When your daughter casually mentions in conversation that she's thinking about putting a small media cabinet in her living room and her Mother is an upcycle junkie. Goodwill to the rescue the very next day. This one's for you Victoria! I hope you like your new repurposed mid-century cabinet painted yellow like you wanted.

Repurposed Mid Century Cabinet

The pictures do not do the color justice because in person it reads more like a dark mustard yellow. My daughter and son-in-law gave me the thumbs up on the paint color for both the exterior and interior of the cupboard before I put paintbrush to paint.

The knobs and pulls are temporary. My daughter and son-in-law's black twig style knob preference didn't arrive on time for the photos.


Today is one of my favorite days of the month because it is Furniture Fixer Upper Day. Six talented furniture upcycling friends come together on the fourth Thursday every month to breath new life into a piece of furniture.

I figured since my daughter wanted a media cabinet and I needed a piece of furniture to makeover for the October makeover day it's a win-win for both of us.

I've included links to my friend's furniture makeovers at the bottom of this post. Last month, after some repairs, I gave our Dining Room Headboard Bench a makeover with a French graphic and new upholstery.


The cabinet started as a small mid-century modern sideboard with the top drawer lined with felt and wood dividers.


To repurpose the sideboard into a media cabinet we removed the top drawer and turned the opening into a cubby to house media components. You bet I saved that drawer for future upcycling potential.


For a pop of color on the inside of the cupboard, she chose a light grey.


Being a small cabinet, it's perfect for compact spaces. I could see this being used in a bedroom as a combination television stand and dresser. My daughter plans on using it to house our grandchildren's videos, hubby's gaming equipment, and the family board games.


They have a wall-mounted television so the top of the cabinet can be decorated with family photos and such.

Here's how we repurposed the MCM sideboard into a small media cabinet

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. At no cost to you, we receive a small commission if you make a purchase.

For this makeover, I used what I had on hand in the workshop and you'll notice several different product brands. As long as they are all water-based products, you're good to go.

Cleaning and repairs

First I removed the drawers and on the back labeled each one with chalk. This way you are guaranteed a perfect fit when you put them back in. I also taped the holes for the knobs on the inside of each drawer so the paint doesn't seep inside.

Next, I used my shop vac to vacuum all those dust bunnies and cobwebs inside the cabinet. Then I gave it all a bath with water, vinegar and a drop of Dawn dish soap.

There were a lot of deep scratches and chipping along the edges so those were filled with non-shrinking filler and sanded smooth once dry.

Replacing the top drawer with a media shelf

Next up is finishing the cubby where the top drawer was removed which will house media components. To do this first 1" x 1" strips were glued on the back panel of the cabinet. Three more were glued from the front of the frame to the back wall and clamped in place.

Once the glue cured, a 1/4-inch sheet of hardboard was cut to fit the back and the bottom of the opening and glued onto the wood strips with construction adhesive (pictured below).

Prepping the cabinet for paint

Instead of sanding the glossy finish to give the paint some bite I brushed two coats of Slick Stick Primer by Dixie Belle Paint Company (link in the supply list). I applied it with the same paintbrushes I plan on using to paint the cabinet. I let the first coat dry for a couple of hours and the second coat overnight.

Time to add the pretty

I tried a new to me chalk type paint in the color Goldenrod, which is a dark mustard color. This stuff is thick but has fantastic coverage. I prefer painting thin coats so I diluted the paint with a little water to a heavy cream-like consistency.

I also like to work with a damp paintbrush so I spritz it with my handy dandy hair dresser's water mist bottle after every second dip in the paint. This helps the paint move better.


For the inside of the cupboard, I used three coats of light Pewter chalk-style paint applied with my favorite stubby paintbrush (link in the supply list).


Here it is after the first coat and you can see that I got really good coverage. I applied a second coat a few hours later.

Changing the color on the cabinet pulls

I found two mid-century modern dresser pulls in my stash salvaged from a makeover long ago. Not liking the gold finish I changed the color to black with hammered spray paint. Like I mentioned at the top of this post, my daughter doesn't plan on using these pulls so back in the stash they'll go until the perfect piece comes along.

Protecting the paint finish

Last but not least was protecting all that hard work with a clear coat. Because this cabinet is going in a home with young children and three cats, I gave it three thin coats of water repellent Gator Hide. No worries when my grandbabies put their sippy cups on top of the cabinet.

I used my go-to detailing pads to apply the finish on the sides, top, and drawer fronts. I pour some Gator Hide onto a paper plate, spray the pad to dampen it just a little, and dip it into the Gator Hide. It gives a beautiful streak-free finish. For the harder to reach places I used the same paintbrush used throughout this makeover, cleaned of course.


We will be delivering the cabinet this weekend and I can't wait to see what it looks like in my daughter's home.

If you have any questions about this makeover, please leave them in the comment section below or press the Contact Me button at the top of the blog to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!


Please join me by pressing the links below to see how my talented friend's transformed these furniture pieces.

1. Girl In The Garage
2. Petticoat Junktion
3. Confessions Of A Serial DIYer
4. Just The Woods
5. Salvaged Inspirations
6. Interior Frugalista (that's me)

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.