DIY Storage Project

Not too long ago, I was faced with a space challenge in my very small kitchen. I needed more pantry space! However, I didn’t want to spend a large amount of money on something custom in my kitchen.

With 3 growing children who seem to endlessly eat, I decided the most economical thing to do was to purchase a piece of furniture. One that could accommodate a small pantry in the designated space that I had. I needed something that was not too deep or too wide. I really wanted it to match my kitchen cabinets but I knew that was asking a lot. Off I went to the consignment shops. I found nothing. Then I checked Craig’s List and found an old china cabinet that was in good shape and it was the perfect size for my space. I ventured out of my city and purchased the china cabinet from a family estate sale. The cabinet was a dark mahogany color, not the off-white color I was hoping for to match my cabinets. Regardless, I was determined to make it look fresh and new.

She wished me luck after I told her about my plans for the antique. She even told me a story about how her parents brought this cabinet over from another country. It had been in the family for a very long time. I told her I would try my best to make it look nice.  When I finally got it home I made my design plan. I knew that clear glass doors would not work well for an unsightly pantry.  That’s when I noticed the stainless steel paneling behind my stove. I recently installed those and knew that I could purchase some more that match the ones behind my stove. So off I went to Lowes.

I purchased stripping materials to take off the dark stain finish. It was not a fast process but in the end, it was well worth my hard work and effort. I picked out some modern stainless steel knobs and handles for the doors and painted the cabinet to match my existing cabinets. The stainless steel panels were cut and I duct-taped them to the inside doors. After that, I purchased some great tuba-ware storage.

With a little bit of ingenuity and determination, an old piece of furniture was transformed into a kitchen pantry. What once was a lighted display cabinet for fancy items and expensive collectibles was now a storage home for food. I hope I’ve inspired you to take a second look at what spaces in your home need more storage and then consider purchasing something old and making it new again.  Go ahead and tackle that DIY Storage Project!