The limit is what the MIL will tolerate
There's already a stool in the middle of the only clear floor space that she moves around to wherever she's putzing around. Everyplace else is too narrow to add a useful counter and still walk by it.
In theory, though, in whatever is the next house, I want to replace counters with commercial kitchen steel tables, and under them Snap-On tool chests with wood tops. Need to do some cutting? Pull it out and there's a solid work surface. Plus the ball-bearing drawers are more heavy-duty than anything you'll find designed for a kitchen. Basically the top like in the first pic below, installed like the second pic but with the steel and wood tops swapped between the cabinet and the table.
In theory, though, in whatever is the next house, I want to replace counters with commercial kitchen steel tables, and under them Snap-On tool chests with wood tops. Need to do some cutting? Pull it out and there's a solid work surface. Plus the ball-bearing drawers are more heavy-duty than anything you'll find designed for a kitchen. Basically the top like in the first pic below, installed like the second pic but with the steel and wood tops swapped between the cabinet and the table.
