How to Transform an IKEA Shelf into a Kitchen Island

British lifestyle blogger Jean Lu Meredith loves customizing IKEA furniture. One of her most successful finds was a kitchen island made from the KALLAX shelf unit. For this transformation, she involved her husband. They set themselves a series of challenging but interesting tasks:
Make the island as compact and functional as possible: expand the work area without cluttering the kitchen space.
Give it mobility so that the island can be moved during cleaning or when guests arrive.
Find an optimal height to make cooking and relaxing at the island comfortable during parties.
Stay within a budget of up to £100.

Step 1: Choose the base and make a shopping list

Jean Lu Meredith chose a simple square KALLAX shelf as the base. Other components were selected to match:

• white KALLAX shelf,
• white door insert for KALLAX (x2),
• set of four wheels "RILL",
• 40 cm railing "KUNGSFORSS" (x2),
• cutting board "LÄMMLIG" (x2),
• wood treatment oil "SHIGG".

Step 2: Assemble the unit and attach the wheels

Note: The RILL wheel set does not include screws, so you need to buy them in advance. You'll need 16 screws with a diameter of 4 mm.

Step 3: Attach the rails
Attach the KUNGSFORSS rails to both sides of the unit. You can hang towels and kitchen utensils on them conveniently. Before installation, experiment with the height to find the optimal one for yourself.

Step 4: Assemble the countertop

Instead of a solid countertop, use two lightweight and sturdy cutting boards "LÄMMLIG". Don't forget to treat the wood with special oil and refresh the layer every few months.

If one of the parts of the improvised countertop fails, it can easily be replaced with a new one.

Step 5: Insert the drawers

To add storage space that is often lacking on small kitchens, Jean Lu Meredith inserted drawer units with doors into two of the unit's openings. This is where you can store pots, pans, and household appliances. As for your favorite dishes, keep two open shelves to display them.

You can install cabinets with doors or drawers – the choice is yours.

This island can be used not only as an additional work surface but also as a bar counter during parties.