The Affordable Kitchen Island Upgrade That Works In Any Rental

There are many benefits to renting over owning a home. Renting offers flexibility, allowing people to change jobs without the hassle of selling a house. It generally requires less upfront cost, since there is no large down payment or property maintenance expenses, which can make budgeting a little bit easier. One drawback to renting, though, is the inability to customize your living space with high-end upgrades. An area of the home where this can be particularly frustrating is the kitchen. Often, renters are stuck living with a contractor-grade composite wood finish on their kitchen island. Fortunately, there is a renter-friendly solution to this problem. It involves attaching decorative MDF (medium-density fiberboard) wainscotting panels to the base of your kitchen island using command strips. There is some sawing involved, as well. The project is super straightforward, and all you need are wainscot panels, a miter box, a table or circular saw, a handsaw, adhesive strips, top and side trim planks, and paint.

This renter-friendly kitchen island styling solution can help give your home a high-end look. When it's time to move, you won't have to worry about paying extra fees to return the space to its previous state. Just carefully peel the panels, and your landlord will be none the wiser. While this DIY upgrade is ideal for kitchen islands, it can also be applied to other areas of the kitchen. When paired with a peel-and-stick countertop, you will feel like you're in a brand-new room.

Before starting this project, measure your kitchen island to determine the number of wainscotting panels you need. Cut the panels to fit using a table or circular saw, if necessary. Cut the top and side trim pieces using a hand saw and miter box. If you don't have a designated area in your rental or the right tools for woodworking, big-box home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe's can cut them for you. 

Next, it's time to paint your panels and trim. This is where you can get creative and customize the panels however you like. Attach the panels and trim to the walls of the island using command strips. If your kitchen island currently has decorative wood strips or another type of design element that prevents your panels from being placed directly onto its walls, you will need to modify this step. In this case, you could glue a set of smaller MDF panels or another backing material onto the back of the wainscotting. This ensures the main panels come in contact with the command strips on the walls. 

Now that your new kitchen island walls have been installed, all you need to do is clean them regularly. For this type of material, you will need to dust it regularly with a soft cloth. When it's time for a more thorough cleaning, first dust and then use a damp cloth with mild soap to wipe it.

The first key consideration to keep in mind before you begin this project is the type of wood the island is made from. Command strips stick well to smooth painted and stained wood. So, if the island in your rental is made of brick or has a rough wood surface, this island upgrade hack may not work well. The same goes for islands that feature ornate designs and lack sufficient flat surfaces to attach an additional layer of backing.

For most contractor-grade islands, though, this should work great. And depending on the design of your kitchen cabinets, you may even be able to upgrade them using MDF panels, as well. Of course, you will also need to use command strips for the cabinet pulls. If you can't find wainscotting panels that are the right size for your cabinets, you may be able to cut larger panels. But be aware — doing this might impact the design. In this circumstance, consider upgrading your cabinets with removable wallpaper instead. This type of cabinet covering is renter-friendly, and it even comes in a variety of colors and designs that resemble wainscotting. Still, it might be smart to pick it out first and then choose a matching kitchen island paint color, just to make sure everything looks nice.