Repurposed or nontraditional, islands/storage?
If you did something non-traditional I’d love to see it! I searched the forums and didn’t find the kind of “show me your” thread I was expecting.
We are DIY-ing an 1890 Victorian house, and I wanted to use something antique/unusual/unexpected somewhere in our kitchen remodel… I finally found it in the form of an antique square piano that we are repurposing into the kitchen island.
Picture is not quite finished!! Husband built drawers which still need their fronts… (not to mention getting the flooring installed.)
Comments (35)
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
User
8 years agoLove your island! That is going to be fab and so matches your personality!
How's this for quirky? A Steel Bouy Work Table
Related Discussions
Has Anyone Repurposed Items in their Home?
Comments (106)Mine are mostly small things -- like using a glass compote to hold cotton balls in the bathroom -- or a cut glass tumbler to hold q-tips. A hinged CD holder (similar to the tissue box above but a double version) used as a spot to store extra TP. I have a dresser that is a TV stand for our exercise room and the drawers have my gift wrap rolls and ribbons. A home office armoire that was going to be my craft and gift wrap station became a china cabinet when my dad moved and I suddenly acquired another set of china and crystal and I wasn't ready to make decisions on getting rid of anything. I have an old radio cabinet that I cleaned up and planned to put a new shelf and door in the top, but the stained glass panel hasn't been made. I'm thinking about painting it and redirecting it's new life for another room now. Another one I haven't done buy we've talked about a couple of times is to put a pull out bed in a window seat to add a guest bed in our gameroom. I think the inflating mattresses are going to keep that one from happening -- take less room and are probably cheaper and more comfortable now that we no longer have a sofa with the pullout mechanism to repurpose. If a new thread is started, we should try to link this one at the top so these ideas and photos aren't lost -- st least as long as we can....See More'Repurposing' a breakfast area?
Comments (12)I think a sitting area would be sooo nice. I used to have a wing back chair in a corner of my kitchen which was very popular when we had guests. I kept a basket of decorating and gardening magazines next to it and a small table on the other side. Someone always left with a new idea or two for their own home. It was also a great place to sit and relax while waiting for water to boil or something to finish up in the oven. I am seriously considering putting another chair there, but I'm waiting until we put the new slider in and remodel the kitchen. I miss that sweet spot! : ) You could really personalize your "spot." Do it up in the colors and fabrics that make you feel the most comfortable. And a large picture window - lucky you - does it look out to a pretty view? If not, now's the time to create one. You know us "cottagers" will enable you into some lushish bloomers. : ) Diana...See Morebeginner want to repurpose to make island
Comments (1)I've been there, done that with trying to repurpose things I have and sometimes the best course is just to let go and move on. This might be such a situation. How to find out... determine what you want to build as if you didn't have the island, and then see if the things you have fit those plans. If they don't, sell what you have and look for new economically - craigslist and other sources of used stuff are amazing. The unit is a sunk cost; your expenditure won't be affected by what you do with the thing. If you hate it, unburden yourself and then you can build what you really want. If this unit fits your plans, then the question I'd be most concerned with is height. How tall is the unit, and what surface height do you actually want? The table is too big for the unit to support all by itself - you will need another pedestal or legs that are equally tall. That's not so simple. Are you really looking to actually replace your table with the island? Do you just want extra storage? If that, you could get a shorter storage unit and put casters on it so it rolls under the table... if you build a taller island, you'll need higher chairs. Anyway, the parameters of the project are probably not clear enough in your post to elecit much guidance, so maybe if you give more info, people can help you out better. KarinL...See MoreRepurposed dining room?
Comments (27)When we remodeled the home we moved into last year we removed a few walls to create an open living space. The former dining room, which is open now between the living room and the kitchen, became the TV room; what was the "eat in" space in the kitchen now houses the piano. There is counter space in the kitchen for breakfast and the small den open to the kitchen became the dining space. It seats 8 easily and can be configured to seat several more when needed. In the warm weather, 6+ months of the year here, we mostly eat on the deck. We do not miss having a formal dining room at all....See MoreUser
8 years ago- PRO
Restoring our 1890 Victorian
8 years agoMamaGoose-- years of searching on craigslist has failed to yield the school cabinet I've been looking for since I saw yours. You are my repurposed kitchen idol.
Allison-- still thinking about how to reuse the innards... lamp shades over the island? Not sure it's truly my style, but I think it's fun idea.
bpath
8 years agoUser
8 years ago
funkycamper
8 years agobpath
8 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agoleavemeout
8 years ago
PROMDLN
8 years agobpath
8 years agowaterbug_guy
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agowaterbug_guy
8 years ago
rococogurl
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agobpath
8 years agohatethecold_gw
8 years ago
We are turning an old baptismal font into our island. I have been following your blog posts and I am jealous because you are moving WAY faster than we are!
I think I will be posting soon looking for advice on a prep sink.
- PRO
Restoring our 1890 Victorian
8 years agofunkycamper— yes, it was non-working! it was one of my (many) criteria!!
bpathome— loving that dresser!! attaching a (sort of) similar picture I found in my roundup of repurposed ideas.
rococogurl— (your name!!) that kitchen is pretty much my dream!hatethecold_gw— LOVE your island!!
User
8 years ago
mark_rachel
8 years agosteph2000
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago- PRO
Restoring our 1890 Victorian
8 years ago remodelfla
8 years ago
Sorry it's upside down but my repurposed bakers table. It was a trashed piece I found on Craigslist and I refinished it.
martyphilpot
8 years ago
We're going to remove "The Hulking Monstrocity Formerly Known as Our Island" and replace it with this antique mahogany store counter. The plan is to top it with the same soapstone we'll be using for our countertops and farmhouse sink.
hatethecold_gw
8 years ago
selcier
8 years agoUser
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago- PRO
Restoring our 1890 Victorian
8 years ago User
8 years ago
martyphilpot