Kitchen Niche Transformation

What do you do with an awkward hallway/ entryway/ niche/ storage area? Because German homes are short on storage and typically have smaller kitchens, I really needed to utilize my kitchen niche as much as I possibly could! This is what I came up with. 

Here is the Niche area before...

an now...

We put our homemade bar in the hall to help with the storage problem. It holds baskets for glasses, chachka (tchotch·ke), and my coffee caddy. It really is a terrific place for a coffee bar and is a wonderful surface for extra food while entertaining. We have a giant basket to the left of the bar for umbrellas, gloves and extra shoes.

I am thinking I may paint or stain this rad barn door, I still can't decide... Any ideas?

The clock is to let me know when it's time for a wine break...

The little numbered hooks in the picture above hold coats, hats and scarves and were only 1.50 Euro a piece! 

The coffee bag rug fits in the area just like a glove! It was only two Euro and was the only thing I purchased for this area after we moved into this home! Shazaam, I love re-using things I already have!

The lantern adds ambiance and the the moss monogram is for in case anyone forgets whose house they are in.

Now, I am off to finish building a mantle using all found objects... Toodles!