I'm drawing a blank on ideas of what I can do with this UGLY 'thing'!

Question

Could have been a medicine chest, not sure.  I think this bathroom was once an outside patio with an outdoor beach shower that was enclosed for a bathroom. I do know it is our only source of light for this room!  Any ideas on how I can make it not so ugly?  There is a plain mirrored medicine cabinet beside it. I'm still scratching my head over what to do with this thing!  Any inexpensive ideas are appreciated!  This is a rental so we don't want to do to much that we can't take with us.  Probably be here another two years.

Janet Pizaro · Answer

The first question is where do you intend to use it?

Sandra. Jackson · Answer

If you still need to use it then paint it with a lighter colour then put a blind  on it to cover the. Items, that way you haven't got to see the items on the shelves every time you go in the room

Gina Bellini Mccrudden · Answer

The first thing I would do would be to paint the whole room so it doesn't look so sterile.  I would use a light grey with a blue or green undertone.  Silver Sage is nice and that is a Benjamin Moore color I believe. If you can get behind the pipes then I would buy some twine on  a roll at Michaels and wrap all of them.  If not paint the same color as the wall and they will blend in for the most part. You can also try and look for tall (not so wide) baskets or containers to hold your products on the shelf so you don't see so much of the pipes. The medicine cabinet you can buy a small tension rod and hang up a curtain.  You can go to Joanne Fabrics and buy material and use stitch  witchery which is a tape with adhesive in it.  You use an iron to release the glue and mesh the material to it.  Super easy!!!  I would never use the stuff if it wasn't and I don't sew at all.  Or you can buy a curtain and cut it way down to size and hem it with the same stuff.   I would paint the whole medicine cabinet using chalk paint sold in Michaels and they have sooo many colors.  If you paint your walls a grey you have so many options for colors and its so easy to use.  I didn't even prime my son's end table I just painted with the chalk paint.  You could use a flat, satin or even a high gloss which I used and its great also.  For the top piece of the medicine cabinet you can buy those stickers they have now with a nice inspirational saying in black writing.  I know Walmart sells them and even the dollar store.  Lots of luck and let me know how you make out :)

Jpy11082745 · Answer

It looks like a top off of a office desk, take the back off, and set it agains't the wall to hide the pipes

Brenda · Answer

I'd paint, like Gina said. Even if I had to pay for the paint myself. Then put  a shade, or little cafe style curtain over this.

Sophia,M.,McConnery · Answer

Paint lighter colors,put a nice curtain on the shelves,and the one by the shower you can do the same.Is the wall by the shower styrofoam bricks?

Emily · Answer

even just 'styling' your shelves would make them look a lot better.  for instance in the first picture, on the third shelf, take the tall items and put them in height order from the right, tallest in the corner then decreasing heights. Also there you have a low basket, but low items on the shorter shelves.  It is o.k. for things to be displayed in the open, but think of making the display pretty!

Rphelps · Answer

I don't have any decorating ideas, but I do think the light clipped to the shower curtain rod is likely to kill you. Please find a safer lighting solution that doesn't involve a high potential for water+electricity.

Linda · Answer

Please forgive me;  but I noticed there is a lamp over by the shower.  Please please for your safety , move that away from all water sources.  If it should fall whil you are showering; you would be fried.

Rynn · Answer

As for the 'pipe storage area': I would get an over the door shoe holder to use for storage for small and light weight items. Then sit a pretty picture on the lower  'pipe shelf' to camouflage the pipes. Since there is no cabinet, could you use a skirt on the sink to create another storage area? If you can find a new home for most of your stuff, you could leave only the necessities out and use the current upper shelving for display, painting it as desired.

Lulu · Answer

What about painting the storage a nice color and then add a small light weight wood barn door pulley that goes left or right

Ev · Answer

How about placing mirror at the back of the shelves and perhaps that would help it look like an extension of the mirror beside it.  Or, doing a fabric or decorative paper/wallpaper against the back of the shelves and getting some narrow storage baskets with/without content identifying labels to pretty-up the clutter?

Lesley · Answer

I think I would turn the blue unit the other way up, so that the wider section is at the bottom, paint it white and add a pretty paper to the back. Have seen quite a few shelving units upended and they look so much better.

Sandy Slade · Answer

Hi, I  painted mine the same colour as my wall Added a longer  shelf on top  for plants and added net curtain wire to hang some voiles I already had  then added a rail  to  put a couple on towels over my radiator for a quick and cheap fix. Sorry really bad pictures but I am sure you get the idea. The voiles hide everything. .Please show us what you end up doing. Thanks

JuliaGulia · Answer

For the pipes..I would get a over the toilet stand alone shelf..take down the shelves that are there..or wire your stand alone shelf to the brackets already in the concrete wall..I would also afix that dangerous shower light to the new 
cabinet. Or and this better - get someone to install a proper light w/ outlets source into the existing outlet. Paint the chunky cabinet white add shelf paper and baskets or shutters.

Glenda · Answer

I would roll my towels and place them in a neat arrangement. I would use the idea for a mirror backing or wallpaper to create some interest. I would also look for a bamboo tower to use for other necessities. The plug and lighting are big issues. I might go ahead and hire an electrician to fix that problem. Time is money with those guys, so have a fixture and plug there, maybe even some electrical tape too!

Tris Smith · Answer

I would put a cloth or bamboo blind over that shelving unit and one over your window to match I would also add mirrors for extra light and add some greenery.

Lucy Catz · Answer

You can have thin mirrors cut to fit at any glass co. Repainting  a brighter color and mirrors would give a roomier and brighter appearance.

Marsha Shannon · Answer

Hang curtains or doors over the cabinèt, and place towels rolls on 1 shelf by shower, another with soaps, shampoo, conditioner, body wash

Suellen Hintz · Answer

My, this is a really difficult room.  Perhaps you'll get enough suggestions that you can do the entire room.  Suggestion is for the open shelves.  Measure everything carefully and try to find baskets or containers to fill the shelves.  Put wallpaper or decorative paper on the backs of the shelves after painting the entire unit.  Place your necessities in the baskets.  Coordinate your shower curtain by color or pattern.  I'm wondering if these walls are appropriate for tiling...if they are it would be a solution.  Build boxes to go over the pipes and wiring.  You didn't mention your favored style so materials are hard to suggest.

Michelle Dudley · Answer

Lots of great ideas!  Thanks to everyone!   I will post pictures as soon as it is redone!

Catherine Bridges · Answer

You should be able to take the top off this shelf ( the part that sticks out on top) and nail back when you leave the house. Then I would put one large picture framed as a door on the cabinets that swings out from the side closest to the medicine cabinet-so you can extend it past the cords hanging down to cover them. Or you c

Catherine Bridges · Answer

Or you could do the same thing but with a mirror.

T · Answer

Maybe try a tension  rod inside the box over shelves. Add colorful curtain or fabric.  Get a coordinating piece or two of fun tiles that are on a backing. Cut them in strips to put around the mirror. You would have to use a removes le adhesive since it's a rental.

T · Answer

Also on top of shelves add wood for a shelf if not already closed in.  Place baskets on top for not storage and to hide plug.  Might try an exstention cord to bring outlet to more manageable height and another outlet.

Deb · Answer

This cabinet is a medicine cabinet.  I had one exactly like it back in the 1970's.  It originally had two sliding mirrors on the front. The mirrors never slid good and I feared a mirror would break and fall in to the sink below.  It was one of the first things replaced!

Francis · Answer

Hi, As others have suggested I would probably use a small curtain rod and fabric to cover your 'stuff' . On the top wood going across I would add hooks to hang hand towels.  For the shelf near the shower, I would probably replace the shelf with towel racks...one higher and one lower...a towel rack that went pass the poles on both sides.  It would cover up the poles nicely.  As for your shower stuff perhaps a shower caddy would work for you.

Deb · Answer

My first thought was that the top of the cabinet looks like a naked cornice board.  You could make something to cover that existing board, and then organize items in baskets on the top 2 shelves, and 'corral' taller items on the bottom shelf with something similar to something like a (netted) cargo holder (similar to what might be found in the back of a vehicle to keep things from sliding around).  
You could then install a curtain over the shelves if you wanted.
Perhaps a power strip could be installed either on the right side of the box or elsewhere.  This would allow you to get rid of the adapter.

Cwh6899259 · Answer

Paint it to match the wall, it won't stand out so much. Flip it so that big piece on top is at the bottom. Can't see what that big bit is, but it looks like you could add a piece on the bottom, it could be like a cubby for frequently used items. Glue some decorative trim on it. Add hinges and doors to front.

Susan Dahlseide · Answer

Put a piece of wood on the top of the cabinet and install a portable plug in fluorescent light on the top or under the board. Which ever works best. Then install a short shower tension bar under the light and use a hemmed shower curtain with rings for easy opening. us this shelf to hide whatever uglies you like. Paint it white with a leaf pattern in green.

I'm drawing a blank on ideas of what I can do with this UGLY "thing"!

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I'm drawing a blank on ideas of what I can do with this UGLY "thing"!

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