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From IKEA Work Table To Kitchen Island

One of my most frequent requests around here is for more tips that suit renters in more temporary style living spaces. I get it! There’s something uniquely tough about coming up with clever design ideas that can be packed to move when the time comes. The last thing you want to do is invest a ton of time and money into custom changes in your apartment, only to end up passing that investment along to your landlord—and that’s only if you get permission to renovate in the first place!

So, how do you put your stamp on a space (not to mention gain much-needed function) when renting? For me, it’s all about mobility. When I lived in a rental and couldn’t paint, I added color to rooms with bright upholstered furniture and wall art, both of which I could take with me when I left. If I didn’t like the carpet or flooring my landlord had chosen, I would lay down rugs that I could take with me to my next apartment or house. And when I had less-than-stellar built-in kitchen storage, I bought extra cabinets and carts that I knew I could load up with the rest of my belongings when I moved on.

From IKEA Work Table To Kitchen Island

Enter: my new made-over IKEA kitchen island. This mobile, moveable island came to be in response to all those readers who craved renter-friendly ideas that made sense for their temporary situations. You can see the full makeover in step-by-step format over on Hunker this way, but (spoiler alert) the best part about this whole project is that the island started out as a boring $149 work table. I managed to give it new life with peel-and-stick tiles, plus a whole new rich dark finish on the wood tabletop.

Another “best part” has to be that you obviously don’t have to be a renter to enjoy this project in your space. Our mid-century kitchen lacks a little bit in the storage and countertop categories, so this compact island has been a happy addition to our single family home. Hop through here for more before/after photos, and let me know if there’s a design dilemma you’ve been facing in your own space. Who knows…It might just inspire a whole DIY project here on DGD!

Who else enjoyed an especially productive week? I managed to really dig my heels in deep this week to get ahead before the holiday season gets rolling, and couldn’t be more excited about the projects I have in the works.

To celebrate all of my pre-weekend planning, I thought it might be interesting to round up links to my favorite productivity apps and tools. I seriously credit these things below with keeping me on track—I’d be lost without them. In case I missed one of your own favorites, let me know in the comments below.

Weekend Inspiration: No. 78

1. First, I want to mention that pretty much anything I talk about in this list is applicable to work or your personal life. As an example, my number one productivity tool is the Todoist app. I started using it to track my daily work priorities several years ago, but recently suggested it to my sister so she could stay on top of her daily lifestyle to-dos (think: pick up dry cleaning, schedule vet appointment, etc.). I couldn’t recommend it more!

2. Another tool that I use every single day to track work projects is Trello. I was introduced to that digital workflow organizer back when I was an editor for Glitter Guide, and immediately started using it for DGD tasks so that I never got behind on bigger picture deadlines.

3. Two words: Google docs. I have sheets set up to track everything from my finances, to social media links, and truly can’t do work life without it.

4. It might sound a little strange, but I also put the Notes app on my iPhone to really good use for work stuff. I have notes to help me log the paid hours I put in at the pottery studio, as well as all the different types of hashtag groups I like to use for photos on Instagram. It’s nice that I can text myself different notes from my phone, as needed, so I can transfer info to my computer for more “official” documentation, too.

5. Okay, okay…this one isn’t productivity-related, but I just couldn’t let the weekend kick off without mentioning that Sarah Sherman Samuel’s home tour just went live on Domino! Let’s consider it motivation to get extra productive with home décor projects over the weekend, shall we?! See the story and photos this way.

*Photos by Meredith Sledge; I earn a small percentage from purchases made using the affiliate links above. Affiliate links are not sponsored. Rest assured that I never recommend products we wouldn’t use or don’t already love ourselves.

From IKEA Work Table To Kitchen Island

Weekend Inspiration: No. 78

Weekend Inspiration: No. 78

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