DIY Mum Creates Kitchen Island For £33 From Old Baby Changing Unit, Saving £100s
- Nikki Dixon, 43, wanted a new kitchen island but they cost up to £600 to buy new
- Instead, she made one from an old baby changing unit she snapped up on Facebook Marketplace for £20
- She turned the unit into an exact match for her kitchen with the use of Fablon, furniture paint and brand new handles
Kitchen islands can cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds to buy new.
But one mum managed to make her own from an old baby changing unit she snapped up on Facebook Marketplace for £20.
Nikki Dixon, 43, a mum of three and carer from Cardiff, managed to turn the changing unit into an exact match for her kitchen with the use of Fablon, furniture paint and brand new handles.
Best of all, rather than splashing out £600 for a kitchen island, her transformation cost her just £32.99.
Nikki told money-saving Facebook group DIY On A Budget UK: "I have three children who nickname me the DIY queen - they never know what they’ll be coming home to!
"I’m currently ripping out my chimney wall and rendering it to have a log stove installed. I’ll have a go at anything.
"I had been looking for a kitchen island for quite some time and they were expensive or too large for the space I had in my kitchen.
"I wanted more worktop space in my kitchen so I priced up kitchen islands from a few local shops and online and they were hundreds of pounds.
"I also faced the problem that with my kitchen being quite small that they were too big and would take up too much room.
"I decided to give it a go and make my own to a size I knew would be a good fit.
"I also wanted it to match my existing kitchen.
"I came across a baby changing unit local to me that a lady was selling for £20 on Facebook Marketplace.
"I collected the unit in my car which was a bit of a squeeze but saved on delivery costs.
"I wanted to be able to move the island to where it would be needed so I went to The Range and picked up a pack of four swivel wheels for £6.99.
"I removed the original legs and drilled these to the base. I had recently used Ribbeck Oak Fablon to cover my kitchen worktops so I bought another roll of this from B&M for £6 and re-covered the top so it was an exact match.
"I painted the rest of the unit in brilliant white furniture paint that I had leftover from another project and changed the handles to match my kitchen cupboards.
"I transformed the unit for a total cost of £32.99!
“It was an absolute bargain, and took just two hours of my time.
"I love the finished look and I’ve saved myself hundreds of pounds.
"I’m always looking for furniture to upcycle as I love having something different and one off.
"I have recently turned an old Welsh dresser into a TV unit and a corner display cabinet into an enclosure for my chameleon.
"I am always looking for a new challenge and project. Some mums have handbags for birthdays and Christmas, I have power tools!
"I now have plenty more storage in my kitchen and I love the finished look.
"I’m blown away with all the lovely comments I have received about this project. I think anybody is capable of making this and would need minimal tools to achieve it.
“The wheels just screw on and the Fablon is very easy to apply as it was a smooth flat surface.
"Many people have said they are going to give it a go and I’m happy people have been inspired to do this.
"I love it now it’s done and it doesn’t take up too much room in my kitchen and can be moved to where I need it. Having the extra storage is great!
“The shop-bought islands were priced from £300 to £600 and weren’t even going to be an exact match to my kitchen.
"I am really happy with a saving like that as mine cost just £32.99!
"What I also love is that it is unique and I’ve made it myself."
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “Facebook Marketplace can be an absolute goldmine for finding things to upcycle - you just have to have the creativity and patience to turn old furniture into something new.
“I absolutely love Nikki’s idea, and her kitchen island looks fabulous - what a brilliant bargain and an amazing saving she’s pulled off!"
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