do it because i couldn't give up aisle space after figuring i needed at least 6 inches for the shelf to be really useful. i remember someone on here had a shelf bumpout that looked really nice, maybe histokitch? also antiquesilver had a niche that was stainless steel.
here are a few pics that i collected. not sure if any of these are what you had in mind, but hopefully can give you a few ideas..

Thanks michoumonster, that was helpful. I like the single shelf idea. Here's a stab at a new design.

Shelf would be ~8" deep and would run the length of the back. We'd build out a wall on either side the same depth, which would go up to the cabinets. Outlet on left would be moved to other side of the stud. Walls, shelf and backsplash would all be tiled the same material.

I also tried pulling the side walls out further but don't think it's necessary. Space wise, I could afford it.

Even better!

I think those last ideas look great. I could not tell the difference between the first picture posted at 8:29 and the "even better" one posted at 8:36. I prefer them to the second 8:29 idea with the walls pulled forward more. If this solves your problem, I say go for it, because it looks nice to me.

Thanks Angie_DIY. I simply grabbed a stack of tile samples and placed in front of the cereal boxes :)

This doesn't solve the pot filler problem but ... maybe it's time for that dream to go the way of my runnels. Or bite the bullet and buy a vertical one.

This does solve the shelving issue. This also breaks up the flat, long, backsplash run, which I think (hope) is a good idea.

I am liking this!

Sorry I forgot to keep looking before but here are a few similar ideas. The one I am thinking of was a stainless shelf that was bolted into the wall pre tile. Still looking....OK I give up. I like yours with the ends better anyway! Here is one that looks like it was part of the hood

Here is a link that might be useful: stainless shelf sort of

How high does your potfiller have to be to clear the top of your pots? Do you think it would look silly to build your ledge up to the bottom of your upper cabinets?

I really like your "cereal box" shelf! LOL! Looks great! How will you get the plumbing to your potfiller? I really do love your kitchen!

Thanks claybabe and kaijutokusatsu. I think it would look better to have the lower shelf vs. a higher one. I'm sure I can find an extension for the potfiller; the question though is to what to secure it. Timber frame mounted to wall? A higher shelf? (Hence plan B or C, order new vertical potfiller, or give up idea).

Thanks legallin. I was feeling like a Costco poster child, lugging out big box after big box as I experimented but much easier to explain to DH what I am after.

Regarding plumbing--I can bring up through basement (DH will take care of) preferably up behind Cooktop vs. out backsplash wall. This is why a built out wall would be good. Now that I think of it, if we just do the shelf, there is no way to bring the plumbing up. So back to plans B and C :)