Kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. People want character and charm in their most lived in spaces and anything custom fits the bill. Where some see dead space under a window I see a walnut bench, pullout spice rack and a tower for plates. By adding some cabinets to the top you can transform builder grade to high end. Two eight foot beech wood butcher blocks on clearance at Ikea covered the rest of the counter space and I had enough left for the vanity upstairs. It amazes me how much you can save when you know where to look.