– A DIY kitchen island is a great piece of furniture that is placed at the center of the cooking space. If you enjoy doing a DIY project, building a multipurpose unit like a kitchen island would enhance the appearance and utility of the cooking area.
The kitchen islands are on top of the list of essential furniture in the kitchen. It gives perfect values that allow you to enjoy the busiest room of the house. It is mostly used as the prep zone and a breakfast bar.
This article will serve you with all the DIY kitchen island ideas to create a piece of furniture that suits your workflow.
1. Small Reclaimed-Wood Kitchen Island
The first DIY project ideas to dress up your kitchen’s center space is this small table. It would make a perfect kitchen island for your small cooking area. It gives a strong rustic touch to the center. It goes perfectly blended with the flooring.
You can build this free island for the kitchen easily for less than 50 bucks. It is just like building a simple small table with reclaimed wood and dark color paint. It is one of the inexpensive kitchen island ideas to deal with.
2. Scrap Wood Kitchen Island
Unlike reclaimed wood, this material offers a brighter color of the wood. However, the structure of this DIY kitchen island is a combination of reclaimed wood as the rack. Building this scrap wood kitchen island would only cost you about $30.
The racks and drawers make perfect storage to organize your kitchen stuff including fruit basket, plates, and many others.
3. Repurposed Dresser as Kitchen Island
It is one DIY idea that does not require any woodworking steps to acquire. Instead, it needs an old dresser. This vintage style DIY kitchen island from the dresser has some beautiful classic texture that exposes its beautiful charm.
This dresser comes with wheels to move it easily wherever you want. If you do not have an old dresser, you can find some design options for old dressers from the antique or flea market nearby or online.
You could buy this green dresser for about 100 bucks online. You may find some old dressers at a cheaper price if you are searching for it carefully.
4. DIY Kitchen Island Full of Storage
A kitchen with limited space needs a lot of storage for everything such as plates, glasses, silverware, dishtowels, and many more. From this point of view, this simple but stylish kitchen island comes with three drawers, two cabinets, and one open shelving space.
The shelving mechanism in the middle makes the design of this island a lot more interesting. It is even better with that blue color that goes in contrast with the wooden countertop.
5. Simple Kitchen Island Design for $15
Check out this inexpensive idea of the DIY kitchen island. It would cost only about $15. It comes with a good amount of workspace that is equipped with a rack for storage. The size and shape are brilliant for his kitchen.
The cherry wood color pops up right from the center of this kitchen. The rack helps a lot in storing all the big kitchenware that you do not want to expose.
A simple structural design does not give you enough space for storage. You need to keep the elements minimal to maximize the program.
6. Roll-Away Kitchen Island from HGTV
All the steps or the full tutorial of this DIY kitchen island is available at the HGTV website. This rolling island would add style and functionality to your cooking area. This island features some storage for one-sheet pans, cutting boards, and a stand mixer.
That storage is equipped on one side of the island. While on the other side of the kitchen island allows for extra seating. It is the perfect choice for your small kitchen. This island is so portable and you can easily roll it out whenever you need it.
7. Farmhouse Style DIY Kitchen Island
This rustic, farmhouse kitchen island features an overhand countertop that gives a space for bar-style seating. The spacious countertop surface lets you put plates, decoration, and other items related to food prep.
The base has a cabinet as additional storage for your cooking flow. The two tones of color offer a nice visual contrast to the cooking space. That stools become one with the island in that design.
8. Country Style Dresser from the Bedroom
A nice looking dresser is used to be placed inside the bedroom. This wooden dresser has such rustic appeal to suits your kitchen style. It has a country style with light blue paint and light wood countertop.
It comes with a classic texture and rollers. This DIY kitchen island on wheels makes this small-repurposed kitchen island to be portable.
9. Industrial Rolling Kitchen Cart
This tiny kitchen island looks like it has been rescued from the workshop. Once a used vise grip base has been cleaned, scraped, and painted, it could transform into a rolling cart for a kitchen that has some industrial vibes.
If you were having a modern kitchen full of stainless steel, this would be a nice addition to complete the style. It could also be the kitchen island for a limited-space kitchen.
10. Simple Narrow Kitchen Island Ideas
If you need a simple kitchen island that will not take a lot of space in the cooking area, you might want to consider this slim island. It could give a bit of extra space of countertop without wasting a lot of space on the floor.
It would help you to declutter the kitchen too. This island features the use of a couple of shelves as wine racks or some other items. The white-painted structure blends pretty well with the kitchen scheme.
11. DIY Kitchen Island with Imperfections
This design of this DIY kitchen island is quite similar to the previous one. This one has a rustic appeal that adds more warmth and character to the center of your kitchen. The open shelf at the bottom provides a space for baskets to store the kitchen’s supplies.
To emphasize its natural texture, you do not need to make the wooden material perfectly painted and scraped. The imperfections provide character to the element.
12. Industrial Kitchen Island with Metal Pipes
This DIY idea of the kitchen island has offered a unique pipe structure with an industrial vibe, although the so-called charm is not being too obvious. Some simple wood planks complement the metal pipe legs and overall structure.
It is so simple and easy to make. That is why it is perfect for your DIY project. The narrow design means that it will not take a lot of space in the kitchen. It gives a bit of extra space to prep the food during cooking.
13. DIY Kitchen Island for Medium-Sized Kitchen
You can create or build your kitchen island based on the proportions of the kitchen itself. If the flooring were quite spacious, it would be perfect for this kitchen island since you can freely move it around the kitchen.
Every time you need the island closer, you can just push it forward and roll it close to you. This island features two shelves that allow you to store your most-used items during the cooking. It is one of the ideas DIY kitchen island Pinterest you may want to have in your cooking space.
14. Simple Rustic Kitchen Island Design
The strong rustic character, which this kitchen island has to offer, is so interesting. It can be a nice additional table to sit right beside the main island. Then, you can use it as the wine table filled with bottles of wine and the glasses.
It gives special storage for the wines. As you can see, this rustic furniture becomes the focal point of the kitchen. The contrasting dark wood makes it stand out more than the other elements.
15. Upcycled Vintage Table as Island
This skinny table would be the perfect choice to fill out a galley kitchen in your house. If your kitchen were as big as the one in the picture, the table would fit the space perfectly. Match the design and color of the table with the quartz countertop for a perfect transformation.
Some of you might get worried about the height difference issue. That is why it would be better to measure the height of your countertop first. The simple concept of this kitchen island would be a great idea for DIY. It could also become a proper DIY kitchen island dining table.
16. DIY Island from Bookshelf
You can transform a simple and small bookshelf into an amazing DIY kitchen island. This bookshelf looks so stunning in the middle of this modern kitchen. It is equipped with some shelves under the countertop. You can use an additional metal basket to store the veggies right under the island.
Some jars find their ideal space in this kitchen island. Even though this kitchen island is not as big as the ordinary one, it can be as functional. The matching stool makes the kitchen island more complete.
17. Butcher Block Countertop on Dresser
Kim and Scott from Yellow Brick Home design this repurposed dresser. It would be a beautiful idea for your DIY kitchen island. The biggest draw of this island is the drawers. It is full of storage space to get out of kitchen clutter.
The brass handles on the drawers match with the casters. Those wheels turned this dresser into a portable kitchen island. A butcher-block material for the countertop makes this island friendlier to your busy kitchen.
18. Kitchen Island with Hidden Storage for Trash
This kitchen island is not a pre-built one. Some DIY executor builds it from scratch. It comes with hidden storage right under the countertop. The hidden storage is designed for trash. With that opening system of the cabinet door, the cleaning would be a lot easier.
It improves efficiency during food preparation on the island. Besides, you can use an open, slat shelving to store baking supplies. The shelving is also equipped with rail and hooks for towels purchased from IKEA. That is why it is a recommended DIY kitchen island IKEA.
19. Shabby Shutters Kitchen Island
This craft kitchen island is insanely shabby. It is made of old shutters, which are easy to find second hand. Having it as the main material for this upcycled island would be a great use for the shutters. It is attached to a butcher block for the countertop.
The block texture and color match with the shabbiness that this small island has to offer. It features storage space under the countertop that you can use for bottles of wine. Do you see how the magazines are kept? The shutter design makes a nice holder for the recipe books.
20. Repainted Dresser as Kitchen Island
Another dresser transformed into a kitchen island seems to be the favorite pre-built island idea to support your cooking. The Tosca blue color makes the kitchen island instantly becomes the center of attention.
It is built with a white countertop that has intended to match with the design scheme of this bright kitchen. There is a globe pendant right above the island to divide the attention for a more comfortable atmosphere.
21. White Vintage Style Kitchen Island
It is one simple way to give more character to your kitchen. This DIY kitchen has some fun chunky legs. It is not just adding character to space. It makes the center of the space more interesting. The vintage vibe that is expressed by the kitchen island offers a sense of antique into the mix.
If you are interested in having one for your kitchen, you can carve some yourself to make such interesting chunky legs. If you are not that skillful in carving wood, you can go to the antique shop and find some.
22. Black and White DIY Kitchen Island
Making your kitchen island is not as complicated as you think. It is only about the woodwork. With some contrast in the color, you can make your kitchen island pop in your cooking area. Black and white colors seem to be the safest choice for any style you have in the kitchen.
Paint colors could be the defining element of the DIY project. So, make a few considerations before choosing the paint color. This simple wooden island features a couple of shelving to make this table more useful.
23. DIY Wood Pallet Kitchen Island
Pallets are a popular material for craft and DIY projects. If you want to make some DIY furniture with the real DIY look, pallets are like the highlights. The kitchen is one room of the house that uses pallets productively.
There are probably being tons of pallets you have in your kitchen to keep your supply. You can make use of the pallets differently by building a kitchen island out of them. Do not forget to paint the pallets to make it sleek and clean.
24. Kitchen Island with Door Countertop
Do you love shabby furniture? Well, this one might blow your mind. The countertop of this DIY kitchen island is made of an old door. That is an extreme level of shabbiness for some houses.
You can choose this idea as your fun DIY project. You need an old door to ruff up and attach it on top of the base. It could be a great option for your galley style kitchen to maximize the space. For additional storage, there is a shelf right under the door.
25. Simple Island with a Bit of Architecture
This sleek kitchen island has a few simple architectural textures on it. It adds a nice visual to the design of the island. It becomes an excellent frame for the countertop. The extra space could also be used as the nook to enjoy the meal. You just need to add some stools to support it.
Gina Glavin designs this simple kitchen island. With the right tutorial, you can create your kitchen island, just like this one.
FAQs
How do you build a DIY kitchen island?
There are so many tutorials online. You can choose the sources whether it is written on a blog or in the form of videos on Youtube.
Does a kitchen island have to be attached to the floor?
Some islands are not attached to the floor but it should be because it is a standard mechanism for a functional “table” of the kitchen.
Does IKEA sell kitchen islands?
Yes, it does. IKEA has a collection of attractive kitchen island designs. Each of them provides additional storage space that is so functional.
How much does it cost to build a kitchen island?
Kitchen islands cost an average of $3,000 to $5,000. Prefabricated islands are usually cheaper, yet they may need some assembly according to where you purchase them.
Is a kitchen island a good idea?
It is ideal for large kitchens and comes in handy in turning the cooking area into a cool social space.
All of those DIY kitchen island ideas would be a great inspiration to start the project and make your special furniture. With those creative ideas above, you do not need many budgets to own a stunning multi-functional kitchen island as the heart of the kitchen.