Small and Efficient Kitchen Offices

Chicago designer Mick DeGiulio shoehorned this message center into a "blind corner" of a breakfast bar by rotating a cabinet so that the door opens onto the bar instead of into the kitchen prep zone. A false door panel on the side helps the unit blend seamlessly with the other cabinets.

DeGiulio placed the electrical outlets and phone jack inside the cabinet to keep electronics safe from spills. Also hidden inside are shelves to corral cookbooks and baskets to stow odds and ends. Two small drawers in the 36-inch-high base unit contain phone books and notepads, while a large one on the bottom is fitted with a wire frame for hanging files. The back of the cabinet door is lined with cork to post snapshots, as well as a calendar for jotting down appointments while on the phone or e-mail. If the message area is close to where food is prepped, consider easy-to-clean metal magnetic or dry-erase board instead of cork.