How about double duty drawers?
Closed: toy storage! Open: Play box!
One of our clients had a small nook adjacent to their kitchen. It became a kid zone so they could keep an eye on the little ones while they made dinner & cleaned up. We built a window seat that had 2 30″ wide drawers in the base cavity for storage, and a nice thick cushion on top for a reading niche for mom.
The other day they sent me this pic of said drawers in use.
How freaking cute is that?




This awesome, Becky!
Awww… what a cute little boy. Nice Kitchen. ;)