Try Joanna Gaines' Clever Upcycle If You're Low On Kitchen Storage Space

HGTV and the Magnolia Network's Joanna Gaines is known for her consummate style and ability to brilliantly blend both old and new elements together. This is no more apparent than in the Texas castle Gaines and her husband, Chip, remodeled into a dream home. Their renovation series "Fixer Upper: The Castle" took an unloved structure in Waco and turned it into a modern home with rich amenities. This included creating a spacious kitchen and turning a former sitting room into a stunning butler's pantry for extra storage. The stylish pantry features an extra oven, a fireplace, and a sink, as well as numerous shelves and cabinets for storage along the perimeter. The centerpiece, however, has to be the center island, created from an upcycled wooden cabinet with the same antique flair as the original wood accents in the home.

The dark wood cabinet not only has closed cabinetry space underneath, but open shelving on the end for larger items. It's topped with the same pristine white marble that is used on the counters and backsplash that's also echoed in the main kitchen space. The new island not only offers storage, but makes the butler's pantry more functional as an auxiliary cooking space for larger meals and entertaining purposes.

Using a vintage cabinet or old dresser is a great DIY kitchen island idea to add both storage and counter space. With a few modifications, you can easily repurpose an existing furniture piece you love or a new-to-you antique. Dressers, bureaus, and slender console cabinets like sideboards and buffets are great for narrow kitchens that don't have room for a wider island. They often contain many drawers and doored spaces underneath that allow for discreet storage, as well as shelving for more open storage.

Taller pieces work great to create a counter-height workspace, but you can also put shorter pieces on casters or add legs and supports underneath to bring them up to the right height. While Joanna Gaines tops the castle's island with white marble for a high contrast look, countertops in other materials like butcher block or stainless steel can be used to complement your design scheme. If you want seating on one side of the island, use a wider top piece supported underneath by L-brackets that creates a hangover for leg room and storing stools beneath.