Her Mom Was About to Throw Away an Old Kitchen Island, but She Painted It Crème Brûlée and Made It Look 200 Years Old
An old kitchen island was headed for the trash after its owner received a new kitchen built by her husband. The island had white cabinet doors, a beadboard exterior, and a thick wooden countertop made by another family member. Its large frame offered storage on both sides, but the dated paint and worn drawer fronts gave it the appearance of a piece that had served its purpose.
Her daughter had another plan. She took the island home, kept the wooden top, and used cream-colored chalk paint with dark antiquing wax to give the cabinet the appearance of aged French country furniture. Her youngest son’s reaction captured the result: “Mom, it looks 200 years old!”
The makeover was shared by the furniture restorer behind Redo It Yourself Inspirations. The project included repairs, new storage compartments, cast-iron hardware, decorative wood appliqués, and dollar-store napkins used inside the drawers.
Her Mom No Longer Needed the Old Kitchen Island
The island had a long wooden worktop above white paneled cabinet doors and drawers, with storage accessible from both sides. Its narrow shape suited the kitchen, while the countertop provided space for food preparation without taking up the entire room.
The restorer’s brother had made the wooden top for their mother, so she decided to preserve it rather than replace or repaint the surface.
Before painting, the island was turned onto its side for repairs underneath. The original doors, panels, and cabinet frame remained, while the work addressed damaged areas and prepared the structure for its new finish.
False Drawer Fronts Became Drop-Down Storage
One side of the island had working drawers, but the opposite side contained false drawer fronts. Her father converted those fronts into drop-down compartments, adding storage without changing the cabinet’s overall dimensions.
The compartments opened from beneath the countertop, making use of space that had been inaccessible.
Crème Brûlée Chalk Paint Replaced the White Finish
Country Chic Paint Crème Brûlée was selected for the cabinet base. The cream shade covered the former white surfaces, including the vertical beadboard panels at each end.
The restorer reported that one coat provided the coverage she wanted, allowing her to begin applying antiquing wax the following day.
The painted surfaces retained their raised panels and recessed grooves, giving the dark wax areas where it could collect and accent the existing construction.
Dark Brown Wax Made the New Paint Look Aged
Country Chic Paint Dark Brown Antiquing Wax was applied over the cream paint, with more product left around the grooves, corners, and raised edges.
The wax darkened selected areas rather than covering the cabinet with a uniform brown finish. Exposed wood along the edges added to the aged appearance, while the top retained its original finish.
The vertical grooves now have dark lines that contrast with the lighter painted boards. The cabinet’s former flat white exterior takes on the appearance of wood that has worn through years of use, although the finish was created during the makeover.
Cast-Iron Hardware and Wood Appliqués Changed the Doors
The restorer selected cast-iron knobs and pulls featuring fleur-de-lis details to suit the iron accents in her kitchen. She also purchased decorative wood appliqués for the cabinet doors.
The appliqués were glued to the panels, painted Crème Brûlée, and treated with dark wax to match the surrounding finish.
For the upper corners, she wanted larger decorative pieces but had little space beneath the countertop. Small wooden ornaments provided an alternative, with two combined at each corner to create a larger accent.
The finished doors have dark metal handles, raised floral decorations, and worn-looking edges beneath the wooden top.
An Old Candle Holder Became a Kitchen Towel Bar
The restorer reused a metal votive candle holder that she no longer needed, drilling mounting holes so it could be attached to the end of the island.
The long iron frame became a towel holder beside the cooking area, with curled ends and rectangular mounting plates against the painted beadboard.
A rooster-print kitchen towel hangs from the bar, with the holder positioned beneath the countertop overhang. The modification gave the island another use without attaching hardware to the wooden work surface.
Dollar-Store Napkins Covered the Storage Compartments
The new compartments received decoupage made from dollar-store napkins. The paper features butterflies, botanical illustrations, and printed script against a yellowed background.
Each compartment has its own patterned interior, contrasting with the cream-painted fronts and dark exterior hardware.
The finished compartments fold outward beneath the countertop, exposing the decorated panels and the hardware used to support them. Their placement adds storage to the side that once had decorative drawer fronts.
The Finished Island Kept Its Original Wood Countertop
The completed island has a cream-painted cabinet base with darkened edges, black cast-iron hardware, and raised appliqués on the doors. Four drawers sit above the cabinet doors, while the wooden top extends over both ends.
The original floor tiles and surrounding oak kitchen cabinets remain, showing the remodeled island within the existing kitchen.
From the opposite end, the vertical beadboard, dark base trim, and extended countertop remain visible. The new finish contrasts with the surrounding natural wood cabinets, separating the island from the rest of the kitchen without changing its position.
The makeover took about two weeks, including repairs, painting, waxing, hardware installation, and decorative work.
From a Discarded White Island to a 200-Year-Old Look
The original island had white cabinet fronts, simple knobs, and a wooden countertop. After the makeover, the same cabinet has dark cast-iron hardware, cream paint treated with antiquing wax, decorative appliqués, and extra storage behind the former false drawer fronts.
Its age was an illusion created with paint and wax, but the piece had enough history of its own. The owner’s father and brother had contributed to its construction, and the daughter preserved their work while giving the island a place in her kitchen.
Would you have kept the original white finish or used Crème Brûlée paint and dark wax to give the island an aged appearance?
Images and project details courtesy of Redo It Yourself Inspirations.