Pallet Wood+Drawer=Kitchen Island

There is just something about building kitchen islands that I seem to like.  

So, when I spied this odd drawer sitting in a corner of the workshop (it is from our media area and once held video tapes--the previous owners left them),

I knew it would work great for the bottom of an island/bar/shelf.

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I used pallet wood 2"x 4"s for the legs.  I cut them to 34" and attached them by drilling through the inside of the drawer, setting the drawer 6" up on the legs.  I love that with the PALLET BUSTER no nails are left in the 2" x 4"s.

Next, attach an apron (the edging that runs under the tabletop) to the top of the legs.  Again, I used pallet wood for this.

Attach a board across the inside of the top of the legs.  You want this to be something that you can drill and screw all the way through (like a 2"x 2") because you will be drilling through this to attach the top.

I then painted the base with Fusion Mineral paint in Putty.  I used thick pallet wood pieces for the top.  I sand the wood, lay the boards out and clamp both ends so the wood top doesn't have spaces in it.

Drill through the boards you attached to the inside of the legs into the underside of the island top.

I then stained the top with dark walnut. i added a hook and a bottle opener.

I used early American stain over the putty paint. 

I always seem to stage these islands as bars because they work well for that purpose.  

But, they make great islands for pots and pans, cookbooks and dishtowels or this piece would be a great craft work station, would hold a TV and DVD's, or would work wherever you need a little more surface space and storage.