Old Dresser = Kitchen Island

Some very dear friends of mine got married last month.

As with most marriages, this one came with the expense privilege of furnishing a new home.

(actually an old one, but "new" to them)

I was lucky enough to throw a few ideas at them as they redid it.

I love throwing ideas at people.

Sometimes they splatter all over the place and it's just not cool.

Sometimes they turn out halfway decent.

 

Toward the end then Derek and I had the opportunity to make them a wedding present that we hope will earn us freee babysitting until our kids are in highschool.

You think I'm kidding.

I am.

Sorta.

No really I am.

 

sorry I didn't crop the photo. It slipped through before I got the chance. Plus you get to see that I live life on the edge with my "in the red" battery symbol. 

 

Pretty cool eh?

 

This is the dresser I found on Craigslist to do the job.

It needed a few fixes but they were all pretty easy.

The part that had me thinking for a few days was what to do to the back of it since it would be facing the living room and it's current face just wouldn't do at all!

Some people can go au'natural but some need a layer of makeup between them and the rest of the seeing population.

This one was no exception.

 

 

I actually enlisted Derek's help here.

He was kind enough to add some bead board to the back and trim it all out for me.

 

 

I removed the original top from it and got to work on a new one.

(the old top will be made into a sign at some point)

 

 

I used end glued wood from Lowes to do the job but since it wasn't wide enough then we cut the whole piece in half and attached them together in more of a square instead of a rectangle.

As you can see I just used some T brackets to do the job.

(two of them)

 

 

 

I custom matched the original paint by throwing some paint in a cup and continuing to throw some in until I got the right color.

It took a long time...

I like mixing my own paint though so that it's pretty much impossible to ever tell someone what the color is.

People love that.

If you really need to know though...

It's a creamy white color.

More creamy than white.

That help?

 

 

I wanted the distressing on the back to match the original, old chippy distress marks on the front.

So I painted them on:-)

I've done this a few times when I want a more chippy look.

It's not hard to do but you can either make it look authentic or really cheesy.

 I hope I got the authentic choice here...

 

 

Obviously I also added corbels for charm and support.

 

 

The kitchen still wasn't finished at this point so Curt

(the man of the new home)held up one of the cute little lights

(he custom spray painted) over the new island to give us a taste of what it would look like when all done.

 

 

I'll be sure to get updated photo's when the newlyweds come out of hiding and let me come stalk their house.

They did a TON of work to the place and I'm hoping they will let me show you some before and afters of it!

 

Meanwhile, go find yourself an old dresser.

You need a new kitchen island.