This modern kitchen shows off one of the biggest trends in remodeling today: saving money by creating a custom DIY kitchen island.
Traditional islands can be convenient workspaces, but they’re also glorified cabinetry. They are composed of shelves, drawers, pull-outs, and other extras will hike up your project costs in a hurry.
The solution is to eliminate the need for a traditional kitchen island and go with a large kitchen table arrangement instead.
In the photo above, the homeowners decided to go with a modified table. The tabletop is a recycled composite material, although you can also use stone or laminate. There’s also a cutout and insert created for a sink, with the plumbing exposed below the tabletop surface. This modified island looks great and is much less expensive than a traditional island setup with solid sets of cabinetry.
To create your own DIY kitchen table, try using a regular kitchen or dining room table, it would work just as well. Choose a sturdy farm table to add appeal and function to the room. Just make sure the finish of the tabletop also doubles as a prep surface for rolling dough, cutting veggies, or setting out plates. Industrial design concepts work well with non-traditional kitchen islands as well.
Don’t forget to photograph your latest designs for your interior design portfolio. Personal projects like this could lead to potential new business for you.
At the New York Institute of Art and Design, we teach a popular interior design course, The Complete Course in Interior Design. It covers kitchen remodeling and room-by-room decorating basics, along with many other home design topics. Get started today!
