Any ideas on how to re-purpose the top part only of this hutch?

by 161389

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I just got a fantastic deal on this hutch for a $100.00. I bought it really for the bottom part only. I plan on using the bottom part in our family room as a TV stand. But now I have the top part and have been looking at how I can use it. I've seen people use them in the laundry room as a shelf. In the kitchen, make them into bookcase's & sofa tables. But I was wondering if anyone has any other ideas? Or any really creative ideas on how I could make a king size headboard out of it?

This is the top any ideas what I can make from it?

This is my new beautiful TV stand.

63 answers

Joanie J on Jun 18, 2013
wow. I love it, you got a steel.

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Joanie J on Jun 18, 2013
steal

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Z on Jun 18, 2013
I think it would look adorable in a little girls bedroom as a dress up closet. I'd paint the back of the glass with Looking Glass spray paint to turning them into mirrors, add some sturdy legs and attach hooks to the inside back for dress up clothes. Oh and them paint it metallic gold and silver to look like it belongs in a princesses room.

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Sharon on Jun 19, 2013
Oh,Becky's idea sounds dreamy.. Just MAKE SURE you anchor to the wall,even if sitting on the floor/on legs.We had something similar - my husband hung it above a simple dresser ... it had shelves ,so we displayed my newest grandbaby's pretty blankets/stuffed animals/hats/etc - also had baskets for bows/socks/tiny shoes - all the tutus made by her auntie's/Mom/myself... they have since moved and I'm converting it into a place for all my fabric ... maybe if I can SEE it,I'll use it to make the grandkids those cute clothes I promised them ! Don't forget to post after pics!

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Melissa Vokey on Jun 19, 2013
I agree, Becky's idea is awesome! But if you don't have a little girl to re-purpose it for you could also turn it into a head board. I'd be nervous about the glass in the doors. However, you could remove them and add shelves on the inside making a perfect place for an alarm clock, bed-time reading material and what have you. Or, if you're into gardening as I am, keep the doors on, add some shelving and voila a mini greenhouse. The possibilities are endless! Have fun re-purposing! :)

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161389 on Jun 19, 2013
Joanie J- Yes, it was a steal...Gotta Love Craigslist. Becky- What a beautiful idea, I can just picture it. I wish my girls were still little & at home. If I can't find an idea for our house maybe I'll just have to do this and sell it. Just because it sounds like a fun project to complete. But I'm really looking for something we can use that's as wonderful of an idea as yours. Thanks for sharing the beautiful idea. :)

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161389 on Jun 19, 2013
Melissa Vokey- I really wanted a headboard idea because I'm re- doing our room, but I need more of a flat headboard idea. Love! the greenhouse idea I've been wanting one for years, but I have a problem with putting this beautiful piece outside in the weather. I don't think it would last but a years. I know It's really a free item because I got my TV stand I wanted, but I hate to destroy it. I really wish I had a solid covered porch area or longer eve's because this is right up my alley. Wonderful ideas so far. Thank you.

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ScattyLady on Jun 19, 2013
If you used outdoor paint and really sealed it first with it suitable sealant. though I see you live in CA which can get hot and might cause the glue to melt or the wood to warp, Hope you get to use oit though. OR sell it on/Freecycle it!

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Found & Fancied Goods on Jun 19, 2013
If you replace the glass in the door with 1/8" plywood, you could pad and upholster the panels. That would make a comfortable headboard with storage.

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Diane Sterling on Jun 19, 2013
I saw one that hung on the wall with chicken wire instead of glass. They had repurposed the hutch as a bird cage! It was the most unique birdcage I had ever seen. There are several things you could make out of just the hutch. I would love to have the opportunity to try something. If you don't like it, sell it on Craigslist. You might be able to make back all your money! I found an image that is cool. http://pinterest.com/pin/383791199464853295/

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Sue Weiker on Jun 19, 2013
I know someone who kept the glass, and installed a fan and vents to circulate the air for birds. She put in smaller tree limbs, air, ferns, and other fauna and created a more natural setting and, put it on a nice looking wooden bottom. It's the neatest bird house I've ever seen as well Diane Sterling. Sounds like we have very creative friends. I love the chicken wire idea for one as well.

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161389 on Jun 19, 2013
Love the bird house idea. Very creative. Not for me right now, but wonderful idea and I bet it's beautiful. My husband & I are just starting to be empty nesters from children & animals so I really like not having any responsiblities besides my flowers & little pond outside. Andie- going to have to look at it closely and see about that idea. It has my wheels spinning on how I could take off the back part and only use the doors & top piece because it would make a really beautiful headboard. I don't want the thickness of the piece behind the bed so I'd skip the storage, plus I think my husband would look at me like I was crazy if I told him I wanted to hang it on the wall. It took 4 of us to load it into the pick-up & we have plaster walls.

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Elizabeth on Jun 19, 2013
If you take the front part off to use as a headboard, you could use the rest of it for shelving. Paint it & tuck it in somewhere where you want additonal room to display books or some of your fave collectibles.

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Chris G on Jun 19, 2013
I think I'd attach twinkle lights inside & do seasonal displays on the front porch or entry way.

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Deborah Stone on Jun 19, 2013
I would try to find some wall space and hang and use for storage in bedroom, closet, kitchen etc. What you think about taking the doors off, add shelving and hang over a couch in your family room and display family pics and collectables?

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Cynthia on Jun 19, 2013
I know of a woman who use the top of a hutch for a cabinet in her bathroom. It was gorgeous!

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161389 on Jun 19, 2013
Love all the wonderful ideas...Chris G -.I only dream of having a front porch to display this on & no entry way I've ever had would hold this hutch top. Deborah- love the idea of displaying family photo's in it. Those who know me know I have a million of them. I only have 3 walls in my house big enough for the hutch top we have 18 windows in our house which takes up a lot of wall space. The hutch top is 6' 1" long & almost 5' tall & 21" in Depth & it weigh's a ton. It has glass shelves that came with it. Thank you everyone for the wonderful ideas. Now I have to decide what I'm going to do with it. Once we get help to get it out of the truck.

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Chris B on Jun 19, 2013
1st of all I love this bottom as well as the top!!! What a beautiful piece, for $100! I love the bird idea, if your home is large enough an Aviary would be simply gorgeous! I have sent a link hope it helps. http://puppiesareprozac.com/budgie-parakeet/homemade-bird-aviary/

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Z on Jun 20, 2013
Thank you @Sharon, I meant to add that! Yes, that would be a must to anchor the cabinet to the wall into studs too. @Tammy, can you tell I have a new baby granddaughter that I came up with that idea? LOL I have a couple other ideas. 1. Using it as purchased with a few alterations to hide your TV behind while not in use. Again spraying the inside of the glass with Looking Glass spray paint only this time giving it an aged look. And, if it's possible, depending on how much separation is between the doors change them into two bi-fold doors so they could be opened when needed. ] 2. Since you mentioned you'd love it as a head board without storage, I'd most definitely try to remove the front then spray the backs of the glass as mentioned in # and secure it all to a plywood backing, add legs and there's your headboard. That or the upholstered areas where the glass are now as mentioned by @Andie.

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Linda W on Jun 20, 2013
I like the idea of using the top and doors for your headboard. Also if you took the doors off would your bed fit into it so the top comes out like a canopy? You could then pad and upholster the back or staple fabric in there to look like curtains

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Brenda W on Jun 20, 2013
Not sure about the weather where you live, but a green house for potted herbs & small plants would be interesting, provided you had a place the piece could be somewhat sheltered from the weather.

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161389 on Jun 20, 2013
Becky- First of all congrad's on your new granddaughter. Love this stage of life their so fun. I would love to make one for my granddaughter, but they move way too much for a huge heavy piece like this & I've already got their playroom done & I have two grandsons too. So have to watch it with over doing the girlie stuff because it's so easy to do plus that would take up half their Jungle theme playroom at grandma's & grandpa's. If one of the other kids had a girl & not a boy would def. be making this because this is my favorite idea. My daughter made a pirate ship for our grandson out of a couple bookshelf's it's adorable but also quit large. I'll have to take a picture next time I'm down there. I had thought about hiding the TV in too once we got it home, but were in compormise mode. I get to use nice furniture and he gets to have his huge TV. The TV we have now would fit, but it's not long before it increases & I have the whole house he has the family room for all his football stuff & we all enjoy watching football & movies in there so I'm okay with it. I just want it hmm...more like a rich cigar smoking room back in the day. Where it's beautiful manly stuff...lol (hope that paints my vision correctly). Love both those ideas for the headboard I was leaning towards the fabric, but now I really like the idea of painting the glass. I'm going to have to really look at it to see how easy it would be to take that top piece off without breaking it. The doors & the rest of it would be easy. I just finished stenciling our room so I'm ready to move onto decorating now. Linda- I've seen beds where they have the headboards wrap around them. Love them, but our bed doesn't move it's quite the task too. I think we just like heavy things....lol Plus we already have this crown thing above our bed with curtains that come down. Almost how you describe so I do like your idea because I already have something like it. That's why this hutch would make a perfect headboard if I could figure it out. Thanks again everyone.

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161389 on Jun 20, 2013
Brenda- I love the greenhouse idea. Others have said the same & I've wanted one for a while now, but this piece would only last one or two seasons outside with our hot summers & the rain. I don't have any where to protect it. It would be an awfully beautiful greenhouse & lovely in a sunroom.

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Rana Saleh on Jun 20, 2013
I think you can varnish it first, with dark shade wood varnish. Then you can attach wall paper only to the inside back of it, using lights inside. I would use light yellow striped wall paper to give contrast. And for the TV stand, also you can use wood varnish over attached wall paper to the drawers, it will give it a style.

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Fry188104 on Jun 20, 2013
you could paint it and use it for a green house

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Gail Salminen on Jun 20, 2013
@Tammy Brenner if you want a headboard, I like the idea of using the doors attached to a board, either spray the glass to be mirror like or replace with wood. If it isn't quite wide enough for your bed you could use some spindles in between the two end doors and on the ends. Lots of potential for finishing the product but I think it could look awsome. Then with the cabinet you could redesign to your taste, and attach to a wall for either storeage or display shelves. Our storeage/workshop area is always in need of extra storeage. I can even see the shelves being used in a mud/laundry area to store shoes and get them off the floor. Let us know what you do with the unit, I know I am curious to see where your creativity leads. Thanks for posting.

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Z on Jun 20, 2013
Thank you Tammy. Our granddaughter lives in Hawaii so I'm in the same boat as you. Her Daddy's Air Force so it's sure they'll be moving before she's old enough to want to play dress up. I was hoping to live vicariously through you if could have transformed it for a little girl in your life. Since I can't do that I'll just keep making baby Khloe blankies, bibs and pretty little things to wear.

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Z on Jun 20, 2013
Tammy, I just now saw that you replied on a photo of our sidewalk. My notifications were not working and I finally asked for help from HT and ofcourse they fixed it. If you "follow me" I can send you a private message on how hubby did it. I'll have to ask him for details tomorrow, he's out of town, but will look at other photos of the process to see what I can find out too.

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Kim on Jun 20, 2013
If you took the glass out and replaced it with tin or fiber board you could turn it into a dress up station for the grand kids girls and boys... policemen , firemen, fancy thrift store dresses for the girls straw hats etc.

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161389 on Jun 20, 2013
Thank you Becky that would be great. I started following you. My son-in law is in the Air force & our daughter will be joining him soon she's decided to join too. Their stationed in New Mexico right now. Our Son was stationed in Hawaii for a few years. He was in the Army for 11 years.

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Marcia Whitmore on Jun 20, 2013
I took the top part of a hutch and made a wall mounted cabinet. I mounted two strips of wood, beveled in opposite directions, mounting a 1 x 4 ripped at an angle (beveled) attaching one with screws to the cabinet and one to the wall. I think these are called cleats in a guys world, Trying to show a photo- sure saves on space when you can put a cabinet on a wall.going to put photo on Pinterest.

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Deborah Stone on Jun 20, 2013
Tammy if I lived near you I could figure this all out for you!!! I would just come take it off your hands and then you wouldnt have to worry anymore on what to do with this gorgeous piece of furniture!!! Dont rush on trying to come up with the perfect idea, store it and eventually you will come up with the perfect spot and idea!!!

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Deborah Stone on Jun 20, 2013
I know your piece is much nicer than this hutch, but do you have a laundry room you could hang it in?

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Marcia Whitmore on Jun 20, 2013
photograph of my cabinet is on my Pinterest board(s) Repurposed-fabulous. I've done this with a cabinet that looked like yours as well Tammey.

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161389 on Jun 20, 2013
Marcia Whitmore- Love your pinterest boards. I'm always a little unsure about painting a beautiful piece of furniture, but the one's you have done are lovely. It's funny because I'm pretty free spirited in everything else I do & figure what's the worse that can happen. I've used a cleat before to hang a headboard I made for our bed. Deborah Stone- I do have a rather large laundry room, but it has 3 windows in it. There is one wall, but it has shelves from floor to ceiling and holds all our coupon goods & I already have 2 built-in shelf's in there. The shelf idea is really beautiful, but my problem is the walls I do have that are large enough are complete. Well our family rooms not complete, but that's where the bottom half is going. I'm still leaning toward tearing it apart & making some kind of headboard. Will see. It's amazing all the creative ideas. If I ever have any piece I'm not sure about I will def. post again, because I would have never thought of a lovely cabinet for the kids play clothes or a bird aviary.

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Liz on Jun 20, 2013
I love the headboard idea by Gail.

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Z on Jun 20, 2013
You've got mail @Tammy. @MarciaI couldn't find your cabinet on Pinterest. Can you link me please?

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Mickie on Jun 20, 2013
The whole cabinet is GORGEOUS!! I did the same thing with a hutch I had. Why not put shelves in it and use as a display cabinet? Or as a greenhouse (near a window with lots of light). Or maybe as an entertainment center (put in shelves for your electronic equipment). I can think of lots of things.

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Valeria Kenny on Jun 20, 2013
Green house! that was what came to mind when I saw it!

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Marcia Whitmore on Jun 21, 2013
try that Becky I just hit that I' m following you- can you get to my Pinterest repurpose-fabulous board? I don't know how to link - other than that your welcome to advise lol :)

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Z on Jun 21, 2013
@Marcia, I cannot get to your Pinterest board via Hometalk unless you allow it. Not sure how to you do that because I've not done so yet. To copy and paste into a message here you just have to highlight the address then right click, chose copy, then open Hometalk and right click again and chose paste. I did find a Marcia Whitmore on Pinterest, but there was no "repurpose-fabulous" board for her. http://pinterest.com/mwhitmore1/ I search Pinterest for boards with that name, there were two, but neither were yours.

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Sandy Harmon on Jun 23, 2013
wine cabinet?

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Carol King-ricca on Jun 26, 2013
This piece is so beautiful It is worth a lot more then you paid for it so I would keep the top piece and use it for storage for now. Don't break the 2 pieces up because in the future you may want to use then in an elegant dining room. Check out my dining room on my site. I have a lovely hutch but not as beautiful as yours.

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161389 on Jun 27, 2013
@Carol King-ricca- love your large dinning room & décor. I wish I had a place to store it, but I don't & my husband and I have been going through stuff & really clearing out. If were not going to use it or haven't used it our rule is it has to go.(unless it's in the craft room) We bought our house 4 years ago as our final retirement plan, not to say things can't change, but we were moving about every 3 years so were pretty tired of it & downsized from 1/2 an acre so we plan on staying & my current dinning room could never hold a piece of this size. I'm going to hold onto it for a little while because I'm still not sure if I'm going to sell so I can buy something else or reuse it as a headboard will see. I also seen you just re-did your kitchen Love it! That's our next task at hand.

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Joanie J on Jun 27, 2013
Can't use it as it is now? it is so,so pretty.I also would buy it from you if I lived close to you.WI is a little far.

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Carol King-ricca on Jun 27, 2013
Good luck on the kitchen. It was worth the work to have a kitchen I love to cook in. I'm sure you will find what to do with your beautiful hutch. If you do sell it ask for much more than what you paid for it. I saw one similar they were asking $900. on Craig's list. I don't know what they sold it for however.

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LK on Jun 28, 2013
replace the glass with screen and make it a bird cage for your porch

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Marian D on Dec 26, 2013
What a great deal and I have been looking for something just like that to turn into an aviary I want to hang on the wall for some canaries I would like to get someday. Still working on a plan for the bottom, but replace the glass with some wire mesh (can't remember what it's actually called), paint the inside with a water based paint for easy cleaning, screw in some manzanita branches or dowels and a nest or two and you are set.

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Penny on Dec 26, 2013
the first thing i thought of, is to make an aviary out of it....do you have a bird? a couple little canaries flying around singing would be beautiful!!!

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Rosemary Sageflower on Dec 27, 2013
I would put feet on the bottom and use as a display case or greenhouse like others have suggested. You can paint the inside with something that will be mildew resistant and help keep any wood from warping from the humidity inside.

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Karan on Dec 28, 2013
I think you hit on it as a headboard for a bed. Take the top front and he doors and mount them on to a pilewood board. Take the glass out and cover a board with padding and some fabric and pop into the glass openings.. That would be neat with that pink dresser that they showed on here.

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Terry Harris-Town on Dec 28, 2013
I would make a little girls closet, put a rod across the top and she could see all her clothes.

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Jack Brandes on Dec 28, 2013
Have it appraised first, before you make any changes. It may be worth it to sell it and buy a tv stand or entertainment center with the money you make off of it.

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Kathie taylor on Dec 28, 2013
since I didn't see the size, I can't tell if it is wide enough for a king headboard. You might take it apart and hang each section above your bed, spacing it as needed. I like Karan's idea, and was going to suggest something similar

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Marlene Wilson on Dec 29, 2013
It would make a wonderful Headboard but if I were I would keep the two together and get it appraized.I think you will be surprised.

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Mam356540 on Jun 13, 2014
I have one very similar. I plan on adding some legs underneath and using it as a curio cabinet.

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Brenda Gilstorf on Jun 16, 2014
gorgeous for an indoor terrarium or green house.

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Brenda Gilstorf on Oct 03, 2014
greenhouse....

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Denise on Aug 02, 2015
A headboard would be so beautiful and unique. You would have to screw posts on the bottom rather than nail, or attach to a thick board the width of it, and attach the whole thing to the wall. Either way, how gorgeous is that? Add a couple of little lights inside for a romantic glow.

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Marie on Mar 07, 2016
A childs armoire I am about to start one tomorrow

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PruBelle on Oct 18, 2016
Aviarium, bird cage. Don't know how to do it, would need some kind of ventilation (maybe bars , rather than glass, on the two sides), but I bet you would sell it to someone who wants to showcase finches or canaries or parakeets.

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Deb K on Jan 15, 2023

Hello, this piece would do great as a curio cabinet, you could build a small shelving unit that fits right inside it

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Smj on Jan 16, 2023

Why?

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