DIY How To Funk Up A Vintage Record Cabinet With Cowhide

This unique mid century looking record cabinet with funky cowhide caught my eye today. I love putting a little funk into a piece of junk. What about you?

I swear I have seen these cabinets many a time in my local thrift stores. Dang, I wish I would have had the foresight. And, truth be told, most the items in my home where acquired at estate sales, garage sales and thrift stores. Shush... don't tell anybody!

"How To Deck Out an Old Record Cabinet

When you find one of these old record cabinets, you absolutely must buy it. After a good cleaning, it's a perfectly charming piece of furniture you can use for a side table, printer stand or even to hold a vintage turntable. Once the wood is cleaned up, sanded, primed and painted, the sides are ready to cover in spotted cowhide. It's a piece of furniture that's practical, as well as chock full of personality. Occasionally, DIY projects don't turn out as well as you imagined, not so with this one, it's a keeper.

Materials

furniture cleaner
sand paper or sanding pad
primer
latex enamel paint
fine steel wool
pieces of spotted cowhide large enough to cover the sides of the cabinet
Old Gold Furniture Polish
contact cement

Tools

small foam paint roller and tray
sharp utility knife
ruler
1 1/2" foam paintbrush
roller or brayer

Instructions
1. Place the cabinet on its back and remove the sliding doors
2. Clean up the outside and inside of the cabinet and legs with furniture cleaner and a cloth
3. Lightly sand the top and sides of the cabinet, wipe off dust with a cloth
4. Prime and paint the top and around the outside edges of the cabinet, let dry, repeat.
5. Use steel wool to clean up the sliding doors and rub them down with Old Gold furniture polish
6. Measure the side of the cabinet to determine how big to cut the cowhide
7. Cut two pieces of spotted cowhide, paint contact cement on the back side and on the cabinet side
8. Carefully adhere the cowhide to the sides of the cabinet. Use a roller or brayer to smooth the hide flat
9. Replace doors

Additional notes:Sometimes you can find pieces of hides at thrift stores. There are online sources for hides but there are also places that sell scraps. Do some investigation so you don't wind up with an entire hide."

View additional photos of this project.

Good luck and happy hunting for the perfect cabinet to transform!

What is the best DIY project you have ever done?

Love and light,

Christina

Article and photos found at Apartment Therapy.