1928 Bungalow Kitchen Island Makeover Reveal

This kitchen has had a couple of stages in the makeover process since we moved in back in 2014. We are not quite finished remodeling the kitchen yet but I am so excited that we finally added this much needed kitchen island to the space. I have been keeping a lookout for a used kitchen island I could makeover for years now and I finally found one.

New kitchen islands can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $5,000 easy. And most kitchen islands under $2,000 are made very cheap and fall apart easily. And since I’m a mom on a budget second hand was the route for me and it turned out even better than I could have imagined. Most older furniture is built to last and better quality of wood. So buying used is just an overall smarter buy with wood furniture.

I found this sturdy beauty online on Facebook marketplace for $200 including delivery! Wooohooo for super bargains! I needed a narrow long kitchen island with extra “closed” storage (to hide our mess) and the drawers were a definite plus. There are so many great things about this island. First, the drawers and cupboards open on both sides of the island so you can get to anything without having to go around.

Second, there is space on both ends for some kitchen stools. This is important because my kitchen is narrow and kitchen stools on the sides would be constantly getting in the way of the sink or the fridge, the two busiest areas in the kitchen. So the stools on the end are a nice solution. You cannot find very many islands with stool area on the ends.

(p.s. I also found the kitchen stools for $10 each on Facebook marketplace)

To show off this beautiful island it definitely needed some cosmetic care. Nothing had to be fixed or repaired this piece just needed some new makeup and jewelry. So we sanded the top, then painted new wood stain on and spray painted on matte polyurethane to make the top more scratch resistant.

Tip: There is some technique and skill needed when working with stain and polyurethane. My favorite way to apply this look is to apply several coats of stain with an old rag, leaving about an hour apart between coats of stain. Then I let it dry over night. The next day I take a fine sandpaper lightly over the stain to smooth it out. Then dust it off as well as you can before spraying on the matte polyurethane. Let dry overnight. Lightly sandpaper the dried polyurethane coast till smooth with a finishing sandpaper. You may have to repeat this last step twice.

When the top was done, I painted the bottom part a deep teal with some high end paint and primer. I really love the two toned look and this teal color is just stunning. This teal green is a much darker hue of the same mint color we used for the Kitchen cupboards we painted. So the two green colors nicely compliment each other while adding that fun splash of color to the entire kitchen.

Once everything was dried it was time to add the sparkle. We found the perfect knobs at Hobby Lobby. They were vintage gold and ivory cream. The glass part of the knob has this old cracked porcelain detail to it that brings the whole island together. This may be an updated piece but it looks like it was always meant for this 1928 bungalow home of ours.

Once the island was done and brought in I was inspired to go the extra mile and put a fresh coat on all the cupboards we painted five years ago. The truth is, all the cupboards really need to be replaced entirely. We are constantly repairing them and have even resorted to gorilla glueing some of the hinges in place because they are so bad.There are just too many other projects in the house that have had to take priority with our attention and money. You know like leaking roofs and busted furnaces.