You See An Old TV Console At The Thrift Store? We See A New Island For Your Kitchen

Thrifting is often praised for being one of the best ways to find unique and affordable clothing, and purchase it in a sustainable way, since buyers are effectively giving each item a second life. But thrifting doesn't have to stop at clothes — in fact, using secondhand stores to decorate and even furnish your apartment or house can help your personal style shine through amidst all the cookie-cutter items from big box stores, and help you save money. One creative way to implement this? Instead of buying a brand-new kitchen island, repurpose an old TV console.

Think about it: Both pieces of furniture are generally the same size and shape, both typically include storage underneath, albeit typically used for different kinds of things, and secondhand TV consoles are pretty easy to find at thrift stores. Kitchen islands are trending for a reason: The additional piece of furniture can be extremely helpful to set food out on if you're hosting guests for a meal, or just to add much-needed counter space to small kitchens, whether it's for veggie prep or to roll out a pie crust. One thing you should keep in mind when you're on the hunt at Goodwill, though? Don't make a common kitchen layout mistake by forgetting to make sure the console you choose is approximately the same height as the rest of your kitchen counters — you might want to bring a measuring tape to the thrift just to check.

Beyond the dimensions, there are a couple main things that will characterize how any console-slash-island will fit into your space. First, the material: While many TV consoles are made of metal or faux wood, and painted gray or black so as to not stand out against the dark TV screen, you might want your kitchen island to have a lighter, airier color or material — not to mention the fact that a real wood console would be much easier to transform into a convenient cutting board countertop. Looking in antique shops for vintage consoles, even if they're only 20 to 30 years old, can be a good way to make sure you're getting a piece made to last with higher quality materials and timeless design.

Second, try to employ your imagination before you make any purchases to think about how you can practically repurpose different aspects of the piece to be useful in the kitchen, and how the console will blend into the way you want to functionally decorate your kitchen island. For example, if it has cupboards, are they wide enough to fit mixing bowls or saucepans, or will you have to stick to storing towels or other, smaller kitchen tools inside? Are you hoping for a few drawers, or looking for something with lockable wheels to make it easier to roll around to different spots depending on where you need it that day? Making a list of these specifications ahead of time (while of course still leaving room for something unique and unexpected to come along and surprise you) will help you make sure that whatever you choose won't just be an impulse buy, but instead a lasting improvement to your kitchen.