What to Do With the Left Over Demo Pieces After a Kitchen Renovation

Marie
by Marie
6 Materials
4 Months
Medium

When my husband was demo-ing the kitchen I had him save the old drawers and doors from the cabinets. I knew they could be used in some way.

This is a sample of what the cabinet doors and drawers used to look like.

I made this out of one of the cabinet doors. Really simple, just paint, stencil, and a little shopping to find the antique key.

I set a little more of a challenge for myself with the other cabinet door. Here I took out the door insert, I accidently used a paint brush that was just cleaned and still wet when I painted the door. This gave the door an interesting weathered look. I decided to go with it. Before the door was completely dry, still a little tacky I flipped it over and stapled chicken wire to where the insert was. When I flipped the door right side up some of the paint chipped off which weathered it some more. Just the look I was going for. I put the hinges back on and screwed the door in the kitchen window. I am really happy with how this worked out.

Those were the only cabinet doors my husband saved so I moved on to the drawers. Chance needed a new castle.

I detached the insert of the drawer from the frame. So the front of the drawer is flat. The bigger drawers are actually two small drawers. I took off the sides, glued them together, and secured them with some staples. I reinforced the bottoms of all the drawers.

I didn't want to make this a permanent structure. I wanted her new castle to be mobile and I wanted to be able to move it in pieces it if the need arises. So I made sure when I added the legs that it was very sturdy. I put on some paint, and added some pillows. I think she likes her new home.

When my husband was demo-ing the kitchen he decided to also take out the built-in that was in the breakfast nook. This is what was behind it.

After a while we got tired of looking at that brown wall. So we slapped on some paint.

Remember when I said that I separated the drawer inserts from the frames of the drawers? Well I didn't throw out the frames. See the red frames here? There are also some frames that went wrong while my husband was creating the new cabinet doors. A picture frame from another project that didn't work out quite like I had hoped. I used these frames as stencils to make a few more like them and some smaller frames.

Are you getting the idea?

After the frames were painted and the pattern created we stapled them to the wall.

We still have a lot of work to do in the breakfast nook but at least we have the inspiration to keep going. I think the wall looks great.


I think I used up all the scrap from the kitchen demo now. But who knows, perhaps there is some more treasure hiding in the wood pile.

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  • Heje Heje on Mar 14, 2019

    What are you using for all your dishes that were in the built in? From the size of the walls from the kitchen to the breakfast room, are you in a mobile home? If you are - good update!

  • Sunny Graham Sunny Graham on Mar 14, 2019

    Love all your ideas! Do you have a tutorial on the kitty castle? I didn't see a link to anything. Thanks! 🐱

  • Missy Missy on Apr 14, 2019

    And, that stained ceiling?

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  • Marie Marie on Aug 14, 2019

    Thanks Sarah I'm really happy with it.

  • Melinda Record Melinda Record on Jan 25, 2021

    That "framed" wall is so cool and clever! I have many picture frames I can't use as intended because either the glass broke or the back was lost, and now I know what to do with them: hang them all on the wall just like you did, painting them the same color as the wall. What a fun and smart repurposing project ... and I love that photo of your kitty in his darling new castle, looking out the window ~ so cute and sweet.


    Thank you for sharing your project AND inspiring!

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