Reconfiguring

Last year I snagged this gorgeous Dutch Colony antique armoire from Singapore off of the local Craigs List for an unbelievable rock-bottom bargain price. How old it is, I don’t know enough about antiques to tell, but have been told that maybe it is as old as 18th or 19th century. From the hand-carved floral design on the doors and trim up top, the hand-hewn markings on the lumber lining the inside and the basic design and stability of the piece, I am absolutely delighted with it and admire its detail.

Antique Dutch Colony Armoire from Singapore

I originally configured this armoire as a desk for an old desktop computer system, and while I’ve streamed the occasional movie on this computer, having a laptop computer and a Kindle Fire, it seems I rarely sit at this desk and compute. Besides, if I want, there is a desk in the study/guest room right in front of a big, beautiful window where I can sit and use the laptop if I want to do some serious computing. Thus it seems this armoire, although a beautiful piece of furniture in the main part of the condo, is totally under-utilized as a funtional piece of furniture.

Currently configured as a computer desk

Recently, while working on a sewing project on the dining room table, I got the idea that I ought to turn this under-utilized armoire into a useful sewing area. Looking for inspiration on armoire reconfigurations on Pinterest, I found the most amazing piece (go here to see more – http://pinterest.com/pin/551479916840643062/ ). This is exactly what I had in mind. Well, I won’t be painting that beautiful, hand-hewn wood that lines the back of my piece; but the shelves in my armoire have been replaced with modern lumber, so I can paint those. I can also make colorful fabric and ribbon bulletin boards (something like this – http://pinterest.com/pin/551479916840681413/ – only in a color that matches my color scheme) to attach to the inside of the doors of my armoire and I can add a hinged (or pull-out shelf) to use as the sewing machine/pressing surface. Don’t you just love projects that create something useful out of something so lovely – and under-utilized?

Inspirational piece from Pinterest – an armoire configured as a sewing station

Here it is after relocating the computer to the desk in the study and the sewing machine, fabrics, supplies and tools to the armoire. I’m loving it as is, and there was so much room, I was able to use one of the shelves to store my watercolor and other painting supplies. Yeah!

Filled with sewing machine, fabrics, sewing notions & watercolor supplies

Yet to do:

• Paint the interior shelves.
• Add a slide out shelf just below where the sewing machine is now to use when sewing, and paint that shelf
• Make fabric and ribbon covered bulletin boards with pockets for inside both doors – for notes, patterns, photos, pin cushion, other little supplies
• Add a small flourescent lamp under the very top shelf to add better lighting when sewing

So far there has been no immediate cost for this recogfiguration. I  have a quart of paint on hand that I got as a free sample a year or so ago that is about the color of my inspirational cabinet that will be perfect for this project. I have plenty of fabric and ribbon in my fabric/supply stash for covering the bulletin boards, but will need to purchase the actual boards to cover, and I will have to purchase a small flourescent lamp. I will first, of course, check our local ReStore for these items before i head to a real hardware store.

Even though it is not yet quite finished, already I love it!