Build Island With Ikea Cabinets

Pinterent Oktober 19, 2023 Comment

When we made the decision to rip out our existing island we had planned on paying a contractor to do the work.

We knew we didn’t want what we had but where would we even begin to pick out the insides of the cabinets and basic design?

As we were walking through IKEA one night we both stopped in our tracks and were really looking at some of their island designs.

Kitchen Island Tutorial

We didn’t want what IKEA was selling for our island but it allowed us to think outside the box and to realize we could piece together the cabinets that would make our ideal island.

With a little puzzle work, a brother that did electrical and plumping, a husband that dabbles in woodworking and a wife that would do the painting…we were on our way.

We purchased different size cabinets that would allow us to have two large cabinets on one side, cabinets under the sink, sink mount (we bought our sink also at IKEA) and a smaller drawer and cabinet to the right of the sink.

Farmhouse Diy Kitchen Island ( An Ikea Hack!)

We knew we wanted to have the freedom to paint the cabinets over and over if needed so we chose the white unfinished wood cabinets.

As you can see we have gaps around the cabinets because we needed to space them out to create the island size we really desired.

We did the best we could to take advantage of the spaces between the cabinets and to make sure we had charging stations and all the outlets we could need.

How We Designed And Hacked Our Ikea Kitchen (and What It Cost)

This was very important to me to include the custom woodwork and create an island that looked more like a furniture piece and to also incorporate the design elements that are throughout the house.

Kelly was able to use the larger gap between the two larger cabinets to hide our Wi-Fi access point. The wood panel is removable using speaker grill fastners. Pretty clever!

From this angle you can see all the spacing that is still visible from the top but all along the sides it had now been closed in.

Stylish Kitchen Islands From Ikea Items

Kelly and my brother were able to do all of the electrical and plumbing which saved us on money and time because we were often working on the island late at night.

We installed the garbage disposal switch under the sink because we didn’t want to have a hole cut in the marble counter top. I am still not sure I like it there but I can’t say I would love it on the counter either.

I almost never paint anything without trying out the samples in the space and really living with the choices for a few days.

Creative Ikea Kitchen Island Ideas

I think one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make when choosing paint is to not sample them first. It is worth the time and small amount of money to see what the samples will look like in your space with your lighting.

We primed and lightly sanded the cabinets before we painted and we even used paint with primer for a better coverage (Aura by Benjamin Moore).

Our marble was dropped and chipped the first time they came but here they are bringing in our counter a few days later and it was the beginning of a six month customer service nightmare that has not ended.

I Turned A £30 Ikea Kallax Unit Into A Kitchen Island

I don’t want to make this post about that experience but I do want to make sure my local friends and readers know not to use Stone City to fabricate any of your projects.

It was so much work and it was hard to not have our kitchen for a month but I would do it again in a second to have this result.When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.

Lindsey Lanquist is a design expert for , covering the latest home trends and design tips. She has over 6 years of digital media experience. In addition to serving as former senior editor at StyleCaster and staff writer at Self, her work has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Byrdie, Verywell, SheKnows, Nylon, and more.

How To Build A Kitchen Island

A great kitchen island goes a long way. It gives you more counter space to work with, expands your storage set-up, and if you choose a stylish option, it can bring your kitchen together—adding that

But finding the right kitchen island takes a little effort. Your favorite store-bought option may not tick all the boxes. And if it doesn’t, you’re not out of luck. Enterprising shoppers have started making their own kitchen islands using pieces they found at IKEA, and these IKEA kitchen island hacks make it easy to score a custom island at a fraction of the cost.

To help you understand all your options, we rounded up some of the best IKEA kitchen island hacks we’ve seen. These ideas are great for inspiration—they’ll help you envision the kitchen island of your dreams, and once it’s time to execute it, you'll know

Custom Ikea Cabinets In Wood Toned Modern Kitchen Design

Transform your kitchen island by lining the outside of it with wood, custom panels, or some other striking material. This option is a fun alternative to a striking coat of paint: instead of adding a new color to your space, layer in a fun texture.

Your IKEA kitchen island hack doesn’t have to be over-the-top. With a fresh coat of paint, you can match your island to your cabinets or add a pop of contrast to your kitchen—all without reaching for your toolbox.

If eat-in space is limited in your kitchen, build an island that doubles as a dining nook. Snag an extra-long countertop, and let it hang off the side of your island. This overhang is the perfect place to slide a few bar stools—giving you a cozy spot to sit down the next time you enjoy a meal.

How To Create A Custom Ikea Kitchen Island

Browse IKEA’s kitchen section, and you’ll find all kinds of kitchen cabinets, which you can piece together to create the exact kitchen—or kitchen island—you want. This project is more involved than some of the other hacks on our list. But at the end of it, you’ll have a custom kitchen island that flexibly meets your needs and perfectly suits your space.

One of the most classic ways to upgrade any piece from IKEA? Spring for custom cabinet fronts. Lots of brands specialize in cabinet doors and drawer fronts that are designed to fit IKEA furniture, giving you a range of pretty materials to choose from as you create your custom piece.

Your kitchen island needs a countertop, so why not invest in something special? A thoughtfully chosen marble slab can make your island feel like a luxury, even if it’s just a metal kitchen cart with a countertop stuck on top.

Rachel Schultz: Designing An Ikea Kitchen Island

Kitchen islands are great for storage, so as you build your custom island, think about the things you need to store and make room for them. If your cookbook collection is well-stocked, give it a home on your island. Add shelves to a store-bought island, use a bookcase as your base, or pair modular cabinets with cubbies until you have the storage set-up you need.

If your kitchen is low on cooking space, use your island to bridge the gap. IKEA sells a range of induction cooktops—and all of them are sleek, space-efficient, and surprisingly easy to build into your island.

The beautiful thing about hacking your kitchen island? You don’t have to stick to just one base. So pair your base cabinets with a set of metal legs, and use your countertop to connect the two. The cabinets will give you a place to store your stuff, while the metal legs free up space for bar stools.

Ikea Kitchen Island Ideas

Lots of IKEA kitchen island hacks start with a store-bought island, but it doesn't have to. Don’t limit yourself to one aisle of the store—grab a spacious bookcase, flip it on its side, and attach a set of furniture legs to its base. Once you’ve finished things off with a hand-picked countertop, you’ll have a sleek kitchen island that’s great for storage—and that gives you lots of extra counter space, too.

There are lots of ways to add storage space to your island, so don’t confine yourself to classic options, like cabinets, cubbies, and drawers. By attaching an overhead storage rack to your island, you can put the space above your island to good use. And you can diversify your storage set-up, giving yourself an easy place to hang pots, pans, and other kitchen tools.

Building a sink into your island may seem a little intense for a DIY project. But if you start with an IKEA cabinet system, it isn’t all that hard to do. Sure, you may need to