We've said it before, the prep space in our kitchen is minimal to say the least. One of the first purchases we're making this weekend will be a kitchen island which will make cooking time (if you can call it that) so much easier. And even though we've got our eye on this guy from Target, we also wanted to check out the DIY options out there.
1. Celia and her hubby needed a DIY solution on a budget. What they came up with is this functional beauty made from metro shelving and an IKEA butcher block top.
2. Shopping carts aren't just for grocery shopping. Pick up a pair (legally) and make your own kitschy kitchen island.
3. IKEA to the rescue again--this time with two LACK tables stacked with a maple butcher block on top.
4. We've always liked card catalogs for organizing office and craft supplies but never thought to overhaul one for a kitchen island.
5. A super easy kitchen island made from standard kitchen cabinets with a little beadboard and molding to dress it up.
6. We can usually find a thrift store dresser for cheap. All you need is a coat of paint, some new hardware and casters to make it the perfect kitchen island--that's customized for your style.
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(Images: 1. Paco+Lupe, 2. Look!: Kitchen Island Made From Shopping Carts, 3. How To: Make a Kitchen Island with IKEA LACK Tables, 4. Look! Card File Kitchen Island, 5. How I DIY, 6. Painted Dresser as Kitchen Island)
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I love the idea of using a dresser!
galasource.com has nice stainless steel work tables for very low prices - my 24x60" OMCAN model cost a mere $125, and I've used it every day for the last 4 years, so the low price doesn't mean low quality. I wanted to pick up a 30x48" when I lived in my old house to use for an island, but just never got around to it for some reason.
I scored a hotel room bar with a marble top from a hotel surplus store in Atlanta, added a little height and casters and now have the coolest DIY island I've ever seen.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/ldeblieux/4380125789/in/set-72157623365575983/ -- a shot of the front before I painted it).
LOVE the blue!!
oh gosh i adore the card catalog one...
I love the dresser! Great idea! We bought kitchen cabinets (we were buying them anyway) and added a back and trim all the way around to make an island. I dont have a great photo of it finished but here are some photos of the process of making it if you want to see. http://driedfigsandwoodenspools.blogspot.com/2009/08/and-kitchen-isnot-done-but-getting.html
We made a work desk out of plumber's pipe, and an ikea butcher block top. It's very sturdy, and was super cheap to make.
Out of the options you have listed above, I think the metro shelving plus butcher block is the most versatile. Closed off drawers limit what you can use the storage space for. No tall jars of wine bottles would fit.
I just wanted to share that that kitchen island made out of Lack tables inspired me to do this:
Ikea Hacking, Obsession or thrift?
I've made a very long 2.46m long kitchen island out of a discontinued worktop I found in the 'as is' section, and some lack tables. Its not complete (I've got to purchase two more lack tables to complete it - and some paint), but it has 100% solved my kitchen bench space issues.
Love them. Any idea how they mounted the Ikea butcher block to the metro shelving?
I just stumbled across this post and am very interested in making the island with the Metro shelving and ikea butcher block. Could someone post how they mounted the butcher block to the posts? Or perhaps link to the original write up about the island (if there is one).