Vintage 1950's TV Cabinet UPCYCLE!

I found this Vintage 1950's TV Cabinet at Goodwill last spring for $99.99.   I fell in love with it...but $100?  C'mon.... Someone's pricing was WAYYYY off - because it didn't look like this when I found it!

The top was completely destroyed.  The veneer on the doors was in decent condition, but the hardware was damaged and although it had been gutted on the inside, it had a huge hole in it!

A week later it was still sitting there - but now it was marked down To $19.99 and I jumped on it!  I literally jumped on it in the store and hollered "Woo Hoo... This SHALL BE MINE!".    (Okay, well that's how it went down in my head, anyway!)

So, a little history behind this piece....  Imagine it's 1953... this is basically how my cabinet started it's life.... A hardwood veneer cabinet with hand rubbed mahogany. 

 

It was state of the art and by today's standard's - TOP OF THE LINE!  Back in the day it sported a little 21" black and white tv, am/fm radio and phonograph. 

 

I finished the exterior of this PRIOR to starting my blog, so it never occured to me to take "before" pics....But, once the outside was finished, it sat....and sat....and sat... Completely unused  - mostly because it had no hardware and partly because it was ugly on the inside - until now.

 

 

This is what we started with last week.  Yuck, I say!

You can see my AMAZING boyfriend's hand in the back

getting ready to cover up that hole!

 

 

He covered the hole and cut a piece of veneer to fit in the back.

 

 

One more piece of veneer went into the spot where the tv used to be, because there were several small holes drilled into that shelf.

 

 

Here's the back with the new veneer and the original back for the bottom part of the cabinet.

 

 

This is where all the original components fit.

 

 

And....

 here it is all freshened up with two coats of light gray chalk paint.  Originally I tried to use white, but the mahogany bled right through - and it turned pink! 

 

 

This is the hardware that I added. 

Bought it at Goodwill, as well...NEW for $3.99! 

Can't beat that!

 

 

The outside with it's new hardware.

 

 

Painted teal (chalk paint), lightly distressed and hand waxed. 

 

 

Looks amazing as a bar!

 

 

(I made this cute vase with some twine the other day....)

 

And a view of the inside working hard as a bar.  From the moment I saw it, that's what I envisioned it would become!  Would be perfect with a  hanging glass rack....

 

I love the modern look of it now!

 

Who forgot to "stage" that pillow for this picture????

(head hung down in shame!)

 

This would also be great for a media center with a flat screen on top - or even a baby's changing table - with a pad added to the top...

 

What do you think?

 

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