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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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October 5, 2011

Kitchen Island Makeover Tutorial

Kitchen Island Makeover as seen in BHG from At The Picket Fence
Update:

Here is my completed kitchen remodeled as featured in Better Homes and Gardens! My island is still holding up great and I love it!

Heather of At The Picket Fence Better Homes and Gardens Feature

photo courtesy of BHG

As just a little recap. I am in the middle of a major DIY Kitchen Remodel.  It has been a multi-step process over several months and it is….almost….done…. The most recent project that I competed just this past weekend was the transformation of my kitchen island.  Here is a little before and after.

(mouse over for before and after)

Kitchen island before and after

Now if you are anything like me you’re thinking. “Yep. love it. Now the tutorial please.” See, I knew I wanted an island like this, but I couldn’t find an all encompassing tutorial anywhere.  So by combining various “how to posts” from some fabulous bloggers like Sarah from Thrifty Décor Chick, having my friend Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia stand on her head (okay not really but almost to get the shots I needed) to photograph her beautiful island (which inspired mine) and a lot of trial and error. I successfully pulled off this island transformation and I am going to show you how you can makeover yours as well.

STEPS IN PROCESS:

(Step 1)Painting cabinets, adding beadboard, trim and hardware.
(Step 2)Staining and adding butcher block top to island.
(Step 3) Adding furniture leg addition, and baseboards to island{Click on this link for printable list of supplies and tools needed}

Step One: Painting and Adding Beadboard

The first step in my island makeover was wrapping the island in beadboard and painting the island front and cabinet doors.

 Kitchen Remodel3

This was the easiest part of the makeover but definitely the most time consuming. Sarah at Thrifty Décor Chick gives a great tutorial on adding beadboard to an island.  She used the individual pieces of beadboard, we used the primed panels.  They are slightly more cost effective and since we were using the panels in other parts of the kitchen we wanted the beadboard to match.  Pros of panels: cheap, only need to make a few large cuts and install in one piece. Cons of panels: hard to transport home, unyielding (you will need someone to help you cut them), a pain to cut out outlet holes. So you decide what works best for your job.
1.  First I removed the corner trim piece on each outer corner of the island, using a crowbar.  Then, measured off the dimensions of the front and side of the island. Using a band saw we cut them to size.2.  We marked off the measurements for the outlet. Our jigsaw worked great for this.  Make sure to start your pilot hole for the jigsaw by first drilling a hole in one corner.

kitchen island-23_edited-1

kitchen island-24_edited-1

3. Using Liquid Nails paneling glue, we attached the beadboard panels to the island.  To make sure the beadboard was extra secure we used paneling nails in each corner, making sure to recess them with a nail setter.

4. Once the panels were attached we noticed small gaps in the corners where the paneling meets up (or didn’t quite in our case). To fix this we glued small wooden  dowels in the outside corners.  When painted this mimics a “bead” in the beadboard.

5.  After your beadboard is attached to three sides, it’s time to prime and paint the exposed part of your island and the cabinet doors.  I chose to clean, sand, clean, prime, sand, prime and paint twice all of my cabinets.  It was a huge job but worth the effort for durability.  I used an oil based primer and paint. You will not need to prime your beadboard since it comes primed.  After your paint has completely cured you can add or change out your hardware if desired.  I also chose to run beadboard wallpaper on the “kick…” of my island and add my faux cabinet feet to the front (as you can see in the finished photograph). You could also just paint the kick …to match your cabinets.

Step Two: Staining and Adding a Butcher Block Island Top

Step two in this project was adding stained butcher block to the island.  One feature of my “old” island I hated was the wide counter top and how much space it took up.  Between the overhand and the bar-stools it left mere inches between someone sitting in the stool and my refrigerator.  This made food preparation difficult when people were over and wanted to sit and chat while I cooked.  My dream had always been to put them at the “end” of the island out of the kitchen work space.  We achieved this by narrowing and lengthening the counter.

island-1
1.  First we were extremely lucky to find a piece of butcher block at our Ikea and even more luck that it was a piece of Lagan which is the cheaper version.  I wasn’t sure if the thinner piece would look funny or vastly difference from the height of my other counters, but it doesn’t look any different and it saved quite a bit of money!
2.  Once we got our butcher block home, we removed the original counter.

kitchen island-28_edited-1

and placed the butcher block piece on the island to get a feel for the length we wanted.

kitchen island-26_edited-1

We even practiced sitting at it and walking around it to see how far out we were comfortable with it coming into the eating area.  When we had determined a length we liked we placed a chalk line to get a precise cut, and cut off the access wood using a circular saw with a new blade.  The blade was approximately $10 and worth the purchase to get a nice clean cut.

kitchen island-25_edited-1

The we placed the piece back on the island to make sure it was exactly the length we wanted.

kitchen island-29_edited-1
All of these steps are important to avoid mistakes and having to “redo” your work.

3.  After lightly sanding the cut edge and the tops and side to remove the light factory finish, I applied a wood conditioner to the top, sides and several inches underneath.  This is an important step before staining your wood, for a nice uniform finish.

kitchen island-30_edited-1
kitchen island-31_edited-1

4.  Now it was time to stain the butcher block. Again I turned to the internet for help.   Erin from Stillwater Story has a fabulous tutorial on how she stained her Ikea counters and she got her information from Vanessa from This and That who also has a great tutorial.  I’ll be honest I don’t have much to add to their fabulous posts.  I decided on the Minwax Dark Walnut because I wanted a dark wood but not red undertones like you see with cherry finishes.  I applied two coats of stain to top, sides and about 6 inches in on the underside.  Here is the butcher block after one coat

kitchen island-34_edited-1

kitchen island-33_edited-1

You can see how uneven the coloring is still with just one coat.  I wanted a darker finish and everything I had read stated that the Waterlox lightens the stain about a shade.  Waterlox is a permanent food grade varnish that you can apply to your counters.

It is a little time consuming and pricey but you will never have to prepare your butcher block again.  Sounds like my kind of product!  Because of the lightening effect of the Waterlox I applied a second coat of stain.

kitchen island-36_edited-1
kitchen island-37_edited-1
After a light sanding between coats,  here is the final finish minus the Waterlox.

In the spirit of honesty I’ll admit I haven’t applied the Waterlox yet. I have had so many projects to finish that for now the butcher block is just sitting on the island and we are not using it for food preparation (unsealed stained surfaces are not food grade) but I will be applying it soon, and will share that step with you when I am finished.  The tutorials I have listed above include this important step so please refer to them if you are completing this project anytime in the near future.

I am seriously so in love with my butcher block, we’ve even wondered now if we should have installed it everywhere in the kitchen but I also like what we chose for the perimeter cabinets as well.  I’ll be sharing those with you soon!

 island-top

Step Three: Adding furniture legs and baseboard trim to island

From the beginning inception of my kitchen remodel plans I knew I wanted legs for my island.  I was in love with the look and it fit with my idea of a sophisticated farmhouse look.

island-10
1. First goal, find legs for the island.  Warning you cannot find these in your big box stores and I my budget and time frame did not allow for me to special order them.  Time to get creative.  Enter…newel posts.  You know those poles that are at the end of your staircase.  Here are the ones I purchased from Lowe’s.

newel post<

There were $26 each and of course would need modified.  Using the electric miter saw I rented from Home Depot, I cut the round ball and decorative trim off of the top part of the post and then measured and cut off the excess from the bottom of the post.  These posts are 48” and I needed a 36” post.  Measure your posts according to the height of your island.  (Speaking of renting a miter saw, it was so fun to see the face of the tool rental guy when he learned the miter saw was for me and that I was remodeling my kitchen on my own.  Love dropping that on the sales people at Lowe’s and Home Depot, they are never sure quite what to say.) heh.

2.  For the apron of my leg addition to the island I purchased a simple square piece of 3” primed MDF.  Using the miter saw I cut to size one of the side pieces of the island.  Be sure to measure and measure again. I came back in the house often while cutting my pieces to dry fit them and make sure I had my measurements correct.  One I was satisfied with the first side piece I attached it to the leg using Heavy Duty Liquid Nails

kitchen island-20_edited-1

and then screwed in one of the triangle corner brackets.  I highly recommend starting a small pilot hole with an appropriate sized drill bit for each screw.  This will help you avoid splitting the wood.

kitchen island-21_edited-1

I clamped the apron piece in place so it would stay straight and flush with the front of the leg, while the glue dried.

 kitchen island-22_edited-1
3.  After the glue has dried I attached the side piece of the apron to my island using an 3” L bracket.

kitchen island-01_edited-1

Here is what the corner bracket looks like, this will be screwed into the counter top once building the legs and apron are complete.

kitchen island-03_edited-1
And this is what you phone will look like after cutting all of this woods.  The perils of belonging to a DIY Blogger.

kitchen island-19_edited-1

4.  We repeated the same steps for the other side of the island.

kitchen island-05_edited-1

5. Once you’ve established the exact location of each leg and side piece of the apron and they are secure to the island, measure you center apron piece and cut to fit.

kitchen island-04_edited-1

kitchen island-06_edited-1
Using a thin layer of glue and 2 additional 3 inch L brackets at the bottom of the center apron piece attach the center piece to the legs. Make sure that the apron front is level with the front of the legs. Here is what this section looks like when completed without the island top.

kitchen island collage

7. Once your glue is completely dry and your leg addition feels secure, you can caulk, prime and paint your legs and the apron. Island legs might need a light sanding before painting because they are unfinished wood. Remember, caulk is not sandable but wood filler or putty is.  If you have a fairly large gap you might want to fill it with wood putty or filler and then sand it smooth, otherwise paintable white caulk will work great!

(As a final step you can add a nice wide trim to your island.  I love how Kristin had the wide trim so that she could have her cabinet feet on the front, but it didn’t look funny with her furniture legs when you looked at the island from the side.)

8.  To achieve this look, choose a wide baseboard (I chose a 3” wide primed baseboard) make sure you measure you island well so that you purchase a long enough piece of baseboard.

9.  One one end you will cut a straight cut.  To do this place your miter saw at 0 degrees.

kitchen island-14_edited-1
10. For your outside corners cut your baseboard at a 45 degree angle. To know if it’s cut right you want to be cutting away the back of the baseboard (where the front or primed side is longer than the back side of the mitered edge (hope that made sense!) After cutting your pieces and dry fitting them to make sure your cuts fit together well, apply at least one coat of your paint. Remember if you end up with a slight gap between your mitered edges, it’s okay. That’s why they invented caulk.
11. Once you’ve cut your baseboard to size, attach with glue and a few paneling nails if necessary ( I did not end up needing them.) And you’re done!

island-7<

Whew! So that’s about it.  I want to state for the record I am truly a DIYer.  I have learned a lot of this through trial and error.  I was able to achieve all of the remodeling of this island by myself except for Bama Boy cutting some of the paneling for me (I’m still a little scared of the circular saw..lol). I would not want a carpenter going over it with a magnifying glass, but I am pleased with how it turned out! I can’t guarantee you’ll get the exact same results that I did but I can tell you that if you decide you want to remodel your island following my instructions I think you’ll be pleased with the results. I know I am!

Kitchen island before and after
If you have any questions I didn’t answer please feel free to ask in the comments section.  I will try and answer them on here as well, so others can see the response.  Also, feel free to email me through our contact page.  And thank you again for all of your sweet comments on my island reveal. I can’t wait to share the whole kitchen with you, it truly is an amazing transformation!

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54 Comments Filed Under: Beadboard, Decorating, Good Ideas, Kitchen Remodel, Tutorials

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Comments

  1. housedressingblog.blogspot.com says

    October 4, 2011 at 9:31 PM

    You have no idea how impressed I am that you did this! I love every aspect of it, especially the bead board and that extension part with the purty legs… mind if I whistle?

    Reply
  2. Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia says

    October 4, 2011 at 9:52 PM

    So I think my husband just found his future wife, oh wait…we are both married. He just read through your entire post and thinks you are amazing!!!!!
    Love it!
    XO
    Kristin

    Reply
  3. Kim @ Cheap Chic Home says

    October 4, 2011 at 10:00 PM

    Wow, great job, Heather. I am impressed with your work, your island is beautiful. If I were you, I’d think up reasons to just walk past it and admire it!

    Reply
  4. Kelly says

    October 4, 2011 at 10:12 PM

    I love your new island. It looks like a lot of work went into making it look that good. It paid off!

    Reply
  5. Debbiedoo's blogging and blabbing says

    October 4, 2011 at 10:18 PM

    Awesome, simply amazing transformation. I love the dark stain too, looks sharp with the white.

    Reply
  6. http://findingsecrettreasures.blogspot.com says

    October 5, 2011 at 1:11 AM

    Beautiful! and you did all yourself!! Wish I had an island to remake, I’d do it just like yours!

    Reply
  7. Debbie says

    October 5, 2011 at 1:51 AM

    I don’t even have the words… Speechless, I say, I’m speechless.

    Do you KNOW how rare that is?

    Reply
  8. Shelia says

    October 5, 2011 at 1:51 AM

    Oh, honey! This is beautiful and you are absolutely the smartest and most creative one! I love it! Your wooden top on your island looks just wonderful! I love the contrast to your other countertops! Love the white and I’m not jealous at all! Well, maybe a whole lot! 🙂
    It truly looks awesome.
    be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  9. Jordan@the2seasons says

    October 5, 2011 at 1:55 AM

    Wow this looks amazing. I love everything about it just love it!

    Reply
  10. Buttercup Bliss says

    October 5, 2011 at 2:06 AM

    You did an amazing job!!! Your kitchen looks fabulous! And how awesome that you are able to do this all yourself – really cool!!

    Reply
  11. NanaDiana says

    October 5, 2011 at 3:11 AM

    Heather, darlin’- You are just a girl after my own heart! You did SUCH a good job! I just love it..and you did a great tutorial here too- (I read every word);>) xo Diana

    Reply
  12. Pam - diy Design Fanatic says

    October 5, 2011 at 3:22 AM

    Excellent job and explanation! Congratulations on a job well done!

    Reply
  13. WindyCityKnits says

    October 5, 2011 at 4:01 AM

    Wow, this is amazing! I have been looking for ideas on how to update my 80’s era island and I love the beadboard and butcher block top! Great job!

    Reply
  14. 3krazychics says

    October 5, 2011 at 5:02 AM

    All I can say is…..gorgeous!!!!!

    Reply
  15. Beth says

    October 5, 2011 at 1:23 AM

    Your island is gorgeous, and this is such a fabulous tutorial! I understood all of it! I too have a husband who hates DIY. It’s always me doing the projects around here! Love your blog!

    Reply
  16. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    October 5, 2011 at 11:58 AM

    Fantastic tutorial Heather! Your new kitchen island looks AMAZING, I LOVE IT! Loving that butcher block countertop too. Martina

    Reply
  17. Robin says

    October 5, 2011 at 12:43 PM

    Your new island is truly amazing. Thanks so much for sharing how you did it. I learned so much.

    Reply
  18. Carole @ Blue Chateau Interiors says

    October 5, 2011 at 12:52 PM

    Absolutely fabulous transformation!

    Thanks for the detailed tutorial. We are moving to a hundred-year-old farmhouse next month and I have plans to build an island for the kitchen using an old butcher block I’ve had forever. Will definitely follow your tutorial (and am pinning it so I don’t forget).

    Reply
  19. Anonymous says

    October 5, 2011 at 1:49 PM

    My island is just like yours. A great example of how I’d like to extend mine. Now my husband can do his magic. Thanks.

    Reply
  20. Judy says

    October 5, 2011 at 2:36 PM

    I was impressed when you first showed the island…now that I know exactly what it took for you to achieve greatness I am even more impressed. Everything about it is perfect. So gorgeous.

    Reply
  21. Traci says

    October 5, 2011 at 3:04 PM

    So pretty! I just love the color of the countertop. Y’all did such a great job!

    Reply
  22. Kassie says

    October 5, 2011 at 5:48 PM

    You did an awesome job! Looks great! I wanted legs on my “bar” in our new kitchen and with the custom cabinets, it was going to cost $2500.00! So we left the legs off and my husband did it himself. Also added the beadboard. I haven’t done a post yet with it complete but it looks SO good and we spent around $100.00! Just glad my hubby is handy. I don’t think I’d have had the patience to figure out how to do it. 🙂

    Reply
  23. Amy says

    October 5, 2011 at 5:55 PM

    I have to say it again. GORGEOUS! It looks completely custom. The tutorial is SOOOO helpful, and who knew they had butcher block counters at IKEA? (I didn’t!). You deserve all the praise, and enjoy your new island!
    Amy

    Reply
  24. Erin {Lavender and Lemon Drops} says

    October 5, 2011 at 7:12 PM

    Congrats on the Lettered Cottage mention… that rocks and so does your island! I’m totally jealous right now! I NEED an island in my kitchen soooo bad!

    Reply
  25. SavannahGranny says

    October 6, 2011 at 4:50 AM

    So awesome, I would love to add beadboard to my island. Great job. Hugs, Ginger

    Reply
  26. Leslie says

    October 6, 2011 at 2:49 PM

    This is a fantastic tutorial. I love the new look of the island. I’m pinning it for my future reference. Thanks so much.

    Reply
  27. Liz says

    October 7, 2011 at 1:41 AM

    Great Job!

    ~Liz

    Reply
  28. Megan says

    October 11, 2011 at 2:20 AM

    Looks great! Way to make a builder grade island look totally custom and fantastic. I am going to pin this so if my future island needs updating I will know exactly what to do.

    Reply
  29. Stephanie says

    October 19, 2011 at 6:02 PM

    I am truly speechless. Your kitchen and island look absolutely amazing. I have been waiting patiently to paint my kitchen cabinets but am too afraid to start. Beautiful job!
    Stephanie at Full of Great Ideas

    Reply
  30. Heaven's Walk says

    January 30, 2012 at 12:08 AM

    I loved this the first time I saw it, and I’m still loving it, Heather! You should be so proud of yourself for doing most of this yourself! Hats off to you, girlie!! 🙂

    xoxo laurie

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 30, 2012 at 1:20 AM

      Thanks Laurie! You are so sweet. I’m still loving it too. 🙂

      Heather

      Reply
  31. novaandjet says

    February 19, 2012 at 1:11 AM

    I’m just getting started on my island. Put the first coat of sealer on my Ikea butcher top and was searching the internet on how to apply feet to the cupboard. And POW I ran into your site. Thanks so much for the tutorial. I too wanted feet and legs on the extension piece. The plan is also to do beadboard surround… all of these projects I’ve never attempted but I’m a DIYer at heart and a first time home buyer 😉
    My big question is regarding the size of my island. Not sure if it’s too big. I had it taped off and have plenty of space (40″+) between the island and the stove/ fridge. I have the large IKEA top and there is 12″ extending from one end and the side. The side overhang was planned for barstools but the 12″ over the end is questionable. I can add an attached shelf unit or cut the top. Any ideas or advice for this new homeowner?

    Reply
  32. Kristi says

    June 4, 2012 at 2:57 AM

    HEATHER!!!! I finally did it!! I did my own island TOTALLY inspired by this post. I just posted about it and linked back to you {hope that’s okay}. I can’t thank you enough for your amazing tutorial. It gave us the courage to tackle this. I literally had your post up on my phone in Lowe’s showing the guy helping me the photos of all of your brackets. {BTW, Lowe’s doesn’t carry triangle brackets…how silly. We did find them at the Home Depot!}. Thank you sooooo much, girl!!

    Would love for you to stop by and see what you inspired: http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/06/kitchen-island-transformation.html

    {HUGS},
    kristi

    Reply
  33. Rose :: Fine Craft Guild . com says

    June 11, 2012 at 8:17 PM

    Gorgeous! Such an inspiration.

    Reply
  34. Jackie says

    June 20, 2012 at 2:08 PM

    Now those are legs, I can stand on. Thanks for the Tip!

    Reply
  35. Linda @ it all started with paint says

    July 6, 2012 at 5:48 PM

    That is one awesome makeover! I’m in awe …

    🙂

    Linda

    Reply
  36. PAD says

    October 13, 2012 at 9:35 PM

    I saw the “I did it” in the BHG magazine and it was my kitchen island transformed. I have the island picture & your blog in my 2013 Kitchen update to do notebook.
    Got to say I showed my Hubby, and he said “hire someone”. UGH! If you can do it, I can do it. Thank you for my island dream being a reality. I’m inspired. Lady Power!!!
    >> PAD

    Reply
  37. Randi~Dukes and Duchesses says

    October 22, 2012 at 5:51 PM

    I would LOVE to do that to our kitchen island … just pinned it. Beautiful job!

    Reply
  38. Krista says

    December 27, 2012 at 6:06 AM

    I love love love ur island!!! I have a quick question I want to make this but I don’t have an existing island in place what kind of cabinet do I need to buy to make this and how long is ur island??? Appreciate the help!!!

    Reply
  39. Beth says

    January 18, 2013 at 10:17 PM

    Thank you so much for this tutorial! I have been envisioning this for my kitchen island except I am extending my countertop off the back of the island to have room for 4 stools. Luckily, ikea also makes a perfectly sized 39 x 73 butcher block! I knew it could look great but I knew the “devil was in the details” so to speak and I have never used anything more powerful than an electric drill or a jigsaw. I decided to go the “plank” route on the beadboard and I almost have that finished, just need more wood! Thank you for rounding out the idea I had in my head and I will have to email you some pics when I finish. I hope mine turns out as wonderful as yours!

    Reply
  40. Emilia says

    April 27, 2013 at 6:37 PM

    Fantastic makeover!!! I love your new kitchen- bright, airy, AMAZING:)

    Reply
  41. Jocie@OPC The Better Half says

    August 14, 2013 at 11:09 AM

    LOVE THIS, Heather!! Thanks so much for linking up with OPC and Unskinny Boppy to support Habitat4Humanity. Sharing on FB and featuring you tomorrow on the blog. 🙂

    Reply
  42. Michelle says

    October 26, 2013 at 8:26 AM

    Heather, fabuolous tutorial. We are beginning our kitchen transformation and i have a quick question. Any thoughts on how to attach the legs to a granite countertop?

    Reply
  43. mary says

    May 26, 2015 at 8:44 PM

    Love it! How did you attach the newel posts to the floor?

    Reply
  44. Holly @ Creatively Living says

    April 14, 2016 at 5:46 AM

    Hi, Your project turned out so pretty! Did you do your entire kitchen in butcher block or just the island? This is exactly the tutorial I was looking for- I’m planning on doing something similar and hadn’t come across anyone staining their butcher block. Beautiful, nice work and thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  45. Stephanie says

    October 27, 2016 at 3:29 PM

    Hi! What a fabulous tutorial!! I love how your island turned out!! Great job!! I wanted to ask, what color of white did you use? It’s so creamy. I love it!

    Thanks!!

    Reply
  46. Bonnie says

    February 20, 2017 at 2:39 PM

    Those changes make such a difference on your kitchen island. My wood countertops came from IKEA and I love them.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Behind-The-Scenes of My ‘I Did It’ Feature in BHG! | My365 Lifestyle Magazine says:
    November 20, 2012 at 7:18 PM

    […] on how I modified my kitchen island, and remodeled my kitchen on a budget and on my own, visit my Kitchen Island Tutorial!   Thank you to Better Homes and Gardens for letting me share my “I Did It” Story and I […]

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  2. Make Your Own “Frugal” Kitchen Cabinet Feet says:
    May 6, 2013 at 4:01 PM

    […] DIY Windowseat Installing Beadboard  Painting an existing chandelier DIY Oak Island Transformation Easy and Cheap DIY Window Cornices Installing an Ikea Farmhouse Sink in Existing Cabinet DIY Island Transformation and Butcher Block Staining Tutorial […]

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  3. 5 Projects to Whiten & Brighten, NOT YOUR TEETH, Your Kitchen :) A Moment To Thank Heaven For Home Depot! And Lowes! And The Handy Men in our Life! | Real Estate In Orange County California Weblog says:
    June 13, 2013 at 9:00 AM

    […] kitchen island topped with butcher block and fancied up with turned legs. She has a great tutorial on how to build your own island. I’ll give you a preview: Newel posts will be […]

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  4. 5 Projects to Whiten and Brighten Your Kitchen - Comey & Shepherd Realtors says:
    June 17, 2013 at 8:55 AM

    […] beadboard kitchen island topped with butcher block and fancied up with turned legs. She has a great tutorial on how to build your own island. I’ll give you a preview: Newel posts will be […]

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  5. Before and After Contest Winner! says:
    August 12, 2013 at 9:38 PM

    […] Kitchen Island Makeover from At The Picket Fence. I have just three words to say about this awesome transformation:  Better Homes and Gardens. Ok, that was four words.  And impressive as heck Great job on this one, Heather!  One of my favorite projects of all time! […]

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  6. Kitchen Island Makeover - Inspiration DIY says:
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Instagram post 18118328449043115 One of my favorite Christmas songs is ‘O Holy Night’ and while each word, each lyric is as familiar to me as the back of my hand, there is one line that somehow, until recently, I managed to never really pay much attention to. It says, “Long lay the world, in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” Think about that for a moment. Our souls are longing to feel their worth. Prior to the arrival of the infant King in Bethlehem, the world waited, pined, engulfed in their sin and their error. And it was only through His birth, death and resurrection that our souls would experience their true value, their full worth.

Titus 3:4-7 says, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” The world tells us that our worth is based entirely on the external, on what can be seen. We’re not measured simply by our existence but rather by what we can offer.

But, thousands of years ago, when our Savior was born, we were told something very different. Before he walked among us. Before he performed miracles. Before he challenged the leaders of the day. Before he was betrayed. Before he was sacrificed. Before he rose from the dead. Before all else, he simply appeared. And it was through his lowly, humble, anything but royal appearance that our souls were given the opportunity to experience the fullness of their worth. It is only through being in his presence that we are able to feel the full magnitude of our value.

Who he is allows us to know, really know, just who we are.

We are beloved.

We are cherished.

We are worth it.
Instagram post 18074214343167043 It always seems like the simplest things are my favorite when it comes to Christmas decorating. I found four transferware egg cups in a vintage shop and knew they would be perfect for our advent candles! Aren’t they just so sweet? With the little paper Putz village underneath this centerpiece in my dining room brings a smile to my face every time I walk by. ✨
Instagram post 18042969043211010 Raise your hand if these cold, dark mornings have you feeling a bit befuddled. 🙋🏻‍♀️ So far this week I’ve put a sweatshirt on backwards resulting in me getting a really good look at the inside of the hood and today I tried to put sweat pants on without taking my pajamas off first. 😂 #winning.

But, hey, at least I can take comfort in the soft glow of twinkling lights and having my halls decked for Christmas!

Today on the blog I’m sharing the details of my soft and simple mantel decorations and I’d love for you to stop by! ✨
Instagram post 18116596168021683 Happy Saturday friends! Can you believe that tomorrow is December 1?! I think it’s time for my annual gentle reminder about this month. I don’t know about you but, for me, December is a month of mixed emotions, ranging from joy-filled moments to ones that have me wanting to pull my hair out.

There are so many expectations and we put so much pressure on ourselves to create magical memories. And for years I have felt the added weight of wanting to make sure my family had opportunities throughout the month to grow in their relationship with Christ.

We celebrate advent and read all of the appropriate Baby Jesus books and encourage a spirit of generosity and heavily emphasize the real reason for the season.

But sweet friends, I want to remind you today that one month out of the year does not a strong relationship with the Lord make. December doesn’t define our faith in Christ.

For our kids or for us.

There are 11 other months in the year. 11 other months to live out our faith in front of our children. 11 other months to pray with them. 11 other months to help them wrestle through their questions and add depth to their walk with the Lord. 11 other months to encourage them to have generous spirits.

Let’s stop putting so much pressure on this one month out of the year. Let’s be surprised at the ways we might be able to celebrate the baby in the manger without a dozen countdown calendars. Let’s give our kids some grace when they are focused more on gifts because…well…they’re kids after all.

And while we’re at it, let’s give ourselves some grace too.

Grace when we think we should feel all the warm fuzzy feelings about Christmas but we really just want to take a nap.

Grace that reminds us that this month will soon be over and we will have a brand new year ahead of us.

A new year filled with big moments and little moments and everything in between.

A new year to draw even closer to our Savior.

My hope for you is that, as you head into this season, you will be given fresh perspective and that you will give yourself (and your family) permission to just ‘be’. ✨
Instagram post 17937591637321018 Have you ever longed to belong?

Have you ever felt like you are on the outside looking in at everyone else who seemingly have it all together?

Are you craving more peace in your heart and your home?

Well, today I’m having a conversation with @drbarbaralowe on her podcast and it could not be more timely with the holiday season now upon us!

You can find the link to it on her page and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it and what resonates with you! ❤️
Instagram post 17903771584388964 Confession...I’d rather have cranberry sauce smothering the turkey on my plate than gravy any day!! And this, this right here? Well it’s the best (and easiest!) cranberry sauce ever!! I eat on crackers and sandwiches and sometimes just by the spoonful. It’s so yummy! And I’m just so very thankful for all of you that I’m going to leave the recipe right here instead of making you go to the blog to get it. I promise you won’t regret having this on your Thanksgiving menu but be warned...you may find yourself up in the middle of the night sneaking some helpings of this deliciousness. Or maybe that’s just me!

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
2 oranges
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup white wine.

Instructions:
Wash and pick over berries, removing any that are soft. Peel and dice oranges removing any seeds. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until cranberries pop open and mixture is thickening.
For best flavor, prepare and let stand for several days before using.

Gobble, gobble!! 🦃
Instagram post 17846094718750175 Temperatures are dropping here in the Willamette Valley and I got our hot cocoa station set up just in the nick of time! My kids LOVE this sweet (literally!) spot in our house and my daughter added her own personal touch with the little sign on the wreath. I’ll be happily restocking ingredients over and over throughout the season as my kids and their friends make a pit stop here. We’re definitely ready to cozy up!! Do you have a hot cocoa or coffee station at your house? What are your must-haves for the perfect hot beverage? ☕️🎄
Instagram post 17880974047462626 It’s begun!! 🎄🎄 My best girl LOVES decorating the family room tree (we do a fresh tree in the living room after Thanksgiving) but she does NOT like me to take her picture while she’s doing it (see photo two). Ahhhh...preteens. 😂🤪 I’m just so grateful to have a buddy who is as obsessed with Christmas as I am and who still wants to be apart of it all with me!
Instagram post 17864348974529213 I'm struggling to find the right words on my book proposal for a book that I never thought I would dare to write. The words are in me, I just can't seem to get them onto the page. I'm so passionate about this message even though it is so different from anything I've ever done and might not be considered 'on brand'. And yet it's never been more clear to me that I'm supposed to keep moving forward. It's a message that might not be considered very 'popular' (this ain't a 'pull yourselves up by your bootstraps' kind of message about being a Christ-follower) but it's one that God has placed on my heart and in my very BEING and I have to get it out there.

But at every step of the way I find that the enemy of my soul tries to keep me silent and what should be so simple (writing two paragraphs giving an overview of the book or writing an outline) ends up being paralyzing. He whispers words into my ear that are lies tinged with just enough truth to tempt me to keep silent. “You're first book didn't sell well enough so why should any other publisher take a chance on you? They won't care that it wasn't really your fault." "You write a lot about home decorating so why would you have any authority to talk about scripture?” And that's how satan works...he is masterful in his deception, weaving our fears and insecurity into the lies so that we are much more likely to believe them. And if we believe them, we stop being obedient to the Lord and the callings He places on our lives.

But, I WILL NOT BE HINDERED. “Since the first hour in which goodness came into conflict with evil, it has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience, that Satan hinders us. He checks our importunity, and weakens our faith in order that, if possible, we may miss the blessing. Nor is Satan less vigilant in obstructing Christian effort. There was never a revival of religion without a revival of his opposition. What then? We are not alarmed because Satan hindereth us, for it is a proof that we are on the Lord’s side, and are doing the Lord’s work, and in his strength we shall win the victory, and triumph over our adversary." - Charles Spurgeon
Instagram post 18114202198050565 Happy weekend friends!! This has been one of my favorite kind of days today. The boys went and had some guy time and my daughter and I got some sweet girl time and now we’re all cozied in together at home enjoying just ‘being’. I’m doing some baking and dreaming about this year’s Christmas mantel. This photo is from a few years ago but it’s still one of my all-time favorites!

What’s been the best part of your day today? ❄️
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