Re-Vamped Kitchen Island

As I previously mentioned, I really love adding a touch of vintage here and there. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I think this kitchen is really swell:

This Old House

This Old House

Everyone needs a rolling ladder in their kitchen, right? 

I know I do!

 

I love the clean and classic lines of the white subway tile, the farmhouse sink, hidden storage, and use of freestanding furniture as additional storage/counter space. I also really dig the schoolhouse light fixtures.

The color of these cabinets served to inspire me to bring a touch of the 1940s farmhouse feel to my own kitchen {my mom tells me that her grandmother had a kitchen this color at her homestead in Oklahoma - yes, homestead. As in one square mile of prarie land.}

Here's the free and "blah" kitchen island/cart that I started with {sorry for a lack of better 'before' picture - I was just too anxious to get started!}. This little beauty was a hand-me-down from some family friends. It sat, lonely and sad, in my parents garage for years before it found a new home with me. 

At this point, it's already been cleaned, sanded, and the worn butcher block top removed - also the ugly plastic handles have been upgraded to some fancy schmancy ones courtesy of my Dad!

back side view

We gave the whole island a coat of shellac based primer. I wanted to be sure to cover up any stains. Then we started putting on the color. At this point I am thinking to myself that the color doesn't look quite right...

The finished cabinet was supposed to be "Nettle" as seen above. The magazine even gave the manufacturer, name, and number of that EXACT paint color! Could this be easier?

Wait a second....this color doesn't look quite right...

Finished Product!

As you can see, the color is still not quite what I had intended it to be. Turns out, the color depicted in the magazine was not true to the color in the can. We were able to take the paint back to the home improvement store and have the color darkened, but it's not the exact tone that I was going for. I'm happy with the result though. Mr. Maestro sanded the butcher block top and rubbed it with walnut oil - it sure does look pretty! We also changed out the casters on the bottom. They went from office furniture hum-drum to industrial chic {and they roll much better too!}.   It ties in well with my glass tile backsplash, brings a hint of vintage flavor to my kitchen, and most importantly, adds some much used storage space and an extra work surface!

Hooray for Free Stuff!