What were we thinking?

So.


We had a perfect good (but 25 years old and not our "style") solid oak, china cabinet in our dining room....



We've been talking about building a "built in" cabinet to match the character of our house, which was built in the 20's. We've even collect miscellanous door and drawers at our local salvage/reuse store. Last Saturday we headed into town to see what was new at the reuse store and found this great old cabinet out of an elementary school in Seattle. It was 5'4" tall and 9' long. For some reason we (actually just me) thought it would fit in our basement and I could use it for all kinds of storage.



We put a hold tag on it and headed home. We measured and calculated and thought it would work. My husband and son headed back to town to pick it up. I'm unsure how we miscalculated (and this time I do mean we) but it didn't come CLOSE to fitting down our stairs. By the time the cabinet wrangling was over, the washer, dryer and back stair railing were in the middle of my kitchen.



What were going to do with the $340 9' long cabinet?? I had a brilliant idea that it could somehow be incorporated into the "built in" we were planning for the dining room. I emptied the old china cupboard and my husband proceeded to build a "structural" base (which will get finished in the future - using the collected doors and drawers). Then all 3 of us proceeded to lift this cabinet onto the base... I think I was just moral support. ;)

Apparently the incorrect measuring was still happening since the cabinet didn't fit! Back down to the floor, take apart the base, cut down and rebuild. Heave-ho again and it was up with millimeters to spare!


The cabinet has solid doors that we are going to cut out and put in glass, then a little molding, primer, paint and VOILA... a new home for the china. I think this cabinet will have more storage then my entire kitchen!

Hopefully it will be a finished project before summer and veggie garden season.