Article: Replacing your kitchen island's countertop is the most obvious way to update it, but it may be the most labor-intensive. Choose from granite, concrete, wood, or laminate as the material for the new counter. Remove your old countertop carefully to keep the base of the island intact.  Take measurements carefully and order the new countertop pre-cut to make the installation easier. If this installation seems like too much work to undertake on your own, call local contractors to get quotes for the job. Beadboard is thin wood sheeting that imitates the look of narrow vertical wood planks. To add this effect, measure each side of your kitchen island then cut the beadboard to size. Apply heavy duty construction adhesive to the back of the beadboard and press it firmly onto the sides of your island.  Let the adhesive dry for at least 3-4 hours before doing any more work on the island. Beadboard can be purchased at hardware stores. Cut beadboard with a table saw, circular saw, or jig saw. Purchase half newel posts, which mimic ornate support pillars for a decorative effect. Measure the island and cut the posts to size. Apply heavy duty construction adhesive to the back of the posts and press them to the outer edges of the sides of your island.  Use a table saw, circular saw, or jig saw to cut the posts. Purchase 4 long pieces of wide, primed baseboard at your local hardware store to fit the bottom of your kitchen island. Use a miter saw to cut one end of each baseboard at a 0 degree angle, and the other end at a 45 degree angle. Dry fit the pieces to make sure they interlock properly and glue the baseboard onto the island with heavy duty construction glue. If you end up with gaps between the baseboard edges, use caulking to fill them in.

What is a summary?
Get a new countertop. Add beadboard to the sides of your kitchen island. Add half newel posts to the edges of your island. Add a baseboard trim around the bottom.