Craigslist / Repurposed / Kitchen island possibilities.
I have three competing design ideas for the kitchen. More or less the same layout/concept but depends on THE THING.
THE THING is defined as:
• thing that will simplify/infinitely complicate all decisions because I MUST have it.
• thing that will dictate layout/design because I MUST incorporate it.
The first option is to keep a traditional kitchen design along the perimeter walls and have the island be the repurposed/unexpected accent.
Doing just a repurposed island is the most practical of all three ideas. It lets us have an interesting workspace, but doesn’t force us to reconfigure the sink or dishwasher.
The could-be-island-things I have looked at could easily incorporate a sink but the dishwasher has been an issue on every single one.
Also bonus— if some future owner hates it, it will take them all of five seconds to remove it.
Last week I showed you inspiration photos of repurposed islands. As with all inspiration photos, they have the benefit of being professionally styled/photographed/lit.
Whereas all of these photos are taken with my phone, and are surrounded by piles of furniture/junk at either the auction or salvage yard. So they look way less fancy– please use your imagination.
If I want something that feels authentic and not reworked, I am going to have to go with furniture. Something like the buffet below would be a great workspace – it was 6 feet long, plus the drawers/storage would be great… But I have to say that I do NOT love the idea of having an unfinished side. Something about that bugs me.
The front was beautiful… and then the back was just— blah.
I don’t need it to look amazing from all angles, but there was too much contrast between the fancy feet/columns and the unadorned backside.
It is possible that I could find two similar and place them back to back, although then we are talking about a really wide island. Probably too wide for our room.
Pros of using furniture:
- Already standalone.
- Minimal chance of having to paint.
- I think an unusual piece of furniture repurposed into an island, and topped with a piece of Carrera marble would complement a more traditional layout around the kitchen perimeter.
- The contrast between a dark wood antique island, and white cabinets would be nice… and would alleviate some of my box-issues.
I really like dark wood, and I would prefer not to have to paint something. If we are repurposing/reworking materials, chances are we will be frustrated trying to match new stain to old patina or veneer and be forced to paint.
Most of the furniture I have looked at so far is either not really long enough to be a good-sized island, or height is an issue, or price is an issue… or it’s just not THE THING.
My preference is for Eastlake, or late Victorian period— about 1870-1890… Without wandering over to anything Federal, Gothic, Rococo, or Oak… although an exception could be made in order to own something with monster paw feet.
The most obvious island would be some kind of old, general store countertop: practical, generously sized, about the right height… But the problem with general stores is that GENERALLY they weren’t very fancy.
Plus, it would be easy to slide from repurposed into rustic… And I am not a rustic kind of gal. I mean, I could be, at my country house, but until I get one of those I am sticking with my preference for Versailles.
Although, I will say that a good way to wish you had bought something is to see it show up, looking pretty in Miss Mustard Seed’s workshop.
Here is where she cleaned it up and added a glass top… Below is a photo from her studio tour (which is full of other furniture on my list of things to steal.)
I have no transition for this final option, but I was SUPER into this FANCY! White porcelain enamel over cast-iron! Item of island-shaped-interest!
I said to Paul – oooh, look! This is unusual! AND the height is adjustable! AND there is room for barstools underneath!!
If we went more vintage-y, this would be SO FUN with retro/steel kitchen cabinets… they show up on Craigslist all the time!
Paul said – I am pretty sure that is for cadavers. We should get it. Whomever wins the next argument can put it to good use.
Then we had to go straight home so that I could soak myself in bleach, because I could not remember if I had touched the thing.
February 12, 2015 @ 10:55 pm
Ok to tired to be witty, although you have enough for all of us! Anyway I love the first buffet,carra marble perfect! But I am also loving the blah back dresser. You love to hunt for the treasure. Find some flame mahogany door fronts and attach, even adding crystal knobs for a shiny side . Add columns and a pair of great clawed feet and you have a gorgeous, one of a kind,treasure hunt island! I will even keep my eyes open in The Lou and send you a picture if I find something. You and Paul need to hit the road and come to the mid west for some real barn picking estate sales!
February 12, 2015 @ 11:10 pm
Am crying laughing thinking about the mortuary table. It’d be such a talking point!
February 13, 2015 @ 3:47 am
If I were you, I would go hard into the bank table. Figure out the overall kitchen budget, recognize that Ikea boxes are about as good as other boxes, and there you have it. I’ll bet there is a teeny tiny market for the bank table and that you could definitely negotiate the price down. Your kitchen is about choices – get the one amazing thing you love (for me, a million sqft of encaustic tile) and be good, safe-ish and cheap on the rest. All set for re-sale, and you can take that bank table beauty when you go!
February 13, 2015 @ 6:43 am
All you need are 18 people to send you a thousand dollars so you can buy the bank table with fancy feet.
February 13, 2015 @ 4:13 pm
Or 180 people sending $100.00 Eureka! 1800 lovely winsome followers sending $10.00. This is doable VEB- Get a P.O. Box ASAP. That’s a challenge!
February 13, 2015 @ 2:02 pm
I think Paul is working on mastering the art of discouraging you in this venture. Cadaver table, indeed! 😀
February 14, 2015 @ 9:41 am
OK–first post. and btw, LOVE your blog.
I would be looking for a partner’s desk in addition to a fancy counter. And I shop at your same auction house and they just had a beautiful one last weekend. Fairly easy to find, and loads of fun drawers etc. a Partner’s desk is finished on both sides.
To solve the issue of height–you can find antique fancy feet at Architectural Salvage spots to raise to a height you like. Or alternatively, get reproduction legs even.
To solve the overhang–go to Long Island and get that marble. or buy a slab of granite.
I got an antique table that a beautiful slab of granite had been added. and it is PERFECT for my kitchen.
February 14, 2015 @ 8:02 pm
What about a marbletop console or refectory table so that you can have potential legroom/seating? This particular example might not be the right style and it’s probably too short, but maybe something taller and more of a good bargain would do the trick.
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/34290300_louis-16-style-ebonized-console-table-marble-1940
February 14, 2015 @ 9:09 pm
p.s. I’m going to go against the tide and vote that you should keeping looking. None of these examples strike me as convenient or gorgeous enough to alternately spend $18,000 on or have to put in hard labor and additional funds to perfect. As they say with men, there are other fancy fish in the sea, and I have a hunch that your perfect match (the Paul equivalent of a kitchen island) is still out there waiting for you to find it. And, no Paul did not pay me to say that, but my husband is a lot as you describe Paul to be (alarmingly and inconveniently analytical minus the ability to use power tools and haul wall-sized mirrors, etc.) so, as you probably know, it’s important to pick your battles wisely. Wait for your true love countertop/island and then tell him you must have it!
February 17, 2015 @ 9:28 am
p.p.s. They are auctioning off some 19th-century banking tables (no paw feetm sadly) on ebay. One of them is about $5,000 cheaper than the one at the salvage shop, but you’d have to ship all the way from California. You just seem to have such a good eye for a bargain that I think you will find something gorgeous that just feels right. Also, have you thought about lighting fixtures as a way of making your kitchen feel more glam? If you put in a crystal one, you might have rainbows dancing across the floor, which your cat would love!
February 14, 2015 @ 11:01 pm
the first one gets my vote, as for the unfinished side, soooooo many ideas….. Wood cubby type shelving you could stain close enough to match, or paint a different color, plus, bonus storage, or cover it with those tin ceiling tiles, in distressed white, silver, or copper, or just a hammered copper panel, cover with wallpaper or a painted mural, or even those mural tiles, or add a mirror! Lol you love those anyway!!
February 18, 2015 @ 2:32 pm
apologies! Hopeless late reply due to total renovation of chest due to iritating cancer diagnosis, but I digress, sorry. The Bank table, you can always get something else later, THE BANK TABLE IS UNIQUE, the bank table please, use the deposit slip spaces for little drawers, the bank table, the bank tabl………….
February 19, 2015 @ 11:29 pm
http://www.oldhousedreams.com/2015/02/18/1865-italianate-mount-pleasant-ia/
March 2, 2015 @ 9:21 am
Victoria, have you seen this kitchen design from a 2012 House Beautiful issue? (I have the magazine at home so if you need which month I can check) It’s beautiful and seems to incorporate many of the things you want for your kitchen. Check out the open shelving, the lighting, the island with marble top and the armoire. Even the flooring is beautiful! It’s on my “would love to have” list for our kitchen remodel.
http://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/advice/a771/designer-nicole-hough-interview-0412/ and http://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/kitchens/g1204/family-kitchen-design-ideas-0412/
If those links don’t work, google “house beautiful foursquare kitchen” and it’s Nicole Hough’s 1905 American foursquare. Good luck!