A New Island for My Kitchen

I am in the process of making a functional and decorative change in my kitchen and thought I would share with you what I am up to.

Does your kitchen have a standalone island where you can sit or stand to prep food?

Kitchen island redone with bead board and no miter molding. — Granite Transformations Countertops

I became a big fan of having a kitchen island after having one in my kitchen in my previous home that I lived in for 22 years. When we moved 10 years ago to my current home in SC, the kitchen is small and there was no island.

I had become so used to having a kitchen island that I had to figure out a way to get even a small one in my SC kitchen as an extra food prepping surface.

Not only is a kitchen island a place to prep food, having a center island also provides a central surface to set up with food when entertaining. It is a workhorse all the time.

A metal kitchen cart turned into an island for food prep. It holds a repurposed wine crate that was turned into a recipe card holder. — 24″ x 36″ Stainless Steel Kitchen Prep Table/Island

About 8 years ago I found this stainless steel topped prep table with wheels. It was just the size that would fit. I even liked the industrial vibe.

It has been the island in my kitchen since then. I wrote a post all about this stainless kitchen island back then. It was wonderful until about a year ago when the legs and shelves that are not the same metal as the top became pitted and began to rust.

The stainless steel top was still perfect, but I couldn’t stand looking at the “not so nice parts” and have been in search of a new small island to replace it.

What I Would Really Like

What I would really love to do is an entire kitchen remodel like the one in the photo above. A total remodel keeps getting pushed back when other big home improvements take precedence – like the timing of the municipal offer to get the house connected to our town’s sewer system so we no longer will have a septic system.

Exciting right? But the cost is cha-ching!!! It is an investment for the house and resale someday so a remodeled kitchen will have to wait.

In the meantime I have been searching for a new kitchen island and one finally came up in my onlines searches.

24 x 36 Wood kitchen island from Wayfair before painting — Solid Wood Kitchen Prep Table/Island

It is a ready-made wood kitchen island in the 36″ x 24″ size needed to fit the space and not be in the way.

Before finding this I figured I would have to build an island myself as I kept finding nothing that would fit. I found plenty that I liked, but not in the size I needed.

unfinished 24 x 36 Wood kitchen island from Wayfair setup in kitchen before painting.

As I mentioned above, having an island not only provides another surface in my kitchen, but it also adds storage and style.

The worktable/island is made from solid wood, and since it comes unfinished, it can be stained or painted to match a home’s style.

close up of wood drawer in wood kitchen island before getting painted with Sherwin Williams Emerald paint.

It features a drawer that the metal island did not – so I am looking forward to this.

Looking down at the two slat shelves on small wood kitchen island before getting painted.

It also has two slatted lower shelves. These along with the space up top, will give me the additional space I need to work more efficiently in my small kitchen while freeing up valuable counter space.

How Am I Going to Add My Style To The Island

I dug this photo out from my someday kitchen remodel file.

I like the blue color and am in the process of painting the base of my new island a similar color.

close up of wood grain top on kitchen island before getting finished with Polycrylic Max.

As for the top, food-grade mineral oil is recommended, but I am not going to be using the top as a chopping block so I may use a new Minwax product on it. I am still not sure.