The 12 Best DIY Kitchen Islands

Your kitchen island doesn't have to be pricey to be functional and stylish. Many DIYers are repurposing old furniture to create their dream kitchen island. Here are 12 DIY kitchen island ideas to inspire you.

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Kitchen Island with Storage: Bookshelf Island

This island is not only helpful when it comes to food prep, but it also has plenty of storage for cookbooks thanks to the bookshelves. Plus, this DIY kitchen island can double as a place to do homework.

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Kitchen Island for Small Kitchen: Scrap Wood Island

This DIY kitchen island cost just $30 and is made with 2x4s! It includes two shelves for storage, along with some faux drawers. Organize your kitchen with these 11 brilliant ideas.

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Dresser Kitchen Island

Here’s a DIY kitchen island made from an old dresser with wheels for easy mobility. The designer bought this dresser on craigslist for $100 and then painted it a color to match the kitchen. Old dressers are great for repurposing but have you thought of repurposing any of these 80 items?

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Affordable Kitchen Islands: Barn Wood Island

This aged wood island is made from old barn wood (although pallet wood would also work). It has a shelf underneath to store dishes and pots, along with a handy towel bar.

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Kitchen Island with Storage

This DIY kitchen island has plenty of storage for everything from dish towels to plates and even wine glasses. It also has an overhang which allows for some bar stools. Find a place for those bottles of wine with this incredible under cabinet wine rack.

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Upgraded Island

This DIYer wasn’t happy with the kitchen island in her townhouse, so she made some improvements. For about $200, she painted the island, and cut some trim pieces to give the island some detail.

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Kitchen Island with Storage: Cart Island

This vintage cart is now a one-of-a-kind DIY kitchen island. Try looking for a cart at a resale shop or garage sale and then refinish it or go with the industrial look, and add a countertop of your choice.

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Kitchen Island for Small Kitchen: Multi-Purpose Island

This rustic DIY kitchen island is built with scrap wood—the top is a few 1x4s and screws. The builder says the island doubles as a laundry folding center and computer table.

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Large Kitchen Islands with Seating and Storage: Pallet Wood Island

Put that pallet wood to good use and build yourself a kitchen island! There are several plans online. This pallet wood island has some storage space underneath and a handy storage system on the side for utensils.

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Rustic Island Cart

This rustic island cart has storage on some open shelves and in a cabinet, along with caster wheels so it’s mobile. This DIY kitchen island would work well in a rustic, farmhouse style kitchen.

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Inexpensive Kitchen Island

This inexpensive DIY kitchen island cost just $15 to build. The simple how to make a kitchen island design allows for a good amount of work space along with a rack for storage. It also features some cabinet hardware for hanging pot holders or towels.

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Sofa Table Island

Take that piece of furniture and reinvent it! This DIY kitchen island is made from a sofa table and is finished with a butcher block countertop.

Rachel Brougham
Rachel Brougham spent years working in newsrooms, for television and newspapers, and has won several awards for her writing. In 2015, she left her full-time job as a newspaper editor to focus on freelance writing and editing. She has been a Family Handyman contributor since 2017.
In 2019, Rachel lived through a major remodeling project on her home, and she uses that experience to inform her Family Handyman content. She's also an avid gardener (both native plants and vegetables), enjoys keeping up with decor trends and spends a lot of time traveling, cooking and hanging out with her family and their giant dog.