How to Make Your Own Breakfast Bar

Matt and I took on this renovation project last summer, and it was surprisingly easy. As you can see from the “before” picture below, this used to be a half-wall island separating the kitchen and living room. The kitchen side of the island houses the sink and dishwasher. The living room side was just a strange wall that was not doing our house any favors.

When we got our new countertops installed (goodbye, hunter green laminate!), we decided to chop off part of the wall and make it into a breakfast bar.

Step one was just removing the drywall. Step one presented a snag when we realized all the pipes and electrical work from the sink and dishwasher would have to be shortened before we could chop the top off.

Sorry, this appears to be the only picture I have that shows the island in progress. Just ignore that cute dog face and look to your left.

We hemmed and hawed about it for a while. Kenner is not a plummer and did not feel comfortable messing around with sink pipes. So I checked out the local paper and called up a handyman. Bob the Handyman, to be exact.

I explained our predicament to good old Bob. Bob was at least 80 years old. After my lengthy description of the pipes and the plan for the new island bar, Bob said this – and I quote: “Oh honey, you don’t need me. You just ask your hubby to do that.”
Honey: “Um, okay Bob.”
Bob: “You just send that hubby of yours over to Ace hardware and have him talk to John. And you tell Johnny that Bob sent you.”
Honey: “Okay, thanks Bob.”

I mean, seriously? I guess that’s what happens when you live in a small town. If a handyman doesn’t think you need his help, he won’t waste your time or charge you five hundred dollars for something you can just do yourself!

I don’t think Matt ever went to Ace to talk to John. He figured out what he needed, cut down those pipes, and sawed off the top of that wall. I probably don’t need to tell you how I felt during that moment. He just took a saw, and sawed it off. No measuring, no planning, no line drawing. Just sawing. I also may or may not have had a small panic attack the first time we turned on the new sink faucet.

Anyway, we hired professionals to install our countertops, and they took care of the bar top. We also hired Kenner to replace the drywall. And by “hired”, I mean he volunteered because he loves me.

We think it really opens up the space, even though we only cut off about 6 inches. And you really can’t beat eating your cocoa puffs at a breakfast bar instead of a boring old table.

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