Islands in the Stream....um, I mean kitchen!

I did this project a while ago, but thought it was time to share considering all of the work I've been doing on my kitchen lately.  When originally deciding what I wanted for the kitchen, I knew I wanted the two colored cabinet look.  I decided an off white/black combo would be nice and still neutral enough.  I started with the island.

 

 

 

Your basic contractor cheapy island, huh?  Well, replacing it was out of the question, too expensive!  I knew painting it would cover that awful particle board on the sides and back, but wanted a bit extra, you know, I wanted it to look like a piece of furniture.  So I added these moldings I bought for about $8 at Lowes.

 

 

As you can see, I already taped around the bottom so I wouldn't paint my ceramic tile!

 

I'm a HUGE fan of the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I now use it for most of my furniture redo's.  I'm also currently using it for the rest of my kitchen cabinets.  However, they don't make black.  The closest they come is a Graphite, which is dark gray.  When topped with the dark wax, it does make it look much darker, but not black.  Then I heard about Maison Blanche Paint Company and their chalk paint.  And, they have a true black! 

 

 

It's just as expensive as ASCP except I couldn't find anywhere near me where they sold it, so I also had to pay shipping.  This paint has the same concept of ASCP, no sanding or priming necessary.  However, I still sanded down the island just to get the gloss off.  When I put the first coat on, I have to admit, I was disappointed.

 

 

See what I mean?  It's hard to tell from the picture but the paint just sort of sat on the cabinet, it didn't soak in or "grab" like I was used to.  It also most certainly wasn't black.  But, I trudged on because I know by now that a lot of times while I'm painting something I have to keep in mind it isn't the finished product.

 

Please keep in mind that I'm not some trained professional with decades of paint training (if there is such a thing!).  However, I know what I like and what works for me, so that is what this is about, just my experience.  Although ultimately happy with the finished look, I was not impressed by the paint at all.  It took 4 coats.  Yup, 4.  It just did not stick they way the Annie Sloan paint does.  After it completely dried, I sanded the way I usually do to lightly distress.  It flaked and peeled, much like latex.  It did not powder off the way ASCP does for a more natural finished look.  I also had to finish with dark wax, which did bring the color to black, kinda an off black, but black nonetheless.  I could have saved myself about $40 and used the MyPaint by Pantone in black that I used for my bathroom cabinets.  And, in the future, that will be my "go to" black. 

 

I won't keep you wating with my complaining any longer, here it is finished:

 

 

 

And, now with the new counter tops:

 

 

Here is a shot that will hopefully show what the finished kitchen will hopefully look like.  I love the black island with the off white cabinets.  And, one day when I finish the cabinets, we will be putting up a backsplash.  I've decided on a white subway tile.  The counter tops are kind of busy so I wanted something very plain next to them.  And, the good news is that I found BOXES of the tile at the Habitat for Humanity Restore for cheap, cheap, cheap!

 

 

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Primitive and Proper and Miss Mustard Seed