Turning Base Cabinets Into an Island

2 Materials
$300
1 Day
Medium

When we moved into our home the kitchen didn’t have a proper island. It was a “bar” that looked like it belonged on a patio. I always wanted an actual island with storage that fit the rest of the kitchen but didn’t want to spend the money on something already built.

Then I found these 3 base cabinets on FB Marketplace with a granite top, for $200!


Bonus I sold the other one for $150!

These were 3 base cabinets and one had all drawers which is exactly what I have been looking for. The plus side is they came with a beautiful slab of Granite, even though I will replace it when we get new countertops to match..I just don’t want granite.


So my mission was to make these base cabinets look like one cohesive piece in a beautiful island.

I used Luann board. It’s only 1/4″ which makes it the exact size to make the side of the cabinet flush. 


I used my jigsaw to cut the boards to size since the edges would be covered with trim. I used finishing nails to secure them to the cabinets front and back. 

For the trim I wanted a chunky traditional look. For the top and down the sides I used 1×4 pine boards and for the bottom I used 1×6. 


I cut the boards to length and for the corners where they met I used my table saw to bevel the edges to get a clean look. 


When all the trim pieces were on, I wanted to add detail to the bottom to make it look a little more robust. I cut the a few pieces of the 1×6 and added them to the bottom corners for a nice detail. 

After filling the screw holes with wood filler and sanding I painted the wood the same color as I did for  this cabinet in the dining room.


Benjamin Moore’s Advanced paint in Deep Space. 

I love the way it came out and I have so much more storage in then kitchen. We might add on to the island with a garbage pull out when we get new countertops for the kitchen, since we will also replace this granite that came with it.


What do you think?

Resources for this project:
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Tara Boettger
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 4 questions
  • Paige Gonzales Paige Gonzales on Jun 17, 2021

    This is amazing! You did a fabulous job! Do have 1 question though. What did you use for the top? Is it butcher block, or slab of some material? Would love to know.

  • Did you know islands without electrical outlets are a no go for coding laws! I found that out when selling on of my TX homes!

    They say they cause injuries by people plugging into the real counter area and dragging the cord over to the island!

  • Tracey Tracey on Jul 24, 2022

    GREAT JOB! We wanted an island in our kitchen when we bought our new house a few years ago. We bought stock cabinets just like this and it worked great. I do not have any outlets and have not had any problems. BTW my cousin is in code enforcements in our city, he has visited my home and never said a word about my island not having outlets. The fire chief has been here too and never said a word.

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 38 comments
  • Linda Abate Linda Abate on Jan 11, 2023

    Making a kitchen island out of stock cabinets, using an old sideboard, dresser etc. is an awesome idea. This not only saves money on custom cabinets but also is a opportunity to something creative and fun. I have also see where some people take an old dresser and use it in a bathroom as a vanity or for storage. LOVE these ideas.

  • Leah Morris Leah Morris on Jul 21, 2023

    I don’t have question but have made my own as well Mine has a butcher top and is on wheels. So I can move around if needed I can move it close to the electrical plug if needed. Front and side. I enjoyed making it and as you needed some extra space 

Next