Been thinking about your idea about the metal panels on the wall. Could not really come up with many things that we would stick up with magnets. We have only 3 things that we stick up with magnets: the wind up timer, the digital timer and oven meat thermometer, and a beer bottle opener. Other thinks that we tried were either too heavy and the hooks slid down over time, or they went flying when we hit the highway. Think one panel would be sufficient to hold the few things that would stay put during travel, as well as some magnets to hold up pictures and recipes. If you are going to use rattle-can paint, use some automotive lacquer that will be less likely to scratch, or have it powder coated. The business that powder coats our race car stuff is about 5 miles from my house and gives me a really good deal if I have it done in one of the popular colors (black, white, silver) that he is always doing. Just hits me up for the price of the powder if he can just add it to a batch that he is already doing. He can do gloss or dull finish, and the finish wears like iron. Only finish that has held up on my mower deck.
Don't see anything wrong with having shelves behind the cooktop and prep area as long as they are not in danger of burning while cooking. You can never have enough storage space in your MH. You do not have the "basement" storage that many other MHs have (think DP or newer gassers) so you have to put storage wherever you can.
Keep plugging away, enjoying watching the process. Don't always agree with some of your design choices, but, hey, it's YOUR motorhome.
