HOW TO UPDATE A KITCHEN ISLAND IN MINUTES
My kitchen was on the waitlist for a renovation for years.
Every month she moved her way up the list patiently waiting to get her measurements taken, her drawers evaluated and her cooktop lifted and replaced.
But, until the kitchen moved to the top of the waitlist, I found a simple kitchen island update in an hour.
When my family gets wind of a mom project they get nervous.
I think my husband had visions of me adding under cabinet lighting with Christmas lights.
But I played it safe with a quart of paint and a roller.
That’s it. Do not overthink an island update.

KITCHEN ISLAND UPDATE
In the time it took to watch an episode of Frasier, minus the commercials, the kitchen island was updated. Here is how I did it.
STEPS TO UPDATE A KITCHEN ISLAND
- quart of paint and a roller brush and a small pan
- kitchen island updates do not require a ladder
- choose a shade darker than the paint color you think you want

WHY NOT PAINT THE ENTIRE KITCHEN?
A kitchen island is less of a commitment. It’s why I prefer to grab coffee with friends and not lunch. It is just as much fun but less time and expense. And it does not interrupt my daily workflow.
If I don’t like the paint color or finished look I can repaint it in the time it takes to get through the Starbucks drive-thru on the first mid-day afternoon of a new school year.

The kitchen island originally was painted with Revere Pewter. The transformation to Kendall Charcoal was in minutes.
Elliott is sitting in front of the cabinets. They look lighter or darker depending on the time of day.
All of a sudden, my baseboards popped against the new paint color. Even my dulled floors look a little less scuffed.

A coat of Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal transformed the space.

I love this color because it works seamlessly with colors like Revere Pewter and Hale Navy.

A big part of the kitchen renovation includes the removal and replacement of a larger kitchen island.
So my decision to paint the island was a low risk, low effort to just give her a little tweak.
I love the look!
The unexpected find in this one hour project was it was a great way to “hold me over” until we could update our kitchen.
When we finished our kitchen renovation my lower cabinets and island were almost identical to what I painted them a few years ago.
If you blinked you might have missed the subtle update. The boys in my house missed it… for weeks.
What do you think? Do you have ideas for inexpensive updates that make a huge impact in a space?


Love it Laura! Paint can make anything look better! Ashley
We painted our island when we added bead board and I still love it! That is a great color you picked!
I love the color! Kendall Charcoal by Ben Moore!
I love how a simple coat of paint can make a huge difference. LOVE this color!
Great job on your kitchen minor renovation the results are awesome.