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?
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.
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.
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.

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.

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

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.

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.

For now I have it set up in the multi-purpose room and am in the painting process.
Once I get it painted and in the kitchen I will share the “AFTER” with you.
Till then – Diane. :-)