Back in 2018, one of my living room improvement projects involved making a feature wall with veneered wood panels and moving all the A/V wiring and TV to that wall. Because of the space constraints of the narrow wall, the old component console wouldn't fit. The only thing I had on hand that would work as a makeshift stand was a rolling bar cart. The cart was supposed to be a temporary solution but it stayed there almost 6 years. This past December I finally got started building a dedicated media cabinet. I completed it this past week and was able to retire the bar cart.
The design is mid-century modern inspired with slanted front, exterior legs, and teak-colored veneer (Izombe - a teak substitute). The legs and support frame are red oak, ebonized using tannin "tea" and iron acetate solutions. The cabinet is birch plywood laminated with Izombe veneer. The drawer pull is Gaboon ebony.
I wanted the mess of interconnection wires to be concealed inside the cabinet and not laying all over the floor, so I included a well behind the drawer to hold the power strip and left space behind the shelves to route wires between components. The rear panel is removable and held in place with magnets. It rests on a cable pass-through that keeps the cables tidy. Check out the build blog for all the construction details and lots of photos.
(Extra credit for whoever can name the inaugural movie we watched with the new setup.)
Another great MCM inspired piece and it turned out fantastic. Hiding all of the wire clutter along makes this a great project. I enjoyed following along with your progress too. You should start selling your designs! ...On second thought, give them to me for free and then start selling them. ;-)
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
That looks great in place, Ross. I know you were a bit concerned about all the wood tones, but it looks like everything plays well together. There’s enough contrast between the console and wall, and the legs raise the case far enough to keep it from blending with the floor.
Hey, thanks for all the enthusiastic comments! Steve - yeah, I like it in its new location. It's kind of visually jarring the difference between old and new. Ryan - Thanks, man. Eric - I do like the exterior legs. I did not attach the base because I may make a turned-leg alternative in the future. (not Mission Impossible) 987Ron, Tony, Nathan - The cord organizer worked out well. I do still need to shorten some of the cables, but otherwise I'm happy with the result. Ron S - I agree about the wood tones. My wife and I are happy with how the new cabinet fits in. Pottz - Definitely a upgrade. I'll take "art piece" anytime. Thanks! Jim - Thanks! I'm biased, but I agree. Splinter - My wife reclaimed the bar cart - she had graciously let me swipe it year ago. And you're the winner - the movie is Blade Runner (Final Cut) - my favorite sci-fi movie.
This turned out fantastic Ross! Thanks for the blog too. I enjoy blog series that are written in process so all the decisions and reasoning is fluid. Great write up and a fantastic piece. Great taste in cinema too 😎
Gary - Thanks. Best of luck with your cabinet. Ken - Very kind, thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the blog. Blade Runner - it's the only 4K movie I own. The visuals, mood, and soundtrack - a perfect blend.
