Dead Kitchen Space

We have this “nook” area in our kitchen that we have used for years as a kids play area with mats down. Our kids have outgrown the play area, so here we are asking ourselves what to do with this area.

– First pic is the nook.

– Second pic is showing the nook relative to the rest of the kitchen (play kitchen switched out for basketball bin)

– third pic is taken standing in nook looking across to butler’s pantry area.

Relevant info:

– area is 6ft wide and 5ft deep

– we have a separate dining space we use for all meals so we don’t have to have a table area. That said, some kind of table area is an option as an art/homework table to work at or for snacks; kids are still under 5 so a table still needs to be usable for them

– we are not looking to remodel and open up whole space as a bigger kitchen (at least not yet!)

– some storage would be nice for traditional mudroom things (think shoes, bags, coats) since we don’t have that near the primary door we enter the house but this is close by

Soooo what would you do with this area?