Found this hidden behind a cabinet in our new home. What is it used for?

A questioner said:

Found this hidden behind a cabinet in our new home. What is it used for?

More info:

Found this in our new house. It pulls out from the side of our cabinet and extends as shown. There’s some random screw holes in it and a light on the other side (that matches our under cabinet lights).

Some additional info…the cabinet is probably 2” inches deep and 2.5’ tall by 2’ wide. The board that pulls out extends about 18” past the cabinet.

To debunk the spice rack idea: it faces away from the kitchen, and doesn’t have a screw pattern that would support shelves. It also doesn’t make sense with the board that pulls out.

To debunk the gun rack: why the board that pulls out? Also 2” doesn’t seem like a lot – but I’m not particularly familiar with guns.

To debunk the sun blocker: Why the screw holes? Or the depth on the cabinet?

Also, it was a foreclosure, so we can’t ask the previous owner.

Might be wrong & it might be one of the things suggested – but it just doesn’t really make sense.

PS: it’s our new husky puppy – not a cat lol

Some of the comments here:

Looks like a spot for a calendar or maybe to hang recipes while cooking?
Could you fit a dartboard under the light? With the light and the depth, I’m 100% down with the dart board theory.
Most likely had some sort of hooks on the back side between the 2x4s. Perfect place for a few firearms. Most likely, prior owner was a firearms owner. There’s companies that make these sorts of hidden compartments. Looks like previous owner just did it himself.
Some observations;
This was no hasty addition, it was thought out and properly installed. Whatever it is, it’s probably does it’s job very well. So any guesses at ‘shitty X or Y’ are straight out. Dartboard is also out as it’s not regulation height (in addition to it being in a weird location).
This was probably not something completely secret or illegal. Someone could easily discover it if they lived in the house, as you did, not even knowing that there was something to discover. The clever design is probably only aesthetic, then. So no ‘showing off drugs to clients in the living room’ or anything.
The light tells us that whatever goes in there must be something that benefits from being lit from top-down. Given it’s height, it wouldn’t be a ‘work area’. Therefore we can conclude that it’s something for display or quick access.
These all point towards ‘hidden gun rack’. It’s possible that a prefabricated secret compartment was purchased and then installed on it’s side.

Alternately, a spice rack was simply used for an alternative purpose

Best guess: Spice Rack space saver, possibly repurposed for weapon display/access, or to display some esoteric hobby item like tea, stamps, etc.
EDIT: 3rd option – Someone wanted a hidden spice rack even though they didn’t have a good place for it. They tried to compensate for the poor location with a very nice flush/hidden finish. The holes were from the mounted racks.

That’s unique for sure. This pullout pegboard cabinet uses a narrow space but probably not how yours was used.
The sliding cover seems useless and the light and storage space is on the wrong side for easy kitchen access. Because of that I don’t think that was meant for kitchen stuff or cooking. Whoever guessed a hiding spot for something like guns might be right.
I have seen a similar sliding thing in a home that was used for homeschooling the kids. It wasn’t exactly like this, but it was a semi-permanent fold out board that could be seen in multiple rooms to hang stuff on. It’s a long shot, but it’s an idea. Not sure why it would go so in-depth if it was this.
Possibly storage for a large cookie sheet or cutting board or maybe pizza stone?Here’s an idea, shine a flashlight into the compartment where it slides back into and see if there are any clues there; old label, spilled spices, etc.
EDIT: The more I look at it, I’m thinking it is a purpose built sun shade. Someone may have then repurposed it as some type of storage, hence the light.

Take a look at where the television might have been in the adjacent room. Is there a time of day when the sun shines brightly in the kitchen window, through the doorway and onto a wall where a television may have once sat?

maybe to hang garden herbs to dry? I am also intrigued by this.
I’m not gonna lie I would put a copy of the declaration of independence up there
Pasta drying board?
The hole in the vertical piece on the back seems to imply that the wires could/would go all the way across the back. I wonder if those wires are 120v (assuming the light and undercabinet lights are 12v).Is the power for this thing on the same circuit as the kitchen? Or on a separate circuit (perhaps labeled “stolen art lighting”) in the fuse box.
A fun mystery to find in your house though.

it’s in the kitchen, going to guess for hanging larger kitchen/cooking utensils but no screws or hooks had been installed yet. Also the idea that it was for firearms is interesting too
I’m am so interested. He purposely build this in designing the kitchen. That is hardcore. I have a theory. I have to go with the concealing a painting. The light is there to show off his secret painting. Do you see any holes or hooks for the painting. Did the owner tell you about it? I bet not.
Probably to hide a leaf of a table
Obviously built with some skill and care by the cabinet maker, and then converted into something else in a half assed manner later when the light was added. My guess is it was originally used to store something that came with the cabinets, like extra shelves or a specially made cutting board or something. Reminds me of when table makers add a clever way to store the extra leaves.
Baking sheet storage.
I am in the process of buying a house in really hoping it has some cool surprises like this. I would go for hanging notes and things like someone else said though.
The room behind the first photo looks like a living room. Was the place occupied by the same people for a long time before? Maybe the TV was over there and the pull-out was for glare from the kitchen windows? I’ve seen crazier in houses.
Kitchen designer for 20 years: no idea.
What do you think? Let us know in the comment!