Wichita Home Works completed this kitchen island remodel in Wichita, Kansas for homeowners who wanted to improve the center of their kitchen without taking on a full kitchen renovation.

The project focused on replacing the existing island with a larger, more functional custom island that added storage, seating, color, and stronger visual impact. The remodel also included updated pendant lighting, electrical improvements, ceiling repair and paint, hardwood floor refinishing, quartz countertops, custom cabinet painting, cabinet hardware, and final touch-ups.

The finished island became the new focal point of the kitchen. The deep Inky Blue cabinet finish adds contrast against the surrounding wood cabinetry and hardwood floors, while the quartz countertop brightens the space and creates a durable work and gathering surface.

The overall result is a warm transitional kitchen update with a bold custom island, improved function, and a refreshed main living area.

The Homeowner’s Vision

The goal was to make the kitchen feel more useful, updated, and visually anchored while keeping the surrounding kitchen intact.

The homeowners already had an established kitchen with warm wood cabinets and hardwood flooring. Instead of replacing everything, they wanted to focus on the island, which had the biggest opportunity to improve storage, seating, lighting, and overall style.

Wichita Home Works’ in-house design team helped plan the new island size, cabinet layout, seating overhang, trash pullout, roll-out trays, drawer storage, bookshelf detail, support legs, countertop selection, pendant light placement, island outlet location, paint color, cabinet hardware, and floor refinishing approach.

The final design created a custom island that feels like an intentional furniture-style centerpiece rather than a basic cabinet block.

Scope of Work

Wichita Home Works coordinated the project from design and demolition through electrical, drywall, cabinet construction, floor refinishing, painting, countertop installation, hardware, cleaning, and final closeout.

The project included:

Island Demolition and Preparation

The existing island countertop and cabinet were carefully removed and relocated to the garage as planned.

Once the original island was removed, the kitchen was prepared for the new island layout. This included reviewing the existing floor conditions, electrical placement, cabinet footprint, and ceiling locations for the updated pendant lighting.

Because the project focused on a new island within an existing kitchen, protecting the surrounding finishes and maintaining a clean work area were important throughout the remodel.

Electrical and Pendant Lighting

The electrical work helped the new island function better for everyday use.

The existing island outlet was removed and replaced with wiring for a double duplex outlet in the southeast corner of the new island cabinet. This gave the island more practical power access for cooking, serving, charging, and daily kitchen tasks.

The pendant lighting was also updated. The existing pendant light ceiling boxes were removed, and three new ceiling boxes were roughed in above the new island. Three clear glass matte black pendant lights were installed and tied to the existing switch.

The new lighting helps define the island as the centerpiece of the room while adding a more current design detail.

Ceiling Drywall and Paint

After the pendant light layout changed, Wichita Home Works patched the ceiling areas where the original pendant lights had been removed.

The kitchen, living room, and entryway ceiling areas were painted with flat white ceiling paint to create a more consistent finished look across the connected spaces.

This helped the lighting change feel clean and intentional instead of leaving the new island update isolated to one area.

Custom Island Cabinetry

The new island was built around function, storage, and visual presence.

The island includes paint-grade wood cabinetry with raised panel doors, drawer storage, roll-out trays, a trash pullout, fillers, door panels, and flush toe kick details. A site-built bookshelf was added on the west side of the island, giving the island extra character and useful display or storage space.

Two site-built support legs were installed on the south side of the island to support the countertop overhang for seating. A paint-grade end panel and base trim were added to complete the furniture-style look.

The island was designed with six pullouts, drawer storage, cabinet storage, trash storage, a seating overhang, and built-in display space, making it much more useful than the original island.

Quartz Countertop

The new island countertop is Stratus Calacatta Zenith quartz with a half-moon edge profile.

The quartz surface extends over the seating side of the island, creating a comfortable overhang for stools. The light countertop contrasts beautifully with the Inky Blue cabinet base and helps keep the kitchen feeling bright.

The quartz also gives the island a durable surface for food prep, casual meals, entertaining, and everyday kitchen use.

Hardwood Floor Refinishing

The project included refinishing approximately 432 square feet of existing hardwood flooring in the kitchen and entryway area.

The floors were sanded, stained to match the existing wood tone as closely as possible, and sealed. This was an important part of the remodel because the new island footprint affected the surrounding floor area.

Refinishing the floors helped the island update blend into the existing home and gave the kitchen and entryway a refreshed foundation.

Island Paint and Hardware

The island cabinets and legs were painted Sherwin-Williams Inky Blue in a semi-gloss urethane trim enamel finish.

This bold blue finish gives the kitchen a strong focal point while still working with the warm wood tones in the existing cabinetry and flooring. It adds contrast, depth, and a more current design feel.

The island was finished with 3-inch Clover Pull satin nickel cabinet pulls on the doors and drawers. The hardware adds a clean accent and helps the painted cabinetry feel polished.

Design and Finish Details

This project has a transitional style with a bold custom island centerpiece.

The existing kitchen had warm traditional elements, including wood cabinetry and hardwood flooring. The new island added a more updated layer through the Inky Blue painted finish, quartz countertop, matte black pendant lights, and satin nickel cabinet hardware.

The finished design works because it balances old and new. The island feels fresh and custom, but it still belongs in the existing kitchen. The blue paint provides personality, the quartz adds brightness, the hardwood floors preserve warmth, and the clear glass pendants keep the island area open and airy.

The site-built bookshelf and support legs help the island feel more like a furniture piece than a standard cabinet installation.

Construction Story

This project began with a focused goal: create a better kitchen island without disrupting the entire kitchen.

The first step was removing and relocating the existing island, then preparing the room for the new cabinet footprint, electrical layout, and pendant light placement. Once the new island framing and cabinetry were underway, the shape of the upgraded kitchen began to appear quickly.

The new island was built with storage and daily use in mind. Roll-out trays, drawer storage, a trash pullout, bookshelf detail, seating overhang, and outlet placement all helped make the island more practical.

The finish work gave the project its personality. Inky Blue paint transformed the island into a statement piece, while the Stratus Calacatta Zenith quartz added a light and durable surface. The matte black glass pendants gave the room a clean updated accent from above.

Wichita Home Works also coordinated hardwood floor refinishing so the kitchen and entryway would feel refreshed around the new island. As the final details came together, the team completed cabinet pulls, final touch-ups, outlet finish work, door adjustments, cleaning, and walkthrough preparation.

The homeowners were very happy with the finished result, and the completed island shows how a targeted remodel can dramatically change the feel and function of a kitchen.

Project Coordination Highlights

High-Impact Kitchen Refresh

This project focused on the island, lighting, floors, and ceiling instead of remodeling the full kitchen. That allowed the homeowners to achieve a major visual upgrade with a more focused scope.

Custom Island Storage

The new island added drawers, roll-out trays, trash storage, cabinet storage, and a bookshelf, making the kitchen more useful for daily routines.

Seating and Gathering Space

The quartz overhang and custom support legs created a more comfortable seating area at the island.

Statement Paint Color

Sherwin-Williams Inky Blue gave the island a bold, custom look and helped it stand out from the existing wood cabinetry.

Updated Lighting

Three clear glass matte black pendant lights helped define the island and modernize the look of the kitchen.

Floor and Finish Integration

Hardwood floor refinishing, ceiling paint, touch-ups, and careful finish work helped the new island feel integrated into the existing home.

The Finished Result

The finished Buckskin Island kitchen remodel created a stronger, more functional center point for the home.

The new island adds storage, seating, electrical access, visual contrast, and better everyday use. The quartz countertop provides a durable and attractive work surface, while the Inky Blue cabinetry gives the kitchen a more current and custom look.

The refinished hardwood floors help the island feel like it has always belonged in the room. The new pendant lights add style and improved lighting above the island.

The result is a focused kitchen refresh that delivers a major transformation without replacing the entire kitchen.

Why This Project Matters for Future Kitchen Remodel Clients

This project is a strong example for homeowners who like parts of their kitchen but know one key area is holding the space back.

A kitchen remodel does not always have to mean removing every cabinet, appliance, and surface. Sometimes the right island, countertop, lighting, flooring update, and paint selection can dramatically improve the room.

For homeowners near Wichita, Andover, Eastborough, Bel Aire, Derby, Maize, and surrounding communities, this project shows how Wichita Home Works can help create a high-impact kitchen update with a focused, well-planned scope.

Thinking About a Similar Kitchen Island Remodel?

If you are planning a kitchen island remodel, custom island build, quartz countertop upgrade, cabinet painting project, pendant lighting update, hardwood floor refinishing, or focused kitchen refresh near Wichita, Wichita Home Works can help you think through the full project.

That includes island size, cabinet storage, seating overhang, countertop material, electrical outlet placement, lighting layout, paint color, hardware, flooring transitions, timeline expectations, and final finish details.

A kitchen island has many connected decisions. The right design-build team helps organize those decisions into a clear, manageable process from planning through completion.

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