A kitchen island rediscovered as a changing table.

We live in such a consumer oriented society that it is easy to fall into the vicious cycle of always needing "new".  However we can do our planet and our pocketbook a great service when we re-purpose what we already have.  This project is a reminder to look beyond what something is to what it could be!

We bought this kitchen island when we first got married four years ago for around $75 in the "As Is" section of Ikea.  Brand new it retails for $99.99.  Our kitchen was literally in the corner of the room and it added some much needed counter space.  When we moved from our apartment into a house we painted it white and used it in the dining room as a buffet table.  And then comes the baby in the baby carriage... so we once again re-purposed this piece, this time as a changing table, because who wants to pay 300 bones for a place to change dirty diapers!

Here is what I did to complete this transformation. I used a standard changing table pad which was the perfect width to fit on the island. There were no supports to hold it in place, so to solve this problem my husband nailed on 4 1x4 pieces of wood around the top creating a box for the pad to fit in.  Finally, he added a divider at one end of the pad to create a place for diapers and wipes.  To tie the table in to the rest of the furniture in the room I painted the box yellow and the drawers orange.  You could also use an old dresser or buffet table in this project; what's important is using what you have. Where will this faithful piece end up next?  I am thinking that with a little more paint and a few modifications it could make the perfect potting table for my backyard!