Kitchen island; made to order! (That is Sherlock. He’s my inspector Kitty!)
You are gonna guess it right…my wood scrape pile is fairly large. With that said, I’ve been needing an island in the kitchen. As you all know I am short and after a big day of chopping and mixing on my kitchen counters, it starts to wear on my shoulders. So, I decided to build this island to give my shoulders a bit of a reprieve.
This post is to basically tell you if something isn’t working, build it to suit!
I built the top of this island first. I know, not very conventional, but I’m not a conventional person either! 😛
The top of the island is basically 1×4’s. And a ton of screws! I really need to get a jig so I can make pocket holes. (Please Santa send me a kreg pocket jig ! I’ve been a really good girl!)
I cut 2×4’s to the height that would work for me! And used 1×4 cross pieces for support which will also support a shelf.
I am not certain I like this color, but for now it will do. Mind you, I do love orange, just not sure about this particular shade. So one day on a future post you may see it a different color!
Yep same as the first pic. As you can see there are two shelves. I used 1×4 cleat for the bottom shelf as well. Notice the kitchen cabinets and floor. I am hoping this year to get to refinishing both! Stay tuned! 😀
This island dubs as a laundry folding center and has been a great computer table. When I use it as a computer table I take off all the bottom slats and one slat on the top shelf for leg room, still giving me a shelf for books and things. This could also work as a potting table outside. Just remember to coat it with a few coats of polyurethane to protect it from the elements.
So you see, scrap wood isn’t just for kindling…This was a simple project using 1×4’s and 2×4’s for legs. It can be done with 1×2’s, 1×6’s…4×4 legs would be awesome, really limitless in what you can build with just a basic table idea.
You too can do this! I believe in YOU!
Side note: The weather has been beautiful. I hope you all find the time to go outside and enjoy the sun. Read up on how important vitamin D is for you! Sunshine is so uplifting. Sadness just has a way of seeping away as the sun warms your skin. So get out there take deep breaths and let the rays fill you with happy!
I appreciate every one of you liking, sharing, and following me. You are like the sun! Peace, Koko ❤
Nice looking table. I like rustic pieces like this.
Thank you Andrew and kind of you to comment. It’s fun to do a build with lumber just laying around. Waste not, want not! Hahaha. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Love the color! Wow. I’m totally digging this! Keep up the great work.
Awe you are so sweet! Glad you liked the pop of orange! I hope your weather is beautiful where you are. As I type this, I am sitting near a window feeling the cool air and seeing the sun shine. The birds are beckoning me to come out and play! I just might! Take care Gaia and thank you for your happy and inspiring words!❀
Love it!! I was just sending my father in law some designs I liked. I’ll be passing this one along too. I desperately need an island.
You can’t go wrong really! I am already thinking of another one! When I do, I will move this one about the home or as I said in my post, a potting table! My kitchen is really small so It really does dictate what I can build. Some of the larger islands are soooo tempting to build; even ones with drawers! But sadly I can’t here. Thank you kindly for popping in! It really does mean a lot that you took the time to comment! Good luck to your father in law on the build. I hope you post a picture of it someday! ❀
Another terrific job Koko! I love an island in the kitchen! This adds so much functionality! Bravo!
You always can make my day Krystal! Thank you! Really! The extra space is amazing. I lucked out by accident, when I built the shelves, they are the perfect height for juice bottles and items I normally purchase! Yay. The extra surface is great when I bake cookies too! Because a girls gotta have a cookie every now and again! Enjoy your day! ❀❀❀
Excellent craftsmanship and functional Koko! It looks good too.
Thank you Jalexarits! Very useful! I back a chicken a couple times a week in a dutch oven that weighs a ton and this island has made lugging the pot from surface to oven much easier! Great to see you again. I need to pop on over and check out what other amazing creations you’ve added to your turtle home! 😀
Cool on your island.
Koko, please come anytime. You are always welcome…
Jim
Wow this is really nice! Good job!
Thank you Rida! It’s comments like yours that keeps me doing it! Have a lovely day!❀
Love it ! You’re so handy!!! I love your post bout your wood work. Keep it up 🙂
Thank you Faith! I find I save a lot of money this way! Hahaha. I appreciate your support. Thank you kindly for commenting.
Hope your day is gorgeous! ❀
I hope your day is awesome also.
You are very creative…and handy! This multi-purpose island looks really good, in your kitchen or where you might need it later 🙂 Bravo!
Thank you Tiny! I always appreciate you cheering me on! Have a glorious Wednesday! ❀❀❀
Very very nice! Well done, you have talent!
So happy you made me! Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope to see you again. Have a beautiful day!❀
Really nice! Great job.
Thank you! I am grateful you stopped by and kindly commenting. Have a super day! 😀
I love this table, it looks great! I live rustic anything!
Sweet! I am glad you liked it! Comments like yours keeps me posting! Thank you! Hope to see more of you! Peace, Koko
This is fantastic and very versatile!!!
Indeed it is! Thank you sewloveable! Have a lovely evening. ❀❀❀
That’s so cool that you did your own, I LOVE kitchen islands!!
I can’t tell you how useful this island has been. I do tons of laundry too and I just scoot this in the laundry area and fold away! Great to see you here! Have a delightful day!❀❀❀
This is so cool! I’m always impressed by furniture diy it’s so hard core! 🙂
It is so much fun to wield around power tools. I feel like a rock star for about two seconds! Hahaha. I appreciate you coming by. Please stop by again. An amazing day is to be had…go get you some! 🙂
Gorgeous! What a great idea
You are so kind to say so! May your day be filled with warm sunshine! Come back and visit again Roci! ❀
Thank you Koko! Your blog always cheers me up! I love when you post
You ROCK, Roci! ❀❀❀
Lovely Koko 🌸 and I think I do well putting together a £5 coffee table from Ikea! 😳
Putting together things from Ikea can be quite a feat! Well done Charlotte! I love Ikea stuff! The nearest one to me is about a four hour drive!
You are so talented! I am hoping to do some builds of my own as soon as I get a new blade for my circular saw!
I am in desperate need for new blades and upgrades and tools. Some of mine are over 30 years old! I hope you get to build something too. It’s so much fun! And I look forward to seeing your work! Have a beautiful Friday and awesome weekend!:)
This is such a cute island.
Thank you Sonya! It was a fun project to do. Good to have you here. Enjoy your weekend ahead!
I like that it has a multi-purpose function. Well done!
I need multi-purpose for most of my furnishings. Not much stays the same in my house. I am forever moving things around so more than one use is very helpful! Please come back again Nadine! Take care.
I will! 🙂
Love this, such a beautiful piece 🙂
Awww….I really appreciate you saying so. It is pretty neat to make something out of stuff laying around. Gracefullyjason, I hope to see you here again. Have an awesome week! Best, Koko 😀
Great work! And I love that you customized it for your height. I love DIYing furniture it’s like arts and crafts you can actually use everyday! Hope it makes your life better.
It really does help make my life easier! My daughter was helping me cook this past weekend and she said, “Mom is this the right height for you?” She’s way taller than me….But hahaha, yes it works for me very well. And since I can’t bring the counters down…. 🙂 It’s about the only piece of furniture that truly fits me! Thank you Joy for coming by and kindly commenting. Please come back again! Take care! Koko ❀
i’m so impressed Koko! what a lovely multi-purpose island you’ve got! and love the color, too! 🙂
It is quite the pop of color! Hahaha. It’s wonderful to have you here. I hope I can keep on impressing you! Best to you Lola! Koko 🙂
Koko, this kitchen table is outstanding. I love how you build like me, using scrap wood. It’s funny I think the lumber in my garage is breeding somehow… I keep using the scrap wood, but never appears to be dwindling down any…. I love the color too, and have fun outdoors.. hugs from Laura 🙂
With your breeding scrap wood, you have a goldmine! Let me think how to market that: I won’t take more than 15% commission! 😉 Hahahaha. I’m trying to use up stuff and organized my garage more. I have loads of projects and I need space as I can’t always depend on good weather to do them outside. Laura you are a gem! Thank you for commenting and keeping me in smiles! Koko❀
Koko, my garage is sort of like a storage area that keeps on giving. I may eventually find the very back of the garage. LOL… naw.. it’s not that bad as I still park my car in there too.. but underneath the shelves which go all the way to the ceiling, there are a number of totes full of this and that wood.. I usually break down furniture that’s broken and can’t be fixed and save the parts.. it’s amazing what you can make out of this stuff… just be careful not to travel down that highway of hoarding .. I keep a watchful eye on that… I love how crafty and your love of woodworking as this will forever keep you young … Power to the power tools… vrooom, vrooom,
🙂 hugs from Laura 🙂
I’ve always loved working with tools. More so I like building things so the tools must follow! Last week I got to use a chain saw for the first time! I had so much fun! Woohoo! Hugs to you!!!!!
Koko, I know what you mean about using the power tools. It’s such a great feeling to build something with your own two hands..
Have a most wonderful day today, (it’s finally sunny outside here) Take care from, Laura
Yay! So happy the sun found you! It’s a picture perfect day here. The birds are loving it as I can hear many types of birds happily singing and chatting with each other! I am going to have a most wonderful day today because you said too! I’m going to see Pat Benatar tonight! Hahaha
Koko, I’m so happy your sun and birds are out today and you’re going to love Pat Benatar tonight..Enjoy ❤
Hugs from, Laura
You always have such good suggestions
You too! I mean it when I say when I can afford to, I’m hiring you as my stylist! 🙂
I appreciate that. I am a Certified Image Consultant so thanks. Working on my page so I might just work for free if you will agree to being my model. How about that?
Haha sounds great! I see a huge future for you! All the best designing your page. I’m super excited for you! 🙂
Cool…thanks for your constant support. I really appreciate it
You bet! 🙂
Reblogged this on Concierge Librarian.
Woohoo! I totally appreciate you reblogging! You are so kind and thoughtful. THANK YOU! 🙂
Excellent!
What a lovely piece of furniture!
Thank you Helen. You are so nice to say so. I am actually thinking of building another as I’ve lived with this one now for some time, I’ve notice a couple things I would do different! I hope to see you around again. Have a fab day! Koko 🙂
What would you do differently?
I have a pitcher that I use daily…the island I have now is 1/4 inch too short (the top shelf). I could lower the shelf. I would put wheels on as I move this piece a lot. I could cut the legs on this and add wheels. All in all the height is perfect for my size and it’s been totally helpful. I would always want to have an island. It truly comes in handy when I am cooking a lot and baking. The extra counter space is invaluable! 🙂
Yes, wheels are a good idea. I would like to have an island for my kitchen/dining room. Got a lot of work to do first but it certain is useful for that extra work surface as well as the storage.
You got that right on the storage. I gained so much. I moved all my baking ingredients onto the island shelves. It’s super handy. I have about 10 glass jars that fit so nicely on it. I wrote what’s in each jar with a marker. Looks cute too! I hope you get your island!!!!!
I hope so, thank you!
I’m loving your inspector Kitty! I can definitely relate to your cat jumping into the photo, mine always want to be the center of attention. One of my cats, Squiggy, likes to inspect things, too. If he sees an open box or cabinet, he doesn’t hesitate to jump in!
I know! Aren’t they funny. Boxes are the best. I will have a shoe box; the kind where the lid is attached and the box will be closed and out pops kitty! 🙂
Wow. How resourceful. Love that.
Thank you so much! Glad to have you here. Have a fantastic week. Koko
You are an amazing talent. Creative and energetic. Inspiring!!
You make my day for saying so! I’m keeping your words with me all week to propel me with even more energy! I’ve got more cement work to do, shelves to build and about a dozen more plants to get in the ground. If weather holds out I’m fixing my front door (a bit of dry rot in a corner of a sidelight). Mowing is always needed as the land doesn’t now itself but if I had a couple of goats it would! Can’t have them here as crazy as that sounds as I have a couple acres! Anyway you humble me. Thank you for stopping by and saying such nice things. Off to have a happier day. Was out chasing butterflies with my puppy. Off to mow. Go have a happy day too! Ciao! Koko 🙂
This is great!!! Simple but oh so stunning!
Aww thank you! Happy you liked it! Have an awesome Tuesday! Please come back again! Koko:)
Awesome piece! Perfect use of scrap, too 😉
Thank you! I’ve used it for so many things. It’s been the kitchen island for a long time. I just moved it into the butlers pantry for some needed storage. Who knows, next spring it may be my new potting table! Hahaha. Take care! 🙂
What a cool project!! I’ve been wanting a table like this… I’m not much of a builder but I may have to try this in the future. I love all your rustic looking furniture projects!! I think the color looks great 🙂
-Carissa
Thank you Carissa. That’s so kind of you to say. I don’t consider myself a builder either! Hahaha! Thanks for putting a smile on my face. Happy Friday! Koko:)
You are totally a builder!! I don’t think I’m skilled enough to put something like that together myself. Well done girl 🙂
Bookmark reminder! 😀
Awesome! 🙂
This will save someone money and can be customized to any kitchen! Beautiful and professional!
I really appreciate your comments. I am now using it as a coffee bar! I’m going to build shelves above it to hold all things coffee and tea! The same shelves I blogged about. I can’t wait! 🙂
Great idea!
Thank you! I have to build another one. I’m now using it as my coffee/tea station! 🙂
This is fantastic!! I love it! 💗
Thank you Lisa! It’s quite useful. Have a lovely weekend. 🙂
Nice job!
Thank you! 🤗
Unique idea for a multipurpose kitchen island. Great job!
Thank you! It has been my coffee bar for a year now. I can’t help but move stuff around the house. Keeps thing fresh for me. Haha. I imagine it will be a garden work station in the spring! Happy weekend to you! 🙂