Updating an Existing Kitchen Island

Updating an existing kitchen island is an easier update than you would think.  The kitchen island and the pendant lights above are a focal point in your kitchen. It is the central gathering place for anything from homework to appetizers.  It can be bland and boring or filled with character and modern touches.  The most desirable kitchen island is inviting and comfortable to entice guests to sit and enjoy food and conversation.  Updates can simply decorating, adding paint, such as Rust-Oleum’s Chalked paint or some trim. Or, you could revamp your entire island from counter to base.  From the top, to the sides, materials and decorative elements such as corbels, my goal with this article is to provide you with inspiration to give your kitchen island more personality for a super worthwhile do it yourself kitchen update.

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Paint Your Kitchen Island

Similar to painting a room in a fresh color,  painting your existing kitchen island is a dramatic update.  You can paint your kitchen island without altering the structure at all.  Just a new coat of paint will refresh the space.

RELATED: Best Cabinet Paint Kits

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Or, add some furniture like details to the island first to add interest before painting it.  If you are waffling over painting all of your kitchen cabinets, this could be the perfect kitchen update for you.  It could satisfy your desire for adding change with paint to your kitchen without painting out all of your kitchen cabinets.

It is much less risky to paint only your island than all of your kitchen cabinets!  Not to mention a lot less work.  If your kitchen cabinets are not painted, painting only the kitchen island will add contrast and a new focal point to your kitchen.  It will change the way you look at your kitchen.  It can be subtle with pure and simple white.  Or, it can be bold with red, teal or even yellow.

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A popular choice is black for the kitchen island.  Black is classic and less likely to go out of style.  Match the color to your chairs, hardware or accessories to provide consistency throughout the kitchen.  Painting your island a different color from the cabinets will keep your kitchen from being too traditional.  A painted kitchen island will add depth and interest.  You can use chalk paint, distress your paint or make it glossy…whatever strikes your fancy…be creative!  It is just paint!  Paint out several colors on your island to live with the colors for awhile.  After you live with a few colors for a little while, your color choice will become obvious.Paint your existing kitchen island.  It is an easy change the yields great results!

Baseboard and Trim for Your Kitchen Island

Baseboard and trim molding is not only for the living and dining room.  Molding can provide distinctive eye catching depth and interest when applied to your kitchen island.  There are many molding profiles to choose from:  crowns, casing, chair rail, baseboard, cove and batten.  The most common molding profiles used on kitchen islands are baseboard, chair rail, batten and any flat molding.   Baseboard molding is applied to the bottom of a kitchen island.  It provides a solid anchor for your island.  Instead of a recessed toe kick, baseboard molding provides a beautiful furniture like feel to your island.  Common baseboard styles are rounded/stepped, flat, sculpted mid-height or sculpted taller baseboard molding.  Rounded/ stepped baseboard molding is flat then has a rounded or stepped edge at the top.  It is used in more modern homes.  Flat baseboard molding is just that – flat.  Flat baseboard molding can be used with just about any style.  Sculpted or mid-height baseboard molding has scallops or steps towards the middle.  It is used in more formal homes.  Sculpted taller baseboard molding is taller and very styled with scallops and steps.  It is usually used in large scale homes and makes a statement.  Chair rail, batten and flat molding can be used for decorative accents on the kitchen island above the baseboard.

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You can create a board and batten design on the sides of your kitchen island.  Board and batten has a lot of character and depth which will make your island look like a beautiful piece of furniture.  You can use furring strips for your board and battens and add any kind of molding to accent the furring strips.  You can also use chair rails as decorative accents on the sides of your island as well.  Form boxes, diamonds or more complex designs on the sides of your island to add character and create a custom look.

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Applying baseboard and trim to your kitchen island really only requires basic woodworking skills.  It is not as complicated as it looks.  For minimal effort, you can add baseboard and trim to the sides of your island to update your existing kitchen island from builder grade to the custom furniture look that you desire.

Kitchen Island Legs and Corbels

Kitchen island legs and corbels can give your existing kitchen island the detail of a beautiful piece of furniture.  There are many leg and corbel styles to choose from.  You can install legs and corbels or just one of the two.

Kitchen island legs vary in shape, size and style.  Kitchen island leg styles include:  square column style, round column style, straight square tapered, round metal or simple square.  The square column style usually has a baseboard trim.   The square column style can go with just about any style kitchen.   It has clean, simple lines.

The round column style is more of a traditional turned leg.

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The straight tapered leg has more of a modern feel.

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The round metal leg is very contemporary.  Lastly, the simple square can be used with many different styles from modern country to traditional.

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Kitchen island legs can be connected by open shelving to give you a more airy, open look.  Or, the legs can be connected by the paneling of your choice.  Take home a couple of kitchen island leg styles to see what appeals to you the most before installation.

Kitchen island corbels can be the finishing touch that really makes the space.  A corbel is a triangle shaped piece of metal, composite or wood designed to assist in holding up the counter, but can also be completely decorative.  Corbels are attached underneath your kitchen island to adorn and/or support the top of your island.  Corbels can add personality and emphasize your style.  You can choose from simple to elaborately embellished corbels.  There are many styles to choose from.  There are contemporary straight lined corbels, classic plain corbels or highly carved corbels.

Choose to install kitchen island legs or corbels or both!  You will not be unhappy with your kitchen island update.  Either will take your existing kitchen island from builder grade to fabulous!

Kitchen Island Counter Update

Have you ever thought of replacing your kitchen island counter top?  It can update your kitchen in a huge way!  There are so many options to choose from.  The new top does not have to be the same as your kitchen counters.  Warm up the space with some wood or add a pop of color or shine.  Consider the function of the island when choosing your new top.  Do you dine at the island?  Entertain?  Mainly prep and wash?  Try to choose a material that will function well for you.  Some options for a new kitchen island top include:  wood (plank style walnut, etc.), butcher block, marble, granite, concrete, stainless steel or granite.

Related Article: Updating Countertops on a Budget

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You could even recycle a coffee table and use the top for your island.  As long as you make sure that your base can support the top that you choose, anything goes!  Keep your island the same size and just update the material.  Or, make your island bigger to accommodate kitchen island legs or stools.  The top of your kitchen island is such a focal point in your kitchen that a new top will brighten, lighten and modernize your kitchen immediately.

Updating the Sides of a Kitchen Island

The sides of builder grade kitchen islands are often boring and unattractive.  There are many ways that you can modernize the sides of your island.  I mentioned many kinds of trim in the section above that can revive the sides of your island.  Trim is beautiful, but there are many other ways to update the sides of your island both structurally and aesthetically.  Structurally, you could add many different design elements.  You can change a flat, plain side to open shelving.  You can add decorative or functional elements to the open shelving to refresh your island.

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You could also move your microwave into the base of your island.  Little things like a towel rack, a trash can or a wine rack installed in your island base can provide an update that you will really appreciate.  Aesthetically, there are many decorative choices.  For example, you could add bead board, reclaimed wood or even brick to the sides of your island.  Really, anything that works with your décor goes.  Have fun, rejuvenate your kitchen with a stylish new look.

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Updating an existing kitchen island is an easy way to give your entire kitchen a new look.  I hope that I have provided you with some ideas to motivate you to give your island a makeover.

Related Article: Kitchen Island Decorating Ideas