IMO that would just become a big mess I think you need to figure out what you would use it for since most people now have cell phones it is very easy to leave messages there I think. We do it for messages to ourselves and to others on our cells.

Of course we use cell phones but with kids in elementary and preschool school we get lots of papers, artwork and clutter.

"we get lots of papers, artwork and clutter. "

That is EXACTLY why you don't want a message center (or a desk) in your kitchen. Is there any other place in your house you can have for that stuff, that is more suited to it? Do you really want to look at that every time you walk into your kitchen?

We really don’t have anywhere else. And the one I’m asking about has doors to conceal everything inside when we don’t want to see it.

That is exactly why not. Use the front of the fridge like everyone else or get a really nice large corkboard and use the art as actual art on a wall in the eating area of the kitchen and when all the kids are bigger remove it and get some other art. As for the other papers use a drawer in the kitchen

The whole point of the doors is to conceal all the exposed papers and hanging mess every time I walk in my kitchen. So the fridge and bulletin board is a bad idea. Plus fridges these days aren’t even magnetic anymore.

I’d like to hear from those who have one and get their opinions.

It’s a great spot for restaurant menus, appointment cards, and a phone charger. It won’t fit all the detritus you’re talking about. 99% of that needs File 13. Not to be squirreled away for years until that happens. Get ruthless. None of that is priceless memories needing preservation. Take a pic, and toss it. If it’s some special award winning art, get it framed and hang it. If it isn’t worth framing and hanging, it’s not worth keeping in a giant Tote in the attic either. Your kids won’t want any of that stuff, and it’s a burden to you.

It looks like a waste of money to me. They really don't have all that much room to hold papers and artwork.

This is what I’m referring to

And you see exactly the maximum that they hold. Some keys and a printed ball game schedule that could be digitally entered into a family calendar in about 10 minutes time. It’s 9” deep. It’s not a giant junk armoire.

Seeing that photo, I think it's unrealistic that your kids will want to open that door to see what is there. If it's closed, it will be "out of sight out of mind". At least my kids would never have taken the time to open that door to see what is there when they were the age you described. That's the problem - tucked away in the "message center", the door will have to remain open for it to be used. Then, what is the point of the door (which adds cost to your kitchen cabinetry). Or, if you don't have that message center, it will be very cluttery to have that stuff you described in your kitchen. Maybe that stuff should go in their rooms if you have no other place for it?

I also think that if this message center is for your young children, only the bottom third will be accessible to them, or even visible to them.

Also, because it's so shallow, how long before the kids get into the habit of putting things that are too wide on the shelf so the door doesn't fully close?

Get it at the very least it will hide some unwanted visually clutter in your kitchen. It is a big problem in many kitchens and the new Samsung fridge with built in tablet also helps eliminate some of the clutter.

We had one similar and on the outside we had white erase board and a pin board. It was placed so it wasn't a focal point. We loved it as it was a compromise of having all the kids stuff out but in a place that was easily hidden and kept orderly.

It does not look like there is enough space there for "lots of paper, artwork and clutter".

Maybe what you're more referring to is a built-in art cabinet for the kids. Here's a detailed blog post from a lady who did just that in her kitchen remodel, with photos and instructions. Hers has room for art to be both created and stored: Art Cabinet by The Conscious Kitchen Remodel

If you think this will help get your family get organized then go ahead and get it. It is a shallow cabinet so it would have to be for paperwork, permission slips, etc that have to be taken care of within a short amount of time. That could stay open and when company come you just close the door. I thought you were referring to the wall one which is a waste but this tall version does carry more and is a charging area as well. Good luck!

I like it, but I don't think my cabinet companies offer that (or not in my price point). My kids were 11 and 14 when we started our remodel last year, so we no longer have the same amount of artwork coming home (whew). I am just trying to be more organized than I was in the past in terms of permission slips and stuff. My SS fridge is actually magnetic, but the only thing I put on it is loose recipes while I am cooking (again, trying to be more organized and cut down on clutter). What I did do is hang some nice matted picture frames to use as a calendar and white boards. That is good for notes, chores, etc.

Having seen your picture, now I am wondering if I should put some cork board inside the closet in my kitchen....

Not sure anybody can judge for you (despite the advice above). We have a wall calendar in the kitchen, which centralizes a lot of planning stuff, and I have my yoga schedule taped inside my pantry cabinet. Chargers are on our nightstand for phones and a family room end table for tablets and computers, and kid stuff is... everywhere, heh. We don't hang our keys, and we do have a can full of scissors and pencils on a counter where it doesn't catch the eye. I'm not sure what I would put in this cabinet unit.

However, I could imagine a different household putting some chore lists in there ("check there first after school!") or books and notes for teachers, so they don't get lost, and I can imagine adults using chargers and maybe putting outgoing mail there, or stashing things that are awaiting a fate later in the week, so they don't pile up on the kitchen table. So you have to see what parts of your life would realistically map there.

I suspect they don't sell many of these, which is why you haven't caught a lot of examples. But that doesn't mean they can't be super handy in the right spot and the right household!

We have this message board on the side cabinet by our refrigerator.

https://www.containerstore.com/s/office/message-boards-accessories/umbra-magnetic-bulletboard/12d?productId=10000382

We still use a large monthly paper calendar because for us, this is what works. It's easier to see my work schedule (which rotates), games, practices, birthday parties, etc the entire month at once. Beneath the calendar I have 3 clips, one for my daughter's things, one for my son's, and one for general school info (like right now their finals schedule is on the general clip). I tried moving this board to a different area of the kitchen but everyone preferred it where I had it because it is right where you enter (which kind of bothers me but at least it's neat). I never did put art work there. I had a separate magnetic board for that in my dining room. Keys are kept in a bowl by my kitchen table where my planning desk used to be; we replaced it last year with a cabinet of drawers. My kids charge their phones wherever they are; I tried centralizing that to no avail.

When a friend of mine remodeled her kitchen a few years ago, she added one of those message centers that hid behind a door. She was the only one that used it because of the out of sight out of mind problem. She wound up hanging up a corkboard on the outside of the cabinet.

Hi! Did you end up getting one of these messgae centers? I’m deciding now if I want to put one in our kitchen.

We did and we love it! its where we charge things, have our pens and pencils, and other chachkes that dont belong.

Ours is deeper than the photo though. we ended up doing custom cabinets. Will post a photo