Antique Buffet Repurposed as Outdoor TV Cabinet
6 Materials
$150
3 Weeks
Medium
My family spends a lot of time outside and we also love watching sports of any kind on tv. I had been searching for a cabinet that I could repurpose as an entertainment center for our completely covered patio so we could enjoy the games while also enjoying the weather and son of a gun if I don't love how this turned out.
So the ideas started flowing when I picked up this beautiful antique buffet for a song because the beveled mirror that it originally came with was missing.
OK first things first. I had to remove the top piece & build an enclosure to hold the TV, so I started digging through a wood pile that was left over from our patio cover build project, and I found exactly what I needed: a few 2 x 8s and some plywood. I did some measuring and hauled out the hubs table saw.
Donning appropriate safety gear, I cut two 30" 2 x 8 boards for the sides & a 50" one for the base for the sides. Then I cut a 28 x 50 piece of plywood for the back. Using 3" wood screws, I attached the sides to the bottom and the back to the sides leaving a 2" gap at the bottom for the cords. Whoa, I almost forgot & my hubs would never forgive me because of all of the things he has taught me, this is definitely in the top 5 of most important knowledge bombs: you must always, ALWAYS drill pilots holes first! So, I did. 
Now came the really tricky part. I had to figure out a way to lift the beautifully carved piece that once held the mirror (pic on left), to be even with the top of the new enclosure. So I grabbed my belt sander and a couple of pieces of 12" 3 x 3s and started playing with the curvature and came up with these little pillars for the front of the piece (pic on right) and simple 12" 1 x 5's for the back. Plus some trim to the bottom of the pillars and along the back helped add a finished look.
Then I created this front panel by putting together 12 pieces of wainscoting and sandwiching them between 2" wood trim pieces. Added some hinges at the top and a handle at the bottom and BOOM, now its a lightweight door that opens from the bottom. Although our patio is completely covered so this is 100% out of the rain, we are in the California valley so we do get wind so this door provides a bit of protection from the wind. I would definitely make appropriate adjustments to accommodate the weather conditions in your area.
Once I added the top piece back on, I then painted the whole thing in a two-toned cream and taupe (extra house paint BONUS!) and stippled (fancy term for dotting paint on through a stencil) a poshy french saying on the front for some oomph.
I also hung a piece of chain from the ceiling with a hook, to hold the door when its open. You can see it up there at the top of the photo.
We added a 50" flat screen TV and we are ready for summer pool parties and BBQs (and being the envy of our neighbors 
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2 of 27 comments
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I love this peace . Great job . Enjoy .
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Beautiful!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Does the rain water not get to the tv even though its contained?
Is it really for the patio or covered porch? Won't last long in the rain.
Is your patio area lockable, or did you install a lock on the TV cover housing so that your TV can't be easily stolen when you are away from home? BTW, Love your design!