This Kitchen Island Decision Saved Me Thousands on My Kitchen Renovation

Before starting any renovation project it’s important to decide on a budget, including where to save and where to splurge. When my partner and I were planning the renovations on the 1970s ranch house we bought last year, we created a budget for each room — and most of the money went toward the kitchen upgrades. Even still within the kitchen, we knew there were some areas where we’d have to shell out more money than others.

We started by removing some walls, as the main level of the house had two living areas that were side by side and were connected by a small kitchen and dining room. We wanted an open-concept living space, but that meant our kitchen would be visible from everywhere in the living room, so it needed interesting design elements that fit with the clean, modern aesthetic throughout the rest of the home. 

We splurged on the kitchen’s backsplash with white textured tiles, and opted for a herringbone pattern to add visual movement and height. This was pricey because the herringbone pattern was more labor-intensive for our contractor to cut and install compared to a traditional subway tile pattern, but the end design was worth it. We wanted the backsplash to flow into the new white quartz countertops, which have grey veining to match the kitchen’s cool color palette, and we installed new dark blue cabinets, which were a huge improvement over the dated and drab brown cabinets we had before.

We knew we needed a kitchen island for added storage, counter space, and as a place for people to gather around, but instead of buying matching cabinets and quartz countertops to install, because those already ate up a lot of the budget, we chose to buy a ready-made island, not built-in. The IKEA TORNVIKEN’s aesthetic, price point, and relatively easy assembly were the right fit for us, and it saved us literally thousands of dollars on materials. 

It matches the white tones in our kitchen, and its oak veneer countertop matches our open shelves, so it still looks meant-to-be despite not being custom-made to match our kitchen, plus it has shelf storage on the non-seating side. 

Over the past year, it’s proved to be a great buy. We eat at the island for almost every meal, except when we have company and use the dining table instead — but even then, the island has served as a sort of buffet station for food and drinks or appetizers. So far, it’s held up nicely to daily cleaning (and messes made by our toddler). 

We’re so pleased we were thoughtful about choosing where to save and where to splurge, and I would encourage others to do the same if you’re thinking about ways to make budget cuts on a big reno. Our savings even helped us free up extra budget for other areas of the home, like installing a heated tile floor in the bathroom, so a freestanding island might just be the gift that keeps on giving in other rooms, too.