Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Lucy and Ethel dismantle the furniture

Most of you have probably read the my-fairy-tale-but-it's-true series and might remember how I used to be a shopaholic. I cringe. 
Anyway, one of the last purchases I made in my other life (that being the one before I moved to New Mexico) 
was an elegant armoire for my television. What the hell was I thinking?

I have been moving this mahogany boat anchor around for 19 years and four houses. It ceased serving its intended purpose 5 years ago when I bought a flat-screen TV. Since then, it has been sucking the air and space out of the guest room. Yes, it's a beautiful piece of furniture, but it has been rendered useless by technology. I was thinking of turning it over to a consignment shop or selling it on craigslist – until I read this article in The Washington Post. Apparently, there are millions of television armoires on the market and no one knows what to do with them. Charities don't accept them and you can't even give them away. "Reincarnation is the TV armoire's last hope."

What better time to reincarnate the boat anchor than when Ethel was in town to help?


Have I told you that Smooch gets exhausted when there is more than one person on the ranch to guard? 


The poor dog could barely lift her head to supervise when we invaded the guest room to begin The Project.


Smooch: How am I supposed to sleep with you two laughing all the time?


I found a set of very detailed instructions that showed exactly how to dismantle the top from the bottom, but it stopped short of explaining how to lift the top off the bottom without causing grievous injury to the lifters. Ethel got the bright idea to put straps under the top half...


...and by jove we did it! No thanks to Smooch and Snapper who couldn't be bothered to assist.



Smooch: I think I like it better the other way.
Me: You would do well to keep your opinions to yourself...slacker.


We repurposed one of the big doors to cover the unfinished top of the bottom,
and the guest room got much bigger as soon as we moved the remains to the garage,


where it now enjoys a second life as a pantry for dog, pig and cat food.


25 comments:

  1. Good thinking! I like how you found a new life for both pieces.

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  2. Love this post-can feel the laughter-that's the best laughter-friends being silly!! Now to convince my guy to do the same/similiar!!

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  3. I love love the idea of repurposing stuff....you did a great job too...you and Ethel could start a comedy show LOL Jeanne in SC

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  4. Wouldn't TV armoires make perfect linen armoires? I can perfectly see piles of crisp sheets, thick quilts, snow white towels...hmm, guess it's too late now...

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  5. They can also be turned into cedar closets! You can get cedar planks at Lowe's, to line the inside with...and then, voila!, a perfect 'closet' for woolen coats, blankets, sweaters, etc.

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  6. We are using ours to store office supplies and extra linens, but it is still a big hulking piece of furniture. LOL, we also have the matching big hulking china cabinet and big hulking secretary.
    ~spotz58

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  7. I'd have slapped some paint on it and used it for linens, if I had room in my bathroom for it, which I don't. Would have ended up in the basement at our house for Hubby to store tools in.

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  8. You ladies are brave -- very, very brave. And ingenious!

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  9. Oh, how you DO inspire! We have still got too much stuff from the old way of living. If we remove the stuff receptacles, the stuff will go too!

    YEA for repurposing!!

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  10. When you started taking it apart I thought, Oh that would make a great petfood bin holder!

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  11. Hooray! I didn't even know the top would come off the bottom.

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  12. Yes, yes recycling is the way to go.
    Great job you two.
    Best always,
    Sandra

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  13. Great idea! The guest room does look bigger and Wynonna's food now has a place of distinction.

    I had one similar to that, gave it to my son who turned it into a hutch in the dining room.

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  14. Reuse and recyle....hey why not eh!

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  15. What a fabulous idea!! Well done.

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  16. I can only imagine the fun you two must have had undoing that!

    Might want to move the little drawers up to someplace else (screw 'em on to the wall or something)... I can see perfect packrat nests in their current location. Although after the recent post about the cow skull, looks like they can get about anywhere!

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  17. Smooch is so dang cute. Great idea on reusing the top and the bedroom looks much airier too. A big thumbs up from me!

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  18. Oh my, I do believe Wynonna has the most Perfect Pig Pantry in the country!
    And you have inspired me to streamline my own spare room - it is far too crowded with furniture I don't really use any more. Now....all I need is a pig in need of a pantry.

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  19. I love how Smooch didn't move a bit. Except to cross her paws and probably sigh. LOL

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  20. I love what you did with it ... doing it with a friend made it even better.

    I had a conversation with the manager of our local Habitat ReStore about just this subject. The place was clogged with TV cabinets, all of which were overpriced. When I told her that she should discount them (overprices!) to make space, she tried to explain that they were quality pieces of furniture and that the prices were appropriate. I pointed out that she had so many on hand (1) because most folks were getting rid of them when they upgraded to flat-screen TVs, and (2) they were sitting there taking up valuable space in her store because no one wants to buy them.

    It was brilliant of you to repurpose YOURS.

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  21. I love repurposing furniture. There's something very refreshing and creative about successfully thinking outside the box - or in the case, the armoir.

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  23. I still use one, as no flat screen here yet. The armoire has a tag in it stating it was built for Magnavox c. 1950.
    Great job of repurposing the ginormous armoire, ladies!

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  24. Kudos for finding the instructions. It's interesting how even furniture trends become obsolete. Nice repurpose and the cowhide pillow is perfect there. Really opens up the room. Good job, Smooch... keeping an eye on these two.

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  25. Been thinking alot about your pig, dog, cat food dispenser. The bottom part looks like it might become the snake food holder as well...with those sweet hidey holes for the mice.
    Take the drawers out before the mice invasion, put them up on the walls with the bottoms to the wall, inside for small shelves.
    Wow you girls sure do alot of creative thinking and doing. Great job.
    Oma Linda

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