Hey there!  So, for the past 2 years, I have been trying to add more custom features to our home.  This week I tackled our kitchen island even though it wasn’t in my plans for a few more months.

See that pretty circle on the left?  That’s the reason for the early revamp:)  Long story short….I tried to touch-up paint around our house with our old paint from the builder and it was darker than our walls so….. our walls were pretty much two-toned throughout the ENTIRE house (note to self: test an inconspicuous area next time;)  I cut a GIANT chunk of wall from our island, had it matched at Home Depot…nightmare over:)

With the chunk of wall back in place, it was time to revamp the island:)  After having kids eat at the bar for 2 years, it had definitely seen better days.  I actually didn’t realize how nasty it was until I started demolition! 

I started by removing the old (dirty) baseboard with a utility knife. (Purchased at Home Depot for about $2.00)  I just cut a seam along the caulk line.

Next, I pried the baseboard away from the wall by hammering a flat head screwdriver behind it.

Once the demolition was complete, I drew out where I wanted my battens placed.

I used pre-primed MDF boards for the battens because they are very straight, smooth and easy to paint.  I used 1×6 for the top and bottom trim and 1×4 for the battens.

I mitered the corners with my compound miter, however, you can buy a miter box and hand saw at a hardware store and do the same. 

To attach them to the wall, I applied Liquid Nails to the back side and then nailed it to the wall. 

Now for the fun:)  I used 1/4″ plywood sheets for the boards.  ( I chose to cut the boards down to fit between the battens because it was cheaper and easier).

To cut the board down to size, I used the new Kreg Jig Rip Cut™ and I LOVE IT!  It will be available in stores in April and it is only $34.99!  It allowed me to cut every board exactly to size, it was super easy takes up very little storage space!  It has a guide at the end to keep your cut straight and an adjustable ruler to make your cuts accurate! 

I attached the boards to the wall with Liquid Nails and my nailer.  (I used a router to cut out spots for the electrical sockets;)  I finished by caulking the gaps and painting it my trim color (also matched at Home Depot).

So easy and so cheap!  I only spent $50 total and the best part it, I can wipe it down when it gets dirty!  (I used a semi-gloss latex paint).

This was so easy and I feel like I got a lot of bang for my buck:)  Now I’m off  to upgrade more builder grade:)  If you love it, I would LOVE pins!   Thanks so much for stopping by! ~Ashley

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38 Comments

  1. Hi, Great Job

    Can you please tell me the dimensions of your island. I want to do this to my 67 inch island, but am in sure if I should do three sections or four on the back. What is the spacing of your sections looks like 18-20 inches.

  2. I love it, it looks awesome!
    I wish you would show the entire post in google reader instead of just a preview. 🙂

  3. Is that a Ryobi 18v One + circular saw?? I have one too and I am psyched to see that the Rip Cut fits it!!

  4. That looks great! My island seems like it’s already made of a plywood looking material. It’s the same material as my cabinets. Do you think I could get this look by just removing my trim and attaching the battens?

  5. Looks amazing! You make using power tools sound so easy – they are completely frightening for me! I finally just used a staple gun for the first time on one of my last projects, scared the heck out of me!! 🙂

    Leanne

  6. Wow! Your little project made a world of difference in the look of your island. Recently found your blog from Pinterest (where I just pinned this project) and am enjoying looking back at all of your fabulous posts. Oh, we are neighbors…I’m in Keller!