Converting a Dresser into a Kitchen Island

From Trash to Treasure. I know my Mom now considers this a TREASURE.

When we were designing the layout of my Mom’s Little House, I knew we needed to add an island of some kind, just so she would have enough countertop space to work on. Plus she needed more storage space. She loves to bake. I knew it would have to be skinny or narrow in depth to fit in her Little House.

She has very little counter space or storage space.

The back story…..My stepdad passed away from heart trouble in August of 2020. One of the many dreadful things that happened that year. Mom didn’t want to stay in their house anymore with so many memories. We were moving our metal office buildings to some property we own anyway, so my husband suggested we use the larger office and convert it into a little house for my Mom. So…….maybe now the reason for a small island will make sense.

Another long story made short, we shared a storage shed with my stepdaughter. Stored inside she had an old dresser she had never used. After seeing how narrow in depth it was, I thought PERHAPS this was the perfect piece. My stepdaughter said she didn’t have any plans for it and that we could have it if we wanted it. I didn’t get my hopes up until we could measure the space after we put in the cabinets. We measured…..IT WORKED! It is a narrow squeeze, but it is so worth the extra space and storage.

Please keep reading for more pictures and details.

I forgot to take pictures of the BEFORE of the dresser while it was still in the shed but I took a few of the shelf top that was made to go on top of the dresser. That way you can see what color it was before we began to paint it black.

This is the shelf top of the dresser in a very messy storage shed. When you thrift, you have to look beyond the mess and see the possibilities. We didn’t use this shelf top for anything. YET!
I felt kinda like that show “Storage Wars.” Looking in to see what treasures could be found.

Mom began painting the dresser black before I could get out there and take a few pics. She was anxious to move in and get settled. I can’t blame her. But the two pictures above tell the story of the color and shape of the dresser. Mom sanded it and wanted to paint it black. She has a trunk that is painted black that her TV sits on. So I bought a gallon of regular black paint from off the shelf in Walmart.

Below Mom has put on one coat of paint. There is a high end on one side which I think adds character. The high end has a drawer and a cabinet door.

Dresser Front Minus the Drawers and Door.
Another view of the front.
Dresser Back Side.
Another View.
Here the Drawers are drying on the warm inside of the house. This was a nasty, dreary winter day.
Here is the back view of the island before we decided what to do with the back.

On the back, the wood was not high grade enough to just paint. Plus it had that seam and we wanted to disguise that. The island hits you front and center as you come in her side door. So it needed to be a focal point, not an eye sore. We had some of the faux brick leftover from where we used it on some of her walls.

The brick was her choice because she LOVES all shades of red. I have seen this wallboard whitewashed and it looks GREAT. But she wanted to leave it as is.

Here it is as you walk in.
There is even enough room for a little bar stool.

The dresser door hinge was broke and was discontinued in the hardware stores. I had to order a refurbished one off eBay. It took a little while to come in but it was worth it.

This picture allows you to see some of the brick wall where she has her shelves and small wardrobe. She rehabbed that wardrobe too. I’ll post about it later if I can find the before pictures. lol.
This island has added MUCH NEEDED storage for my Mom’s Little Kitchen.
Three larger drawers on one side and a small one above the cabinet door.

I am so, so happy to have her near me. Her little house looks out over our ponds. She will be able to step out and go fishing if she wants to. Her little house might not be a grand mansion, but she is ever so happy there. It was a new beginning for her. She was too sad to live in her and Poppa Joe’s home by herself. When warmer weather gets here we will work on the yard outside. That is something to look forward to!

I hope this serves as an inspiration for someone out there to take an item that no one wants and put it to it’s highest and best use. Trash to Treasure!

I will post more on how we remodeled her Little House. How we turned it from office to home.

Thank you for reading my blog!! It means a lot to me!

Crafting, Painting and Creating is Great Therapy!!

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  1. Pingback: Revamping a Chifforobe (Wardrobe) and Losing a Loved One – Town and Country Style by Kathy

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