Creating beautiful, one of a kind DIY Kitchen Islands is fun, especially when you are re-purposing old furniture you already have or can pick up at the local re-sale shop rather inexpensively.

Whether you need a DIY small kitchen island or a DIY large kitchen island, really doesn’t matter. When you create and make things yourself, you get to decide what size it will be.

If you aren’t the “Do It Yourself” kind of person, you can buy islands for your kitchen and be really happy with them. I have seen some beautiful ones that I would love to have. I just can’t afford them.

Most of my homes that I have lived in have needed an island and surprisingly enough, most didn’t have them already. I have made several of these and always out of different items.

Years ago my husband was working in an old apartment in downtown Kansas City and brought home two old upper kitchen cabinets with the original glass doors. I was so excited.

I turned them over, cut off the pieces that I couldn’t use, which were really just an ornate piece they had on there for extra support, and then added a butcher block top. I put them back to back so there was glass cabinet doors on both sides. They didn’t have a back on them, so they worked great as a see through cabinet.

My grandfather came to visit for the day and made my butcher block top for me out of wood we picked up at the hardware store. I loved and cherished that island until I moved and had no space for it.

My island looked much like this, I wish I had a picture to share, but I don’t. Mine was wider since I took two cabinets and put them back to back. But you get the idea. I did paint mine white and didn’t keep the rustic look. You can actually buy this cabinet from Coach Barn.

It just shows that you can make a DIY kitchen island out of things that most people would throw away. Think outside the box and you will end up with a great island for your home.

How to Build DIY Kitchen Islands for Small Spaces

Just because your kitchen is small doesn’t mean you can’t put a small DIY kitchen island in there.

I have a very small kitchen in our home now, yet a small island fits perfectly. I actually really need it because I don’t have much prep space. I use it everyday to prepare meals and I would be lost with out it.

For a small kitchen you need to start looking for something that will fit into your kitchen space. You could take two thin book shelves, back to back, and put a top on them. You could also just use one if that is the amount of space you have. Another great idea is putting them side by side if you have a long thin kitchen. These might be the perfect solution for your kitchen. It will be great to work on for preparing meals, but it also can store cookbooks, mixing bowls or even fill small baskets with onions and potatoes for easy reach.

The island pictured here was made by a mother of 3 boys. This island has to be able to withstand what those boys do to it. You can read here how she created it and with what materials. She tells you how she added some special touches too. Her blog is great, it’s called Golden Boys and Me.

How to Make a DIY Kitchen

Island out of a Thrift Store Desk

Thinking outside the box is what will bring you the best ideas when it comes to kitchen islands.

The girls from the “Knock It Off” Show created this DIY kitchen island from a thrift store find. There is even a video with these instructions.

They are giving your step by step instructions on how to make this great kitchen island for practically free. You can paint it any color you want or keep its natural wood tone. This is your island, so get your ideas from them and use their directions, but make it your own.

My island is on wheels, maybe you will put a set of casters on the bottom of yours too. This is a great way to raise the island up a bit more too. It has to be the perfect height or my back will kill me. I also move it around when I need some space while entertaining or when I am just cleaning the kitchen floor. It’s very convenient.

It looks like they added a platform for this desk to sit on so it would be tall enough. I like the look of it and I would probably do it to any island that I was building. But casters are faster.

How to Build DIY Kitchen Islands for Large Spaces

When you have a big kitchen and lots of room, the skies the limit on what you can build. I would be on the look out for old cabinets that someone is either throwing away or selling very cheaply. But I have even seen old dressers made in to beautiful islands. So look for those too.

As you can see in this picture, this was once a dresser. But now it is a beautiful kitchen island. It took some work, but it is doable for sure. Do you have an old dresser that would look amazing as a kitchen island around your home or in your basement? Now is the time to drag it to the garage for a DIY makeover.

All the instructions for this great DIY Kitchen Island are here on their web site. They have lots of pictures and great instructions that are easy to follow.

Can You Update an Already Existing Kitchen Island?

Do you already have a built in island but it just isn’t big enough? Now is a good time to update it.

There are some great updates that you can do yourself for existing kitchen islands. I think the easiest way to is to add one or two bookshelves and then a new counter-top. This increases your work area and your storage area. You will never hear me complain about more of both of those in my kitchen.

Here are some great examples of what you can do by just adding bookshelves to your already existing kitchen island. These are all DIY kitchen island projects that you can do yourself or with a little help.

There are lots of ways to update your island or to even create a new one. You will gets tons more if you search for DIY Kitchen Islands. Now the hard part is deciding which one to make.

How about some fun island lights? Here is a great assortment that will look wonderful in anyone’s kitchen.

Plug In Meridian Glass Pendant – 2 LightsBuy Now Glass Island Pendant Lighting – 3 LightsBuy Now Inverted Glass Cup Island LightingBuy Now Linear Crystal Chandelier Island LightingBuy Now