You do not have room on that small wall for cabinets. It will impede traffic flow and clearances. For the money that this will cost, I don't see you gaining anything in actual functionality. Worse, it deformalizes your dining area to eat in the middle of dirty dishes. If that were your family room, that would be another story. But a DR? Leave it be.

Thank you for the responses. Sophie, I was hoping you would comment as I read through design dilemmas often and appreciate your opinions. I am torn about taking down the wall for the reasons you state. I don't use the dining room often but my front entrance is in the dining room so any kitchen mess would be seen upon entering the house but I do try to keep it to a minimum (no young children home).

I thought by opening the wall I would get more light from the front picture window into the kitchen. I took down the top of the china cabinet (it was too big for the room) and the base is 18" deep by 60" wide. Couldn't I replace that with built in 12" cabinets? I was hoping to be able to continue a counter into the kitchen. When I entertain (20-25 people is average for my family) I feel the kitchen is so closed off and people are always in the kitchen! Do you see any way that I can gain more functionality in this space?

tfitz1006--We did actually extend that wall so we could put a table there (originally the fridge and a closet were against the wall and the other space was the dining room). Although another pantry would help with storage it won't give me more surface space which I need for entertaining.

I appreciate all ideas and suggestions. I'm hoping to get this right!

Any more opinions/suggestions for these rooms? Another thought is keeping the wall (maybe make it a little smaller??) and adding a 24" cabinet to the kitchen side with a 48" square wood counter top. It would give me an extra cabinet for storage and additional seating.

Is it possible to add lower cabinets where sewing machine base is located. Put sewing machine base against wall contemplating tearing down to give you more counter or eating space.

I keep looking at your kitchen because I have similar cabinets, but the thing that would make me crazy you haven't even mentioned - or I missed it - and that is the tiny corner sink. Most people find that there main prep area is between the sink and the range, which for you is almost nothing. When you do change out counters, consider switching those cabinets around so the larger cabinet is in the middle and make it a sink base cabinet.

I do have a small island (52 x 36) which helps a lot, but I have a bit more space then you do I think - my kitchen is 12.5 x 12.5 and L shaped. On the short wall where the art is, you could put a cabinet like a pie-safe for storage. I use mine as a pantry. You might want to look at a hoosier cabinet. We have a local Amish store that sells them and I wish I had room for one. They have storage plus a pull out "counter". You could put a cart on wheels in the area of the sewing base that can be pulled out to use as extra counter space.

Since the dining room is a step away, I would not worry about seating in the kitchen. I do have room for two at my island and the kids use it, but my dining room is also a step away and that is where we eat.

I did not paint my cabinets. It is up to you if you want to disguise the grain, but it is more important to do a good job with prep and primer. I don't think the grain texture is a big deal. I painted some of my really old cabinets and put them in the laundry room and the grain does not bother me. I do preferred stained, so I kept mine stained.( my kitchen is in my "my pics" idea book.)

Hoosier Cabinet - has a pull out "counter"

Cart on wheels - with extendable top.

Before you do anything, do a really good clean and purge. Every time I think I need more storage, I do that and find I really have enough.

Thanks again for the responses. The countertop that is above the sewing base is attached to the wall, not to the base. I used to have a chair there but it just collected junk so I moved it and put the sewing base there. Because of the height of the window sills and the radiator I can't put a standard cabinet there. But maybe I could remove the granite and put a moveable cart there.

jhmarie: I looked at the pictures of your kitchen--lovely! You have some nice pictures in your ideabooks that I will look at again for ideas. Yes, my sink is small but it is quite deep and is big enough to fill or wash a large pot. Most dishes go in the dishwasher. I don't think I'll be changing the granite anytime soon so I will live with it. I guess I'm used to it since it doesn't bother me. I'd rather have the longer countertop. I stand at the counter in front of the window to prep much more than I stand at the sink. But I do think I will try to get rid of the dish drain to have a little space on the side of the oven. It's always a problem to find a place to put a hot dish! I wonder if they make a rack that pulls down from under a cabinet--I'll have to create one if I can't find it!

We never eat in the dining room unless we have company. Usually it's just two of us eating and not always together because of work schedules. I have a large sunroom (not heated) off the kitchen so during the warm months we are out there.

Maybe an island is my best option. Still undecided about taking the wall down. I like to entertain and usually have about 20-25 people so I thought opening the wall and adding additional counterspace would be a good place for serving food and for standing around instead of people standing in the kitchen. Not sure if there is enough room though and I'm keeping Sophie Wheeler's comments in mind.

I do think I will paint the cabinets as I think lighter would look better, especially since I am continuing hardwood floors into the kitchen. I have been contemplating this for a while and can't seem to make a decision. And yes, I definitely need to purge. My cabinets are full and I have another pantry and a closet in a back room!

Thanks again for your input.

In addition to moving the sewing machine base and adding cabinets and a counter top in this area, how about relocating the window that is above the sewing base and enclosing the space as a wall that would hold wall and base cabinets? Perhaps you could have the window moved to the wall around the corner and have the back door centered between the windows. If the back door does not have much glass in it, perhaps you could change out wood panels for glass panes or get a door to match the cross-cut glass doors in the living room.