Our kitchen had plenty of counter space, but once we started filling it with appliances it got quite cramped in the mornings or when we were preparing dinner. The solution to this was to create a kitchen island with more surface and storage.
I started off by using 3/4 inch plywood for cabinet box. The center will have a shelf but be open from both sides. I installed 3 inch casters on the bottom so it can be easily moved around, but locked in place when we knew it wouldn't be moved much. Pocket screws were used to install the shelve and attach the front.
The front is made of 3/4 inch pine screwed together with pocket screws. To give it more detail I used 1/4 inch MDF board glued to the plywood surface. After patching up any gaps with wood filler, I gave it a coat of flat white latex paint. I just wanted to let something soak into the wood first since I wasn't sure how much gray paint it would take.
The top is just at 2 feet wide and 6 feet long. It's made from 8 2x4 studs with the tapered edge cut off. After much clamping, screwing, and running it through a planer, it was good enough to stain and seal.
The barn door rail system was built from aluminum bars and wheels from cheap rope pullies. Lining everything up was probably the most challenging part. I installed small wooden spacers behind the bar and will use them to keep the door in the correct location.
Finally, everything got put together and it is ready to have things placed inside and on top.