The Kitchen Renovation, Part 4 - The Island

I bet you were beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get around to sharing more pictures of the kitchen.  Well, today is your lucky day.  Behold, the island…

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I am really happy with how it turned out.  In fact, I still can't believe this is my kitchen.

Now for the details…

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As I mentioned before, we decided not to use the IKEA legs when installing our Adel cabinets.  Instead, we had our contractor build a sturdy base of 2x4s.  This was essential for securing the island cabinets to the floor and added extra stability to the row of cabinets against the wall.

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As soon as the cabinet boxes were installed, I got to work assembling the drawers, installing the rail systems and attaching the cabinet doors.  Like everything IKEA, they went together in a flash.

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I ordered a Boos Block Blended North American Hard Rock Maple Countertop for the island.  This beauty measures 121" x 36" and weighs close to 300 pounds.

The butcher block is so gorgeous that pictures don't do it justice.  I was so excited the day it was delivered that I may have jumped around like a crazy lady.  

The Boos Block is incredibly easy to maintain.  To clean it just wipe it down with a little soap and water.  Mineral oil is applied every 2-4 weeks to keep the wood from becoming too dry.

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Once the butcher block was securely attached to the cabinets, our contractor cut a hole for my new cooktop.  I think he was a little nervous making the first cut.

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I purchased a simple GE stainless electric coil cooktop.  While I would have loved to have a fancy gas stove, the decision was made based on two factors.  1)  I was unwilling to fork out the big bucks to have gas brought into the house for a silly stove.  2)  The heat from my pressure canner would shatter a glass top cooktop.  

I have been very happy with the cooktop.  It provides a nice, even heat, is easy to clean and looks great.

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We had our contractor add a decorative treatment on the back of the island that would mirror the design of the Adel cabinets.  I applied a coat of primer and two coats of paint to the wood. As I mentioned before, Benjamin Moore - Paper Mache is a perfect match.

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We chose the IKEA 5 7/16" Tyda handles.  They are simple and substantial without being too trendy or oversized.

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I found these great metal stools at Target.  They are comfortable and six of them fit perfectly along the back side of the island.  An added bonus… they can be stacked if needed.  

Next up - lighting.  

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To read all of our kitchen renovation posts click here.  

Part 1 - Demolition
Part 2 - Floors and Ceiling
Part 3 - The Cabinets
Part 5 - The Lighting

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*** The opinions expressed are my own.  The fine folks at IKEA, Boos, GE and Target have no clue I exist. I purchased the cabinets, countertop, cooktop and stools with my own hard-earned cash and have not been compensated in any way for my review.