I'm not much good at this myself...but I think I'd try painting (maybe spray painting) the stools the color of the reddish /brown in the cushions or the green - cute cushions!

I'd swap out the cream socket plate on the end with a wood that matches or even a light brown.

and not long ago on one of those remodel shows the show person helper told the wife of the remodel that people often leave the blank backside of a peninsula / island plain - he told her they need dressed up and they put a 'frame' of skinny wood pieces on it - about 3 of them I think. used some type of trim wood strips. I think you could glue them on. they power nailed them in I think, then patched over the nail holes and touched them up. looked very nice! looks like you'd have room for 3 on the back of yours.
or look thru the kitchen pic site / mags and look at how others 'dressed up' the backsides of their islands/peninsulas. There are surely other options for doing that.

You could put some other color inside of those 'frames' also as accents. maybe the reddish/brown color in the cushions?

you could look for some paper (construction paper?) in a similar color and just tape up there in 3 panels and see what you think about it after a few days.

I do think it'd put some separation between the stool legs and the back of your island tho.

If you do decide to change out the stools maybe some beefier ones with backs on them? padded backs and seats?

I know nothing about corbels - I've never had them anywhere.

Personally, I would leave the island alone. I don't see anywhere that you could add the corbels without it looking like an afterthought. I would rather add interest elsewhere in the kitchen - a different focal point. I also do not think the island looks bad as it is. JMHO! I almost think a larger barstool with a seat back would help too. Can you fit 3 barstools in the space?

I love what you did with the stools! Have you thought about adding a colorful runner in the kitchen and a colorful area rug to the dining room? I think if you did that you're island wouldn't be as plain. I also agree about painting the stools.

My island is a wood island, only pine. We had it built to look like a solid plain farm table, but we did have baseboard put on. Here is a picture to hopefully help you visualize what yours could look like with the baseboard.

I would not do the corbels. I think they are too ornamental for your kitchen and would be incongruous.

I also agree with painting the legs of your stools. I think the stool covers are very nice. I can't advise what color as I am really lousy with that sort of thing, but I do think painting them would really add to the uniqueness of the covers and be a nice design element.
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Hi!

Here is my equally "blah" island! LOL! We did put a different countertop material on the island to make it a little special. It is hard to see but it is a corian with little speckles of colored confetti. We have a black laminate on the counters. I have the same beige switchplate that I plan to replace at some point. I added some nice beefy SS stools.

Elaine

Could you just mount matching cabinet doors & drawers to the plain sides so they look like raised panels?

Wow, nobody is in favor of the corbels eh? Not even the first one which I thought was plain ..er? . . I did and do want honestly though.

Desertsteph - I would like to swap out the outlet on the island. Yeah, those skinny wood pieces you're describing is what I was talking about when I said moulding. I didn't know if it would look too busy because the wood is grainy? If I wouldn't of had those cushions just made I would just save the money and buy different stools. At this point DH would have a cow I believe so we'll keep this for awhile. :)

Amac - There's actually overhang that I could put 4 stools at the island if we wanted. Three on the front and one on the left side. Right now with only being two of us I went with two. I agree three would fill out the space more.

Oakley - I would like to add a rug to the DR. I was waiting until I get those seats recovered (next on the list) though and figure out what I'm doing with the patio doors. I do have some runners for the island I've used around the holidays but haven't found one yet that works for everyday. I'm not against that idea though.

Barb - Thanks for posting that pic. I really think larger moulding at the bottom would look nicer.

Momtoseth - I like how you have a different top on your island vs. the counters. Since our whole house is only a year old DH isn't going to be up for replacing any countertops. The focus lately (especially his) has been to work on the outside stuff. Your kitchen is very nice!!

Monablair - OHHH that's how this island should have been to begin with! :) I would've paid the extra for finished panels there and the sides of my cabinets. I assumed they were finished. I assumed a lot of stuff with this house. Long story short, the island was actually just that fake wood stuff and out of sheer panic ordered oak veneer and slapped it on the outside of the island. Believe it or not, it was actually worse!! At this point I didn't know how to go about getting cabinet panels on the outside. The cabinets are Merillat but I can't imagine they'd let me just order some...I'd probably have to go through someone yadda ya. It just sounded like a big ordeal. ?

Merillat doesn't have much that you can buy directly, but a lot of lumberyards can order them for you. Go to www.merillat.com and look for a "dealer" near you if you want to order extra doors or decorative end panels (doors attached to plywood sheets). Without seeing the rest of your kitchen I don't know if wood corbels would work (I'd stay plainer), but maybe some nice SS/nickel/iron whatever to match your hardware?

My builder just ordered the fridge end panels he usually used instead of the ones I specified, and even though I had listed veneer panels to trim out the island he didn't get them, we built the island onsite and I didn't want to wait for panels so we just have painted pony wall. I might paint them a closer color to cabinets, but I'm definitely going to use the same baseboard as the other walls (not sure if I'll wrap it around to cabinet side - pine base might look strange over fake oak laminate toekick - might just run show mold all around?). Even if you have stained panels not paint the wall color, I think baseboard adds "weight" to the island so it doesn't look like it's just sitting on the floor, makess it look more structural.

Yes, I would paint the stools either a burgundy, cream or white. You could also get 2 placemats and put on the island to match the seat cushions and stage it a bit. I also like the first corbel . I also like the idea of runners to warm up the floor space. You need a bit more color and texture to pop the neutrals.

Ajsmamma - I guess I should at least see what the price would be to do that. So I would actually ask for decorative panels? Wood not wood veneer right? Forgive my ignorance but what's a "painted pony wall" just painted?
"maybe some nice SS/nickel/iron whatever to match your hardware?" You mean like metal bracket corbel things? That's a thought.
I will add baseboard because it does look like it's sitting on the floor. See the sides how it's cut? I'm assuming the baseboard should be the same height as that?

Here's some pics of the area. Here's also the material I plan on recovering the DR chairs in.
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The lighting looks off in these pics. The wall color is BM Olive Branch.

There was a poster (don't remember who) that updated their island with bead board and baseboard and then painted it white. They showed some before and after pictures and it was incredible! I did a quick search and can't find that post (it might be too old), sorry. Maybe someone else will remember that update or have the pictures?

Lafonda Ranch - Are you talking about this one? I think it looks great! I don't think painting the island is going to be an option though.

Athomewith3
before
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after
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I also like these
Kerry331
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Thomas Conway
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If I put the large base moulding at the bottom should I do it at the top also?

What about the corner pieces? Leave what's there

I don't know how thick the veneer is that you have on the back (overhang side) and sides now. You could pull that off and put beadboard if it fits your decor. I'd stain it though if you need to keep the cabinet side stained (though personally I love the white island, I'd be afraid to paint my cabinet fronts/doors too).

If you don't want to pull the veneered plywood you have on off, you could just mount doors (but I'm not sure how to do that without screws showing and having to fill holes). If you got the end panels, you'd probably have to pull off the current plywood and corner molding otherwise you'd have the edge sticking out in the corners.

You can order decorative end panels to fit the ends of your cabinets exactly, but you'd want to get larger ones (to go down to the floor) on the overhang side. They're expensive though - beadboard would be a lot less.

A pony wall is just a half (little less - 34.5" high) wall.

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Ajsmama - Thanks for explaining all that. The veneer is pretty thin. I can ask my Dad, he's the one that put it on for me. I know he had a fun time doing so and I actually feel bad considering changing it but it bothers me visually.

I really like the white beadboard, I really like dark stained beadboard but light oak isn't doing it for me. I actually think I would like it better if the spaces were wider like the last pic above (white one). I don't know where I would buy that though. I could see myself staining the island a lot quicker than painting it. Something that big and that much of a focal point still makes me nervous.

What do you mean about screws showing and filling the holes? Wouldn't the doors be covered by the doors?

Wow, nothing like trying to fixed a botched up island huh? That little cut in on the front (at the floor) is still messing with my vision.

Shee,
Your stools turned out really cute!! Have I told you how great the paint looks in your kitchen - been MIA lateley!! The ONLY think I would do is stain the leg of the stools darker to match your chairs & add a support bracket to your island. I'll show you a pic of what I have. I got mine at an ornamental iron fence place - I would match your hardware on your cabinets - that way your not trying to match stains. You have a nice simplicity going on with your kitchen & you are still adding to it.....window treatments on your doors, cushions for your chairs & a rug - then reassess your island after everything else is done!!
This is just a 90 degree decorative iron bracket
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Smiles:)
SMiles:)

Scooby! Thank you! I noticed you have been missing lately. And what's this I read recently you're thinking of changing your kitchen paint color?! I still love that green!

I really like your island. Do you have a close pic of the iron bracket ..pplease? Were you thinking two brackets on each side of the island or one also in the middle? When I search for ison brackets they're all very ornate which I love but don't think is working in here.

I probably should wait until I get some other things done with the kitchen before I go making a snap decisions on this. I did want some feedback from others to maul around.

SS, I forgot to answer about the corbels. Yes! I think they'd add some charming architectural detail to your kitchen. As long as they're not too wide, and they'd have to match the island. Yeah, go for it! And what an inexpensive way to add character. :)

Shee - I forgot, you don't have a wall, just the cabinets. So if you did door panels you would screw from inside back of cabinet into the door - just make sure screws aren't too long! That still would be a lot more $$ than beadboard though.

I can't see painting or staining BB a different color than cabinets unless you did cabinet sides and fronts too. Sounds like DH isn't into that. So maybe panels (even picture frame?) in same color stain? Your doors are raised panel, not flat, so don't know how picture frame would look, wouldn't be exactly the same but if your dad is handy maybe he can figure out how to get similar look (extra panel in middle of frame with cove molding on the edge of the panel, frame around the whole thing, mounted on your existing veneer?).

I'd like to see pics of the rest of your kitchen - what color HW do you have? You can't see my brushed nickel brackets under my overhang - clearance $7 ea from Walmart I grabbed before we built, since I'd already picked nickel faucet and lighting.

Yes, shee, you found the one I was thinking of! You could stain the bead board instead of painting it white. I was mostly thinking of the texture that the bead board add. Just like kerry331's picture you posted. She even has the cabinet door look on the end and the corbel's. You could always do your whole island in a darker stain? Maybe put the gel coat that I've seen so much of?

Oakley - Yay someone else likes the idea of corbels!!

Ajsmamma - If stained the island I would do the whole thing not just the front. I did post some pics above of the kitchen. Here's a better view.
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My hardware is antique gold. Here's what it is. It looks darker from a distance.
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Yeah, the picture frame might look goofy because of the raised panels.

Lafonda - Yeah, my island does need some texture. It's smooth looking the whole way across. I'm going to work on doing something with the stools, focus on the rest of the kitchen and come back to the island later. I don't want to add or change anything else and then really dislike it a month later!

I appreciate all the thoughts and feedback!

SS, your stool fabric is very pretty. I think if you leave the island the current color, the stools will look nice painted a soft burgundy to pick up the color from your fabrics and add just the right touch to separate the legs from the island. They would also look great with a black/green stain. You can decide which look you prefer if you hold that stained sample board you made right under the skirt.

Corbels can add interest, but your kitchen calls for simple, narrow ones if you have to add them. Molding is nice, but I think it will detract from the stools as your focal point. Sometimes simplicity is best. I like your island without corbels, and think it'd be a shame to mess with your father's handiwork by adding beadboard. Although if it wouldn't hurt his feelings, stained beadboard would look great with matching baseboard. Adding stained baseboard without the beadboard isn't really necessary either since you don't have tall base in your house. I'd definitely paint the outlet to blend with the wood and either also paint the cover or replace with a wood one. Add a pretty runner in front of the sink and a rug in the DR, and you'll change the whole look of the area.

If you can get more fabric from your stools, I think it would be great to have made into a runner for the DR table with gold tassels. I like the look of your island top as is.

P.S., I'm always amazed at how fast you accomplish your projects. I'm sure before I post this you'll have totally transformed the place! LOL!!

I'd love to see beadboard painted the same color as your walls. But I don't know what to do with the cabinet side if DH won't let you paint them. I guess you could leave them alone, but then your island would look like mine, but with texture.

I would still put baseboard up around the non-toekick sides of the island - whatever you've got in the rest of the house. Is the kitchen open to another room?

Abundantblessings - Thank you! I don't feel like they're moving along fast enough! I'm trying to get most of the house completed before we have kids. DH and I are thinking in a year or so we'll be ready. Emotionally anyhow! If I had unlimited funds... look out! Reno_Fan is still the Queen of amazingly fast and beautiful projects.

So even if I ended up keeping the island as is you wouldn't even add bigger base moulding at the bottom to anchor it better? The base in the house is 3 1/4".

Oh, I also want to add that the cabinets are natural so I would think clear coating oak would match pretty well.

I do have some fabric left over but I need to check and see how much. I'm going to make a fuller valance over the sink and add some type of tassel trim. I'm thinking gold. I was debating on if I wanted to have treatments done in the stool/valance fabric on the patio doors but I don't want it to be too much. Think I need to live with the cushions on the stools for awhile.

A lot of people have suggested painting the stools the same dark red color as the fabric. Wouldn't that go back to blending in? Or no, because it would separate itself from the island?

Ajsmamma - The kitchen and DR that you see are the only two open to each other. There is an entrance from the kitchen to the LR. (If you look in the third pic of the house I posted beside the white door is another opening. That leads to the LR) The doorway you see on the DR side (pic with the black wood and iron piece on the wall) that leads to the foyer/hall area.

So much to think about!

Last question for awhile...
If I added a base to the bottom and nothing else...would you use something differnt for the corners? They do make decorative skinny corner posts. They're slightly more attractive than what I have going on.

Like this..
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Shee, I think your instincts about the valance on the patio door being too much is correct. A table runner would accomplish the carryover without being overwhelming. If you don't have enough fabric or don't want the entire runner in the stool fabric, you could have a table runner made just using the stool fabric in the middle, either as a middle oval panel sewn onto a solid fabric or a long length wide enough to capture the medallions like you did on the stool bordered by a complementary fabric on each side.

Is the current valance the same fabric? I couldn't tell but thought it was a much darker, larger print print. I can't really see the detail on your seat cushions, but wonder if repeating the pleat idea with larger pleats and trim would look nice as a kitchen valance. If you don't have a lot of fabric left, using the print as a large, inverted pleat or border(s) on a soft solid background color, or maybe even your chair fabric, would also look great.

Right now, the stool legs don't seem weighty enough. They'll look much more anchored a darker color. Either the paint or stain will stop them from blending into the island and offfset the drama of the skirt.

You have a lot of ideas to mull over, so take your time and do what makes you and your husband go Ahhh!

Best wishes for the future little ones! A loving family is what really matters!

I can't see any of the photos you're referring to - when I click on any in the thread, photobucket tells me the action failed.

I think 3.25" base (stained?) the same as you have in the rest of the house would look fine. I just wouldn't do painted base and stained island.

I wouldn't do anything too decorative to the corners (esp. if you did brackets or corbels). If you did beadboard then maybe a wide board. Or something like this - very simple (I can't see what you have now - corners must be finished somehow). These are "contemporary" ones I was thinking of using to protect some of my corners, but they also have "traditional" turned ones. If you need to cut to length contemporary would look better with cut end on bottom, you really can't cut the traditional ones.

Here is a link that might be useful: Corner protector

I love the white bead-board on the island as in the photo.
Would your DH object to at least getting some bead-board and paint it white and use some small tack nails to put it up on at least three sides and see how you/he like it? Since it seems he likes the stained wood, I wouldn't glue it up permanently. Bead-board isn't pricey...you might give it a try.......at least show him the pic on this and see if he would consider it..... I happen to really like this look and it would change that boring island.

Shee, I love the idea of painting the island the same color as your walls. One thing I noticed and I realize this is a brand new house, but I really think if you added more color, like the runners, rug, placemats on top of the island, you might be happy with what you have.

Once you start accessorizing in the two rooms and add some splashes of color except green, you'll be amazed.

I also like the idea of tacking beadboard on the island. It just makes things more "homey", IMO. :)

Would your dad paint the island for you? Because now is the time to paint before the little ones come along and they don't have to smell the fumes! lol.

I really REALLY like the idea of a green island, along with the corbels!

The beadboard comes in 4 x 8 ft sheets already primed white. You could pick one up and tuck it in behind the stools, if you don't like it just return it. If you decide you do like it then just tack it on the top and bottom so you could remove it at some point if you decide.

If shee paints the beadboard the same color as the walls, what to do with the oak (cabinet) side? DH won't let her paint them - do you think it'll look OK with stained oak on one side and painted BB on the other?

Shee - are your baseboards stained or painted? And BTW, which style of Merillat cabinet do you have? Mine are Sutton Cliffs arch (square on bottoms except on center of the island where the builder messed up - I mean, chose a design element - and ordered arched doors on the vanity we used for baking center). I chose the arch to match my DR china cabinet.

Abundantblessings - That sounds like a neat idea with the table runner. The valance is the same material. I was aiming for one like My3dogs here. I used olive green cording to hold up the sides. I'm considering using the gold/red DR chair fabric for the tie ups when I make the new one. It was the first thing I ever made! Didn't turn out too bad but it's skimpy looking. It didn't bother me at first (I think because I was so darn proud! ha) but it needs redone.

Ajsmamma - Really? The picture of the corner post isn't showing up? I attached the link to what I was talking about. We were one the same website!
I can't picture the island having paint on the one side and stain on the other. I think the whole thing needs to be matching one or the other. Can anyone find a pic of half and half?!
My Merillat cabients are I believe Seneca Ridge.

Phoggie - I could probably convince him with that beadboard idea but what about the other side of the island. I would have to paint it white. . . paint on cabinets kind of scares me. :)

Oakley- I'd probably do the painting if we did end up going that route. My Dad is so busy with stuff right now I wouldn't ask him. There's already a few things I need him to finish up over here (that he started) and it's been like pulling teeth.

Can anyone photoshop beadboad??

Ctlane - I think at some point I'll head out to Lowes and grab a piece of white and oak to get a feel if I would like it.

Regarding the painting or staining the island..I haven't even mentioned that to DH. If it was something I felt 100% I was comfortable with and knew I would like..I could probably convince him. I'm just scared to change the color of it because I'm so fickle. It takes awhile before I get things "right" with house stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: Legacy Corner Leg

Abundantblessings - I totally forgot to attach the valance pics.

Here's mine.
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Here's the trim I'm considering adding.
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Here's how it's suppose to look
My3dogs valance
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