DIY Weekend Project: Kitchen Island

We have a limited amount of counter space in our kitchen, while also having a large open space that is unused. We've always planned on including an island once we renovate.

One day I grabbed the painters' tape and marked out an area on the floor that I thought would be a suitable size (about 3.5 feet by 6 feet). That still left about 42 inches between the cabinets and the island and even more space on the far side towards the living room. Can you believe how much unused space there is! Nothing's been pushed out of the way - that's how it looks every day.

When Tom got home, he looked at it for a while and then commented that the taped area looked about the same size as the dining room table. Indeed it was, so we immediately dragged the table into the kitchen area. We figured that with a 3-dimensional replica we'd have a better idea of whether or not an island would work for us. I put cardboard over the tabletop to protect the wood, and then a flat sheet over that, to make it a little nicer to use. We did have to wash that sheet a lot though.

Right away we enjoyed having the extra prep space, and we didn't find ourselves bumping into it or feeling like it was in the way of our activities. Sasha even enjoyed having a new hiding spot where she could watch us cook up close. "Sunday Night Lunch Prep" is her favourite show.

So we knew we definitely wanted an island, but we didn't want to wait until we renovated the kitchen to have it. We decided to build a butcher block-style island with open shelving underneath - a simple design that would give us all the counter space we needed and some additional storage space.

Tom had seen a bamboo tabletop at Lowe's that was the same size as our dining table, and he knew that there was no way we'd be able to build one for the same price. We bought it and used it on top of the dining room table for a while until we were ready to build the base. We bought 4x4 cedar posts for the legs, 2x4s for the framework, and 1x2 slats for the shelf.

How we built it:

1. First we determined how high we wanted the island. We settled on 38 inches, which was 2 inches higher than the other kitchen cabinets.  And if it ended up being too tall we could always shorten the legs. We cut the 4x4s to 36.5 inches. We also angle cut the bottom of the legs (the feet) so that they wouldn't scratch the floor if the island was moved around (we also added felt pads for this).

2. We turned the tabletop upside down on sawhorses and set the legs in place to determine how much of an overhang we wanted. The legs are slightly inset - about 1/2 an inch - and then the horizontal framework is inset just about a 1/4 inch more, so that the flat, cut edge of the 2x4 meets up with the flat of the leg.

3. Next the 2x4s were cut to make a horizontal framework between the legs - 2 at 32 inches and 2 at 65.5 inches. One extra step we took was to plane the 2x4s on the edge that would be against the tabletop so that it sat flush (2x4s are slightly rounded on the edges).

4. We added 2x2s (cut down from the 2x4s) inside the 2x4s. A framework within the framework. The 2x2s are attached both to the underside of the tabletop and sideways into the 2x4s. We did this so that there are no visible screws on the outer framework. They were glued in place and then also screwed in horizontally and vertically.

5.  Next the pilot holes for the leg screws were drilled through the legs into the 2x4 framework. The screws that we used - GRK structural screws - have a fancier head that look a bit like carriage bolts. We countersunk the holes so that the screw heads were flush with the wood.

6. We built the lower shelf framework in the same way as the upper framework, i.e. 2x4s horizontally running between the table legs. We also included cross pieces at the corners and down the center for added strength and stability. The corner cross pieces are attached to the framework using pocket screws (here is a link to a  terrific little pocket hole jig kit that we use all the time), and the center board is attached from the outside with countersunk structural screws.

7. The shelf is 38 inches wide. Tom rough-cut the slats (1x2s) to about 39 inches - using one cut slat as a guide for the rest. We tacked two spare boards along one long side of the shelf framework to act as a jig that the slats would butt up against. This keeps them  all lined up on one edge while you're arranging them. Several other slats were cut shorter to fit between the table legs at each end.

8. Once all of the slats were laid in place, Tom ran a pencil along the underside of the slats that overhung on the open side of the shelf and cut them along the line so that they would be exactly the same length. The slats were put back on the frame and were air nailed into place. The jig boards could then be removed.

9. I sanded all of the new wood twice, once with a medium grit sandpaper and then again with a fine grit. The island top of course doesn't need to be sanded.

10a. Each of the different types of wood (cedar, bamboo, and pine) were different shades. The bamboo top and cedar legs were very close to each other so I chose to only stain the pine framework and slat shelf. I always seem to have several different stains on hand. I tested them out on scrap wood. and Minwax Provincial came the closest to the shade of the cedar and bamboo. I did test the stain on a scrap piece of cedar, just to see. It absorbed a lot of stain and went far too dark, confirming my decision not to stain the legs.

10b. I taped off the top and the legs to protect them, then applied two coats of stain with a soft cloth, letting it dry between coats. Applying stain with a cloth allows you to control the amount applied and you don't have to come back and wipe the excess off later. Once the second coat of stain had dried I removed all of the painters' tape and wiped the entire table down one last time.

We did have to take the island apart again to get it upstairs, but that's one good thing about the legs not being attached to the table top - we were able to undo the leg screws, take the pieces upstairs, and bolt it back together.

One more step: The bamboo top needs to be oiled regularly, especially when you first buy it. We just use generic food-grade mineral oil, wiping it all over the top, following the grain, and waiting for it to dry before using the tabletop again. If you do it at night before bed, you can leave it to dry overnight.

At first I was worried that the island would be too high, being higher than the other cabinet counters, but it is the perfect height. I have no complaints at all. And that huge shelf underneath gives us a place to store all of those small appliances that get in the way.

After having it for a few weeks, it's hard to imagine life without it.

One Final Tour of Our Old House (with Before & Afters)

We've been in our new house for a month now. With the combination of Christmas and snowstorms and all those daily, little chores that steal away your time, we haven't done more than a few superficial repairs and changes so far - things like installing some temporary strip lighting in the closet (instead of using a flashlight to find matching clothes in the morning) and putting up a shelter to keep the snow off my precious car.

It's difficult not to compare this new house with our last one - we had spent seven years making changes and improvements, making it ours. Just like a fitness journey, "You can't compare your beginning to someone else's middle", I have to keep reminding myself that the new house will be beautiful some day and the joy is in getting it there.

With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to take one last look at our old house, the before & after, and highlight some of our favourite projects.

When we moved in, the house was mostly decorated in green, yellow, and orange. We thought it was perfect and didn't change a thing. It took about two years before it started feeling a little too Southwestern for our tastes. We slowly brought in some neutrals, starting with the living room and foyer.

Before:

After (BM Ranchwood):

Once you change the walls though, suddenly your kitchen cabinets no longer match. I'd originally planned to strip the green and stain them a dark brown, but in the end went with a clean white. It instantly lightened up the whole room, especially since there was no window to bring in extra light.

We also added undercounter lighting (touchless!), and changed out all of the appliances. We kept the terracotta-coloured tiles and I think they go just as well with taupe and white as they did with yellow and green.

Before:

After:

Upstairs, the front room was our "computer room", aka the office. It had a huge bay window and received the most sunshine of the whole house. It was the dogs' favourite hangout for sure. We changed it from a deep cranberry to a light blue, and accented with white picture frames and a grey loveseat.

Before:

After (BM Nimbus Grey):

The custom-made glass front bookcases have been with me for over 15 years - from my apartment in Toronto to three houses now - I'll never let them go.

We turned one of the bedrooms into a craft room. It really became an everything room - gift wrapping, sewing, photography studio, and crafting of course. It started out midnight blue with little stars stickers all over the walls. Big change!

Before:

After:

My favourite (I say that a lot) project in here is the wrapping paper and ribbon station. Tom and I designed it together using ideas we saw online and then tweaking it along the way until we had what worked for us. It was wonderful having all of my wrapping supplies right on hand whenever I needed them.

The guest room was the first room I painted here. It started out as a bright, bright yellow. I painted it one weekend while Tom was away. He didn't even notice it had changed until I told him about a month later. I just went to the paint store and grabbed a colour that I liked. I didn't like it for long but never got around to changing it either. So this room ended up being a mishmash of leftover decorating items. We even stored all of our extra artwork under the bed! It does contain my first piece of refinished furniture though - the  stained & waxed dresser from Goodwill. This is when I fell in love with finishing a piece with furniture wax instead of polyurethane.

Smaller projects were the main bathroom, the powder room, and the linen closet in the upstairs hallway. In the main bathroom, beyond paint, we replaced the medicine cabinet and mirror with custom-made pieces we did ourselves. Tom has become an old hand at building mirror frames. The ones in the powder room and ensuite were built by him as well.

The linen closet received all new shelving, a more streamlined laundry chute (I miss that so much!), and framed bi-fold doors. We also framed out and added bi-fold doors to the front foyer coat closet.

Before:

After:

The two biggest changes upstairs were the master bedroom and the ensuite bathroom. The top half of the bedroom walls were done in a textured plaster with a brown glaze over yellow paint. I wasn't a fan, but I thought it would be too much work to scrape it all down and repair the walls. So I just painted it all one colour - first a dark grey (BM Arctic Seal) that was way too dark (think prison cell) - and then a lighter grey that was much more soothing.

Before:

1st Change (BM Stormy Monday):

I got a hankering for more though, so I installed faux board and batten wainscoting all around the bottom half of the room. This project was all mine. I learned so much about using different power tools that week. And my body paid the price for all that crawling around on the floor. There's something I adore about grey and white together. The room felt like a suite at a fancy hotel. One covered in dog hair of course.

After (BM Stormy Monday):

The ensuite bathroom was our pride and joy. It was a complete gut, right down to the studs. We even had to replace some studs because they were warped and weren't even connected to the drywall! We painstakingly chose all of the finishes, even driving to another town to get more tile when our local store ran out just as it was almost finished. We had the tile installed by a contractor as we knew it would take us months of evening and weekend work to get it done.

Before:

After:

Tom rerouted all of the plumbing himself so that we could have a wall-hung vanity. He also framed out the shower niche, built the mirror frame and shelves, and of course designed and built the inset toilet paper holder that he is so proud of.

The ensuite in our new house is a bit of a blank slate. We'll probably incorporate some of the same ideas - wood grain floor tile, inset toilet paper holder (as if that was in question!), wall-hung vanity - and we're going to have a go at doing it all ourselves. Cross your fingers for us!

The basement was fully finished when we moved in so there wasn't a lot to do. We rearranged some things like the washer/dryer and water heater, and installed a water softener, but most of the changes were cosmetic. We painted the entire basement a warm blue as we were going for a cottage/beachy feel. We changed out all of the lighting, hung some "beachy" artwork, and I painted a huge pallet sign. It's an homage to our favourite beach rental in Hawaii.

Before:

After:

We turned the cold storage into a regular storage area (it was still pretty cold) with wood paneled walls and strong wooden shelves. I always loved the smell of that room - I think I'm a carpenter at heart.

The backyard also got an overhaul. The house came with a tiny, tiny deck, actually two tiny decks attached to each other, but not on the same level. We raised up the second deck, enlarged it, and then added another lower deck off to the side where we hung our hammock. The plain wooden rail pickets were replaced with metal balusters.

The final project was to enclose the bottom of the deck, something we did just a month or so before we listed the house. It's too bad we didn't do it sooner as it really added to the appeal.

Before:

After:

Whew! That was a lot of change. We loved renovating this house. We made a few changes to our previous house (beyond paint), but this one was where we really got our groove on. I'm really going to miss it.

Here are a few more photos from the real estate listing that show it off like a model home.

(All real estate photos courtesy of West Blue Studio Services)