Suggestions for entertainment center upcycle

I have 2 of these, they no longer serve a purpose so I'm looking for some answers as what to do with them as well. they are solid wood so I hate the thought of just giving them away.

My local Habitat for Humanity will no longer accept donations of entertainment centers because so many people are getting rid of them. If you find someone who has a need, it is better to help someone than scrapping it. This is a mighty large piece of furniture taking up space with no apparent function. They are usually made of plywood with solid wood moldings. I could see disassembling and using as much as I could on a future project. Like the TVs that these were originally made to accommodate, some things outlive their usefulness and you can store them, find someone to give it to, or kick it to the curb.

In some instances you can put shelves where the TV is supposed to go. If there is an opening in the back, cut a piece of plywood and put it inside. Paint everything one color and you can use it as a bookshelf, what not shelf, a shelf for a collection, etc. You could probably take off a door or two if you wanted. Painted a pretty accent color it would be attractive.

Are you comfortable with a circular saw? You can make a bench. You can cut it in half (the glass door side- me looking at it- but whatever side you want really) and turn it on it's side and get some legs from Home Deport or Lowe's. Paint it and make a cushion. If you have a big TV, saw it to the height you want, and put the TV on top. You may want to paint it. This is what I did to mine. Turned out GREAT! It was my first time and all!! I put baskets where the doors went. GOOD LUCK! If you decide not to use the doors you can make coffee table trays! Or paint them the color you want and use chalk paint in the square and write sayings (hang on wall).

This is the type of thing I would paint a light color and turn it on it's side and use for storage items-take the doors off,reposition shelves if needed.

Use it in any room, or even the basement for long-term storage-keep stuff off the floor down there.

Use it as a chifferobe. A chifferobe is kind of like a wardrobe but with different compartments. Shelves can hold books and curios, drawers inside doors can hold folded clothes, narrow door cabinets can hold shoes or vanity items, the shelf under the TV platform can be a place for a vanity kit or laptop. A mirror can be put into the back.

As it is in your foyer, why not take out the 2 shelves on the right hand side, and the glass door and shelves on the left side. leave the doors on the bottom and refinish the wood in whatever way you choose. Then add decorative coat hooks to the top 2 sections, and use the bottom cabinets to store boots, hats, gloves, etc. It would also give guests a space to hang their coats when they visit.

Would be a nice shelving unit in a bedroom. It would offer a lot of storeage space.

If you have children or grandchildren turn it into a child's play kitchen. I've had several friends do this. So cute!

I have recycled two entertainment centers. My brother's oak entertainment center is now my kitchen island. Added shelf to the 'tv' section. Made doors from some pine lumber and galvanized metal.. had help with the router, but did the assembly myself). Sanding and painting...Topped with table top from my old kitchen table....LOVE iT. Got some science lab stools from amazon.com...the kind that were in the HS science labs.....about $25.00 a piece.... AND THEY STACK. My second recycle was a cheap beat up particle board entertainment center from the local thrift store. Young newly single mom moved into an apartment and had no furniture. Very small kitchen. We took the entertainment center, added some shelves. Perfect extra kitchen storage for $10.00. This summer will add a coat of paint. If I had more room I would be collecting oak and other solid wood entertainment centers. So many ideas and no where to work on them.

Not for the foyer, but they would be nice as a dry bar, using the section with the door for storing glassware or even liquor. Or you could add more shelving to the right side and use it as a kind of an armoire to store clothing, if not in your bedroom, perhaps in a guest room.

I took out all of the guts, hardware, etc. sanded, painted, lightly sanded then stained. Put shelving in but left the bottom exposed and placed baskets. Kept the glass door, and put really funky, cute door knobs

I chopped mine up it made great kindling for the fire place

I sand mine and did a taupe wash. It is gorgeous and we keep collectables in it.

i bought a mini bus stripped it all out and used mine for storage in the bus it was given to me free from local recycle page.. Bought a fold out bed couch and now i travel uk..if u dont want it someone will love it.

I have one in my kitchen. I use it to store all my small appliances (crock pot, panini, toaster, etc, plus my drinking glasses (cause it’s right next to the fridge), the microwave lives in the tv section, pills and snacks have a home and other things too. It’s the most used storage in the whole house!

My boyfriend and I actually repurposed one into a bench for the entryway! Here's a picture of it. I just posted the project on how we did it so you can check it out if you decide to make it into a bench.

Would make a great sewing cabinet by putting the sewing machine where the TV goes. Very good cabinet for a quilter and all the supplies that goes along with quilting.

I would love to have one of these where did you buy yours from?

There are some great ideas on Pinterest!! Take a look.

This would be fun! My favorite! Depends on what your looking for. If you want it older country rustic use white chalk. If you want sheek stain the tops with a dark stain and paint the rest cream. Then put your knobs as decoration like make them different or all a color but diamond. Or a green and a little darker stain. Or light blue with a little darker stain and do the same with the knobs.so many thinks you can do. I would do white chalk

Sell it on letgo, or give it to Salvation Army ?

We repurposed one to be a closet for my toddler years ago. We lived in an apartment and her room's closet was so tiny that it wasn't very functional, so we snagged one of these from a local thrift store, purchased a wooden closet rod set, and installed the closet rod in the television section. We also installed a mirror on its side so that she could try on clothes for her "fashion shows," which she loved at that age. While we didn't repaint ours, because we had an appreciation for the original wood stain, I bet we could have kicked up the glam by painting it white and replacing hardware with crystal-like or more attractive handles/knobs, or taken a more kid-inspired creative direction with colors that matched her room's decor.

This isn't the best picture but I painted this one a few years ago. I use it for snacks and my microwave.

I have a walkin closet and instead of spending on those fancy cosets, I removed the bar for hanging cloth and place my 3 piece entertaning center and one side is used for shoes, the ither side is used for my sweaters and the third one for my hubby jeans and shorts you cant tell is not part of the closet and is very organized.

they are great storage units in the garage or barn! Just paint or protect with a stain you like ( many colors these days, not just varnish!).

Some can be cut in half vertically, add a bottom and make an entry way or playroom bench and storage . Add padding on top with a long pillow or throw pillows in the proper size!

I wouldve made a small shelve out of it for the laundry room and sand it all over and used a chalk country paint and stenciled it all up add hangers to hang ontop on your wall above your washer to hang it all up on the shelf of course.

I sanded it down, primed it with bullseye 123 then m quick sand with 220 grip. Added 5 ounces water to a quart of Valspar signature satin in High Seas. Added turtles for the dorms and turtle/starfish knobs. Waiting 30 days for paint to fully cure. Then may had some stencils

Here are my suggestions...

Paint the entertainment center white on the outside(except the inserted wooden slates) and a bright color on the inside, like maybe an aqua color.

Do you notice the color scheme for the cabinets in the photo? I know this is a photo of cabinets in kitchen setting, but the color scheme can work.

Unfortunately, I cannot see the other furniture in your family room to give any further suggestions.

Replace the knobs.