Probably the easiest things to do so that it wouldn't look like you're missing hardware would be to:

-remove the drawer and cabinet door of the ones right next to the dw and turn that into open tray/cookie sheet storage.

-have a new panel made for the pullout that only has one panel.

Bonus if you can swap the location of those two cabinets so that the cookie sheet/tray storage is next to the stove. ;)

Use a flush pull. This one's by Baldwin but a lot of manufacturers carry them. Ask a cabinetmaker or skilled trim carpenter to rout a space in the drawer faces. It will look intentional, not like you just forgot. https://www.build.com/baldwin-br7013/s889772?uid=2867564

Here's the best pic I could find on Houzz:

Aspen Alps Condominium Remodel · More Info

Could you just leave the hardware off entirely? Can you open everything without it?

Sue, do you mean the whole kitchen or just those cabinets? We haven't had hardware since we moved in 8 years ago, but decided we want some to add some sheen/texture.

Carolina Kitchen, interesting idea about the flush mount (though more costly than what i purchased for both hardware and definitely install)! Do you think I could do that for just the two hard-to-reach places?

(and thank you all for your thoughts!!!)

I'd do the pulls everywhere you can, because they help tie your counters into the cooler finishes. Agree that it would be best if you could get a trash drawer front with no faux drawers (= no problem), and then you just need to rout out the drawer next to the DW -- I think a blank drawer looks more accidental than a blank cupboard for some reason... (or you could skip those two)

Sue, there are some cabinet doors and drawers that are designed to be opened without a knob or pull. They're tapered from the front edge to the back of the door. These drawer fronts and doors are at 90 degrees to the front and it will be hard to open them without a pull or knob.

Sure, just do them for the problem areas. It would look more consistent if you did them all over but having the drawer fronts and doors all routed for these will be expensive. Just pick the same finish that you're using for the rest of the kitchen. Have you already bought the pulls? If so, are they returnable?

(Also, as my 4 year old daughter gets older and spends more time in the kitchen, i like the idea of her grimy hands only getting pulls dirty, and not always the cabinets!)

It's important to keep it as consistent as possible so I wouldn't suggest having different hardware solutions on different doors. Very understandable that you don't want to increase your installation cost with the flush pulls though. Do you think these leather pulls might work? https://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/collections/becket-drawer-pull It all depends on the projection of the brass pieces and whether the leather can push far enough out of the way! Might be worth ordering one to test it out. Good luck!

sheep and stone, those Becket pulls are lovely, but I only have about 5/8" space for the drawer and door closest to the dishwasher. I wish whoever redesigned this kitchen ten years ago wasn't such a bozo!

good idea, thanks Debbi!!

gillian: There should be a piece of filler between the corner and the dishwasher, but it is not uncommon to find construction like this. Change all of your drawers to simple complementing low profile tab style pulls Like the ones I used on this custom vanity.