And Then There Were Doors!

A couple months ago, I transformed this old $10 thrift store radio cabinet.  Initially I chose to use bins in the open doors to maximize the available storage because the right door is inoperable. If I covered it I would only have access to that space through the other side (as there's no divider between the bottom two cabinet spaces). I lived with it a while, and... meh. I didn't love it.  But I'm flexible, and I'm a mind changer who likes to make things up as I go along. So I decided it was time for doors.  Originally I had received several suggestions for things like chicken wire, or decorative metal grilles -- and I liked the idea but I didn't know if they would fit with the piece and with my decor. Specifically, I am sort of in love with the old oval pulls and their patina, and I didn't know how well they'd jive with chrome grilles.  So, I decided to go the booooring route and fit in plywood panels to create the look of a classic cabinet door. The first step? Removing the petrified foamy adhesive gunk from where old fabric panels were attached to the doors so that the new panels would fit nicely without a gap. 

A moment of silence for my gross sacrifice? Ew.

After that was done it was time to attach the plywood panels. I used Gorilla Glue because it seemed easy peasy...until I stuck the panels in. But uh oh! They wouldn't lie flat! Curses! It was time for some clamping action.

I had to get a bit creative to hold the panel in the right side door (the one that doesn't actually open)... but I'm resourceful and I've always said there's nothing that sugar or wine can't fix. Or butter. Or chocolate? Or doughnuts... but not chocolate doughnuts. Yuck.

Anyhow, this time it was sugar that came to the rescue. Sugar and money. Confused?

Then I just had to wait for the glue to dry, and I was left with this:

After some caulk and paint, I finally had my finished product (except for when I repaint it later this Spring but shhhhhhhhh don't tell my husband that)!

The bad news? I'm not sure that I like it. Bah! It's sort of okay from that angle... but if you look at it, and then quickly look away, or kind of look at it but not really? Or maybe if you squint? Doesn't it look a little out of proportion?

Oh, such a dilemma!  I feel like the open doors and bins lended a bit more weight to the bottom half of the cabinet, balancing out the bigger pulls on top. Now with the solid bottom doors and their baby knobs and skinny molding (that won't support a bigger knob, by the way) I feel like it's a bit top heavy.

I'm not a big stenciler, but I almost feel like the center panels need a stencil treatment like this one, albeit in a more subtle complementary tone, to balance it out.

Source: Twice Lovely

What do y'all think? Do I need a doughnut to shut me up or is my little cabinet in need of some more love?

Sharing this post at

House of Grace

Someday Crafts

The Shabby Chic Cottage

House of Hepworths

 Vintage Revivals

Thrifty Decor Chick's Before and After party