Country Kitchen Island and CHALKBOARD

When we moved into our current rental 2 years ago we placed this old antique dresser in the middle of the kitchen to serve as an island.  I purchased this long ago and have dragged this old dresser from state to state over the years.  It always finds a spot in my kitchen.  In Nevada we placed a purchased counter top on it when it stood in for the old, falling apart kitchen cupboards we tore out of the old house we purchased, that was built in the early 1900's.  

When my son and husband finished building the custom cabinets, 

it became a buffet in the dining room.

I began painting it white, but something came up in the middle

 of my painting project so I only painted the top.

I especially like the two narrow middle drawers,

 they are perfect for storing knives and cutting boards

The large drawers hold baking sheets, muffin tins etc.  

They measure 53" long and are over 9 inches deep.

When we first moved it in as an island I wanted to put a chalkboard on the back and a thick hardwood butcher block on the top, but it sat unfinished until a few weeks ago.  A hardwood top was just to pricey to construct, so an inexpensive pine top from the local home improvement worked great.

I applied vegetable oil on the pine top to season the wood.  I will continue applying several more coats giving it a food safe protective barrier that will help prevent food stains.  

before

Attaching the pine top with screws to keep it secure.

I painted a large piece of Masonite board with chalkboard paint and nailed it to the back.  Apply several coats of paint for the best results.

Using an extra large picture frame (purchased years ago at a thrift store), we cut it to size framing the chalkboard.  I specifically chose this one from my stash of frames because it had a indentation on the outer edge.  

The bottom piece was not put on as it was in the original frame.  Instead I turned it over and used the indentation as a holder for the chalk and eraser.

Old vintage wall plant hangers are attached to the side to hold fresh fruits and veges.

This weekend I will be painting the dresser to match the kitchen cabinets.

It will match the existing "cactus green" color.