There are going to be some happy people who have been asking for this. Thanks Ana!

Well look at that! So many possibilities and combinations with reclaimed wood and creative finishes. And so much easier with an actual Ana made plan... you lucky, lucky people.
:) Ana ... we love you.
xo Michaela

I don't know what to say other then WOW

Thanks Michaela; thanks Ana.... I have been waiting for this. I love the changes Michaela made, and is perfect for the space in my kitchen. <3

I absolutely love the finish on the the table. Gorgeous!

Love this!! Just posted a link on my fan page- No where near as many as you have but still wanted to share!! ;)

This is probably not an in-demand request, but I would LOVE plans for a sewing table/cabinet. Something that is sturdy enough to run a machine on, a good level, maybe the machine can stow under the top?, and something with a little storage for notions, etc. Any chance of you coming up with something like that?

Amazing! I cannot wait for your book- normally blogs-to-books give me the blahs, but I'm so stoked for yours!

Ana, you truly ARE an inspiration. I've been gushing about you and your site to anyone who will listen since I found you on Saturday- I even wrote a whole post on my blog lauding you, and yours is the first (and currently, only!) link-widget-thingy I have displayed on my DIY pages! http://erinyay.com/make/furniture/knock-off-wood-my-new-favorite-blog/

Thank you for everything you do.

While that is a nice looking island, unfortunately you have not taken wood movement into account when designing your plans. If you recommend stud lumber, that wood has not been dried enough to use inside a house and remain stable. In addition to that, the top of this island is attached to slats with screws. In most places climates change from humid to dry depending on the season, so the top will warp and crack as it tries to adjust to the climate. This needs to be taken into account when designing furniture.

Thanks so much Ana for the plans and Michaela for the inspiration!!!

Beautiful, as always, kitchen island & I love the Table!!

Thank you so much Ana for all your plans and even mentioning me and my little old table-- I keep saying to myself "wow, Ana- thee famous Ana- actually likes some stuff that I did, wow" I really feel like I've been a recipient of your kindness and wonderful character- I've went from 3 followers to 54.

Also I wanted to point out that I really love your plans because they are made with the average person in mind, that it is possible for everyone to be able to create their own furniture-- we aren't all looking to create the perfect piano boxes and nor does the average person have the time, tools, and knowledge,(or time to learn that knowledge) to create the best of the best-- Generally to create something with your own hands is far more rewarding than buying something in the store for the over inflated price and flimsy construction of most pieces- and woodworking is a creative art form, It's made to be a creative process to experiment to see what works, to follow some rules and peoples ideas of rules and to throw others out, and make it fit what you want and need, and when your done you love what you created- because you created it. Anyways just my two cents-- thanks again so much!

Regarding Julie's comment--I've read this before. Is this a big concern? Could you get around this problem by keeping the wood in your house for a few weeks before building? I know that's required before floor installation. I'm pretty ignorant here so sorry if I'm really missing something!

- Not sure of what to make of that comment there from Julie. We haven't encountered any problems with our seasoned/reclaimed douglas fir top. But, the whole point of this project is to reproduce that funky look in R*st*r*t**n H*rdw*r*, (and also the S*nD*nc* catalogue this month). I think it's lookin' sweet and homemade. And if you look at those boards on the RH and SD tables, they have lots of warping and checking and totally cool character. I love it. If I wanted something perfectly flawless... I wouldn't have chosen this "look", I would have gone with the other WS island style, using the plywood. If someone is really wanting a super flat surface, maybe they can use something else on top? Like butcher block, stone, slate or another surface.
This isn't a perfection kinda look. Am I right on that?
If you want to switch the top at some point in the future, you just lift it off and change your mood. I think it's a fine thing.
Rock on Ana.
xo M

To add to my comment. Wood that is used for framing is not kiln dried as furniture wood is. So it contains water and that water will be released in a dry climate making everything smaller. Wood does not stay the same size at all times, this can lead to cracking and twisting if wood is attached firmly to another piece. Other things that can happen is that doors will get stuck and drawers may not open. I'm sure some of you have that in your homes, where a door gets stuck that didn't used to before. If you know that may happen and you like that look, then that is fine, but I do believe some people will end up with spaces between their table tops that they didn't know would be there.

LOVE this plan. My husband is on board. Can't wait for my island. Thanks so much for the plans and variations so we can make this a great piece for our kitchen.

I guess this is a good place to comment that Julie does have a point. I made a version of the modern farmhouse table (my top was very similar to this one) and I kept the wood (construction grade 2x4's and 2x6's) inside for more than a few days but less than a week before building.

After a bit less than a month the cracks between boards have widened from nonexistent to about 1/16"-1/8" (somewhat annoying with the crumbs getting in them) and the boards have warped a bit so the top is not quite flat anymore.

But I still really like my table, I knew it could happen when I built it and it is still usable and attractive. I could have gotten unlucky and had a board warp or crack in such a way to make the table unusable and need to replace that board, however, I think the most common result will be some gaps and less than perfectly flat surface.

This could likely be avoided by letting the wood sit inside for at least a couple weeks as a previous commenter suggested. Julie is right though that for some people the gaps, warping and cracks to be a bit of an unpleasant surprise so it is a good thing to mention so you can work to avoid it.

Julie, all, I just want to set something straight, it was not your comment that hurt my feelings - rather some very less helpful and personally directed comments on a rather large site. You are always welcome to comment, and you are absolutely right that wood moves. Especially if you live in a humid climate. And I appreciate you taking your time to explain this to everyone.

So if I know this, why do I post plans? Well, if PB can sell for $300 a coffee table made of solid pine, why is it a crime for me to give away for free plans?

The other thought is if you live in a humid climate there is absolutely nothing stopping you from using what every type of wood you want. And there is nothing stopping you from using whatever form of joinery that you want. I just like to post the most basic and simple method. Because, let's face it, most of us here are delighted to own a jigsaw and a drill.

And Julie, you do very nice work!

I did a little poking around about this last night. Even at a 90% discount, building these pieces is a stretch for our family so I'd definitely be concerned about warping and cracking. I didn't read that kiln-dried wood is any better. The consensus seemed to be that all wood will acclimate to its new surroundings after a few weeks, no matter how it's been dried.

This is all good to think about and know. Ana I love your plans and your generosity with all of this. I am very excited to get building as soon as I convince my husband I'm not nuts ;) Thank you!

I haven't made this yet, though I do love it and plan on doing it soon, especially now that classes are over for the semester. However, I was just glancing over the plans and wondered if I am missing something. The supplies list calls for 1- 10' 4"x4", but the island is 36" tall, making the 4"x4" legs 34 1/2".

Won't you need at least 12'? 138" plus some to account for blade curf? 10' is only 120".

Just checking. Thanks for the wonderful plans!

The legs don't extend the whole height and the thickness of the top should make up the difference and give you about 36" total.

Ana! Thank you so much for your entire site. It has given me a new sense of independence. My hubby is quite handy but I'm impatient and this combo often leads to unecessary tiffs between us. Now, with your plans in hand, I can do it myself!

Do you have any suggestions for extending the top to make a space for dining with some barstools?

We are currently piecing together a home, and this would be the perfect island for my kitchen. If I double the width, would you recommend having 6 legs total, or 8 legs by just building 2 of these and sticking them together?

Erin, I would build two. That way you can move them through the door! And you won't save much money by making just one. Good luck!

Ana, I just came across your website and am ECSTATIC! My husband and I have been wanting to build a kitchen island since we bought our first home 6 months ago. I'm afraid we don't have quite the space for this one, though. What would we change to make the island a bit smaller? Say.... 24" x 36"? Thanks so much! It looks amazing and I can't wait to build it this weekend!

Ana, this is amazing! My husband and I have been trying to build a kitchen island since we bought our first home 6 months ago. Unfortunately, this won't fit in our space. What would we change to make it a 24" x 36" island? Thanks for your website, I'm ECSTATIC that I found this!

I am prepping to make the island this weekend and came across the same issue commented upon by Christi. The 4x4 legs need to be 34.5" but the supply list only calls for one 10' 4x4. cut into four legs that would be slightly less than 30" for each leg. Thus, a 14' 4x4 would be the length one should use. Otherwise, everything looks awesome. Thanks for the plans.

I am in the middle of building the table and found one other minor error. The image for step number four: drawer housing says that the drawer housing sides are 1x8 boards. all subsequent measurements are actually based on 2x8 boards.

Regarding warping etc, from previous comments.... If you had the means to do so, you could use a biscuit joiner or dowels to join the boards together. Also alternate the direction of the warp of the boards as you build the table top. In other words if you look at the ends of your boards you may notice that some of the grain goes like (((( and some like this )))) so you would alternate one curving down, one curving up, one curving down, one curving up, and so on. This will help with the warp. I think Ana's plans are perfect as they are simple and easy to understand. You can modify some measurements if you need it to "fit in a nook".It is up to you to do your own research for your area and temperature and humidity conditions to see what will work best for you.

I'm 3/4 of the way through with this one, and I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!!! The drawers are intimidating me, but I've tried so hard to keep everything square. Wish me luck!

I used a 12' 4x4 post and it worked fine. I have around 6" excess. Which was perfect for practicing drilling holes and screws.

I noticed in the wood shopping list says noting about 2x2's. Also, how important are the 21" slides? I could only find 20" and 22". I ended up buying 2 20" slides.

@flippin1999 I am also afraid of the drawers... I have tried sooo hard to keep everything square but on the back left side of my drawer housing is 1/8th of an inch off. The middle support is tricky..

Also, anyone have any tips for attaching the shelfs? I don't have a nail gun or access to one so, I have to use screws...

Ana,

Like someone else said, unless you have endless amounts of expendable cash to buy the best wood and all the expensive tools to use, you cannot avoid some changes in your project after it settles in. That is why I love your site! I actually use old wood pallets, that I get for free from businesses, for most of my projects because even pine is expensive for me. Your site is perfect for me and people like me who build for the love of building. To look around your home and know that you created something from scratch is extremely rewarding and I thank you soooo much for all your hard work so that I can just build for fun!!!

I am actually working on a kitchen for my daughter using free pallets and an altered version of this island plan. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[...] Google Sketch-Up (which is FREE!) and then spent a few hours Saturday morning/afternoon to modify her kitchen island plans to meet my needs and to fit within the dimensions of my [...]

[...] in Brag Blog Put on my TO-DO List Save as PDF Print this PostShare/Bookmark Builder: Sarah Burlingame Blog or Website:http://missarahlou.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/diy-kitchen-island-take-v/ Experience Level: Some Experience Estimated Cost: $80 for materials, $30 for finishing (with lots left over) Estimated Time Investment: ~40 hours From Plan: http://ana-white.com/2010/03/plans-michaelas-kitchen-island.html [...]

I thought I may have bit more off than I could chew when I started this project (seeing that this is my first Ana-White gig). I am just finishing up the sanding and should be ready for staining tomorrow. What a great time! Each member of the family have the site book marked and are putting their wish lists together! I am going to be busy for a while. :)

As far as the plans go, they were very straight forward and easy to follow. I did catch the 4X4 length and 2X2 misses before I started cutting and had to take a trip back to the store. Not a big deal at all. Everything fit like a glove. It was worth it.

Thank you for the site.

I just brought the island into our kitchen and it looks great!  Thank you for the plans!

for the plans-perfect project to teach my niece perceverance and hard work that yields something lasting. We left out the drawers to keep it simple. Used milk paint to finish island and it turned out great.

Does anyone know where the video is of how she notched out the legs on the table? Thanks!

Hi Ana,

I have a question... I think I am missing something here. So the width of the shelves is 21" (7 boards at 3" each). The shelves rest between the legs. The distance between the legs is equal to the length of the side apron, which is 17 1/2". So how does it work then?

Thanks a lot!

Hey Ana,

Wondering if this would work as a kitchen table? I love the look and the storage area. We obviously would make it wider.. or maybe even a square. We live in base housing and our "dining room" is actually just an extenstion of the living room, so we can use all of the storage room we can get! Thanks in advance!

-megan

Hi Ana,
I adore this island just the way it is, but it won't work for my kitchen. I'm looking for a counter-height island that would double as an eating area where I can store bar stools underneath. Is there a way to convert the width dimensions to between 36-40 inches? Also, could I use this plan and leave off the shelves, or do the shelves provide support? Thanks for your time and incredible website!

Hi Ana,

Would you be able to add an over hang to one side of the counter top to allow for a bar style side to the island without jeopardizing the stability of the entire island? I'm thinking an 7 inch increase to the width of the top added completely to one side. I'm just wondering if the whole island would tip if someone were to lean on the overhang side. Thanks!

This is beautiful! How would I adjust the plans, if I wanted to create an overhang for some bar seating? How many extra inches for overhang would I need? How much support? Just two brackets?

I am finishing up building one of these, and am super thankful to have had these plans to follow along the way. The island looks fantastic and we are oiling and waxing it today and tomorrow. I will say one thing - these plans assume that 1x8 and 2x8 boards are a finished width of 7.5", when it is actually 7.25". I wasn't paying attention when I was putting the drawer housing and drawers together and it meant that I had to cut a notch out of the top of my drawers in the back so that I could put the drawers in. If I would have noticed what was going on earlier, I would have planed down the 1x2s on the top and bottom to be 1 3/8" and had the extra 1/4" I needed, but they were already in place and I didn't feel like taking the whole thing apart to get to them. In the end, all it took was (roughly) a 5/8" cut at a 45 degree angle on the back of the drawers with a circular saw. I could have also used 1x3 for the drawer sides, but the drawer was already built by that point as well. And of course, as others have pointed out, the 2x2s are missing from the parts list and the 4x4 on the parts list isn't long enough. Minor issues aside, many thanks to Ana for a great plan!

Nice blog and absolutely outstanding. You can do something much better but i still say this perfect.Keep trying for the best.
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