DIY Kitchen Island Upgrade

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October 20, 2024

Looking for a budget-friendly way to elevate your kitchen island? This straightforward tutorial will guide you through transforming your builder-grade island into a custom masterpiece!

When my family took us in during the hurricane, I wanted to express my gratitude by giving their kitchen island a makeover. After finishing their accent wall in the dining room, I felt the island needed some texture to match.

If you’re considering adding texture to your kitchen island, let me encourage you to go for it! Keep reading, and I’ll show you exactly how I upgraded this builder-basic kitchen island—so you can too!

From this…

To this…

Shop the room here: You can find most of the materials at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and I also have most of it linked on LTK. I’ve also provided separate links for your convenience below. (Please note that these are affiliate links, and I earn a small commission when you make a purchase through them. Your support is greatly appreciated!)

Materials You’ll Need:

Tools You’ll Need:

Step 1: Plan


Start by measuring your island area to figure out how many panel boards you’ll need. I ended up only needing one board, and I had quite a bit left over!

Step 2: Paint the baseboards/trim

Begin by taping off the countertop and floor, then start rolling on the paint for the trim and baseboards. If you have the time, you can carefully remove these elements for easier access. However, I was short on time, so I opted for a quicker approach: since the wall panel is 1/4 inch thick—just like the baseboards—I simply placed the panel against the trim and baseboards to skip this step. I used Tricorn Black in Satin sheen.

Step 3: Prime the panel

I didn’t realize how porous the panel was until I started painting, so it’s essential to use BIN primer beforehand. You can apply the primer after installing the panel, but it does have a strong odor, so I opted to do this step in the garage.

Step 4: Paint the Panel

After the primer dries, paint the wall panel in tricorn black satin. You will need rollers and a brush to get inside the grooves.

Step 5: Cut the Wall Panel

Once the paint is dry, flip the panel over and cut it to match the height and width of your kitchen island. Since I didn’t have a proper cutting table, I had my brother hold one side of the board while I made the cuts for accuracy.

Next, for any areas with an outlet, use pink toothpaste to mark the corners where you’ll need to cut out or work around the board.

Step 6: Nail to the Wall & Add Corner Moulding

You can use liquid nails or lock-tight but I chose not to use it since it was the height and width of the wall so it fit and pretty snug so I used 1 1/4 brad nails. Next, add the corner moulding.

Step 7: Caulk

Using fast-drying caulk can significantly speed up your project. For the black strips, consider using black caulk to streamline your process and minimize touch-ups. I opted for white caulk, but the choice is yours based on your desired finish.

Step 8: Fill the Nail Holes & Sand

Whether or not you hit a stud will influence how much you need to drive the nails in. My nail gun typically does a great job of pushing the nails through the wood, so I usually only need to fill in the holes. However, when I do hit a stud, I use a nail punch to sink the nail slightly deeper before filling the hole.

Step 9: Touch up the Paint


When I pulled the tape off I pulled it too hard and some of the primer and paint came off so I needed to re-prime those areas and then paint.

You Did It!

Congratulations on transforming your bare wall into a modern accent masterpiece, you should be proud of yourself! Ready to dive into your next project? Let’s go!

You got this!

– Audra

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