A kitchen that lacks counter space can be considered inadequate in more ways than one. However, if the room offers center floor space it can be equipped with an island. It does not have to be made from butcher block or other costly material. It is possible to create a fast and easy kitchen island with any furnishing that offers a flat surface for preparing and serving food. A fast and easy work area can be made with a solid desk, a microwave cart or a sofa table.
I wanted an island in my first kitchen. The room was spacious, but it lacked cabinets and counter space. It was difficult to prepare and serve food, especially since the home also lacked a separate dining room. I needed the table for serving family and friends. I came up with a fast and easy kitchen island, and it looked just as good as or better than furnishings made especially for preparing food.
Use a Desk as a Work Island
When seeking a fast and easy kitchen island I decided to use a furnishing with a flat solid surface. I had an old wooden desk in my basement, and it was the ideal solution. I permanently attached bamboo cutting boards to the top of the desk with strong epoxy glue. The cutting boards fit together perfectly and created a seamless surface for food preparation. What was once a desk became a fast and easy kitchen island, and it added considerable square footage to the existing work surfaces in the room. No one realized that it was once a desk, and it coordinated well with the cabinetry and other furnishings.
Turn a Stylish Microwave Cart Into a Fast and Easy Island
If I had not used my old flattop desk as a fast and easy island for my kitchen, I would have considered using a stylish microwave cart. I transformed a turn of the century sewing table into a microwave cart, and it could have served as a fast and easy kitchen island. I would have topped the microwave cart with bamboo cutting boards, and it also would have looked fantastic. Although a microwave cart is typically lower than a kitchen island, it can be raised up with taller wheels or stationary risers.
Use a Sofa Table as a Kitchen Island
A sofa table is the perfect height for food preparation, and it can work as a fast and easy kitchen island. I have a slate top table that would make an excellent kitchen island, and it would have been fast and very easy to use with cutting boards of the appropriate size. A sofa table is longer than a microwave cart or a typical office desk. Look into using a sofa table instead of investing in a kitchen island. You will save a considerable amount of money on a portable work surface, and it will look fantastic in the center of the room.
Source: Personal and Professional Home Design and Decorating Experience
