Repurposing an Old TV Cabinet

Okay. I admit that I am one of those people who loves (loved) those huge armoires that housed the television and associated technology.  When my husband and I got married, I realized that he is the type of person who wants a television in every room.  I, on the other hand, rarely watch television.  As a compromise, we agree that he could have as many sets as he wanted as long as I didn’t see them. Hence the huge armoire in our family room.

Over time, as the screens get larger and thinner suddenly, t.v. armoires become dinosaurs and out of style.  As we graduate to a larger viewing screen, my expensive armoire that fits beautifully in my family room, is now obsolete.

Have you ever owned something that you may have spent too much money on and then, in good conscience, you cannot discard, donate or get rid of it?  The question is what to do with the enormous (truly it is) piece of furniture that, even though I got it on sale, is a pricey piece for this Connecticut Yankee?

I convince my husband that I can repurpose it. To this day, I am not sure how two strong guys managed to carry it up our 100- year winding old staircase to our upstairs hall.

As with most t.v. armoires, there is a large hole cut in the back to accommodate the back of the set (remember the bulky, thick sets?)

After covering the back with a black/white checked fabric and adding a few plywood shelves, the armoire is transformed to a linen closet.  Over time, I manage to cram every blanket, sheet, pillow and miscellaneous holiday things in it.  How does one collect so much stuff?

In the ongoing effort to sort, clean and organize, I finally tackle the t.v. cabinet turned linen closet. What a mess!

The doors fold back allowing the entire unit to open up.  In the bottom portion, is an over abundance of sheets and pillow cases.

I pull everything out and sort all the contents into 3 piles~~donate, discard and keep.

I thought I would paint the shelves black to match the rest, but you know how that goes….Maybe someday I can add a black painted trim piece on the front of the shelf .

After going through each and every piece, I finally discard frayed and stained sheets and donate baby blankets and no-longer-used linens.

Sorting and labeling the sheets by bed size makes it easier to find what you need. Collecting and storing the winter/holiday items together, including flannel sheets, decorative blankets and pillows just makes sense.

Folding everything in a neat manner really saves space and looks more visually appealing.

Ta-Da! The end result….a far less cluttered, more organized, linen armoire. The plywood shelves still need a facelift, but oh well.

Another organizational project completed! it feels so good now each and every time I access this cabinet.

Other Ways to Repurpose a T.V. Cabinet

Even though this product is no longer available from Restoration Hardware, it would be easy to take an armoire, remove the doors and make it into a baby changing station.

How cute is this small chandelier in this coffee bar?

I love the use of space in this drinks cabinet, with the wine/bottle storage on top. The mirror in the back makes it feel more spacious.

Not sure the origin of the next picture, but what a great conversion to more pantry space.

Or if you need a home office, but want to keep the mess out of sight, check this out.

Do you have an old television cabinet that you don’t use anymore? I have two armoires, one big and one on the smaller side, still waiting to be converted. Perhaps it’s time for me to either sell them or turn them into a fun, creative project.