"smig" wrote in message
news:tH%le.13388$Ib.4674@trndny03...
Has anyone ever done this and lived to tell a happy tale? ...

I live in an apartment and want to open up a wall separating my kitchen
from the dining area. There is already a pass-through. I want to remove
the drywall to the right of it and install shelving units between the
studs and attach doors on both sides of the wall for access from the
kitchen and dining area. From the ceiling down across the length of the
wall above the pass-through I want to remove the drywall and install
patterned glass panels to allow more light to enter the kitchen. I would
buy the doors and glass panels and make the shelving (which would be
painted on the outside to match the walls). There is an electrical outlet
box that would have to be relocated about eight inches to the left and may
or may not have to cross a stud.

Before I start taking down the dry-wall... Is this an idiotic plan or
not? What kinds of "gotchas" could I expect once I start making a mess?
What's the best wood to use for the shelving and how should it be finished
inside and out (I haven't done well painting unfinished wood before -- the
result was never durable enough).

Things to consider.

If the wall is a load bearing wall removing sheet rock will weaken the wall
unless you replace the sheet rock with something to help keep the studs from
bowing. Sheet rock will keep studs from bowing, leaning, etc.
It is very likely that the studs in the walls will not be parallel to each
other.
It is very likely that the studs will not be evenly spaced.