Open Shelving
Our 1990s oak kitchen was small and out of date. We didn't want to do a complete remodel because we had solid cabinets and nice countertops. We removed the countertop range from the center island to create more prep space. By removing the soffits and upper cabinets and putting a breakfast bar where the wall between kitchen and dining room used to be, we created an illusion of more space while keeping the same footprint.