Monday, January 12, 2015

1906 Victrola Makeover

Victrola Cabinet Before
A customer had contacted me about refinishing an old Victrola Gramophone cabinet to be used as a bathroom vanity for her remodeled basement bathroom. The cabinet had the music apparatus removed, but still had the split top and a hole on the side where the crank had once been. The cherry was quite beautiful, but in its condition, it was difficult to envision just how nice it truly was.
Victrola Cabinet After

Stripping the cabinet was first on the list of things to do. After all the previous old stain had been painstakingly removed, it was then sanded and re-stained with cherry stain. In order to prepare the top for the bowl-style vessel sink, it was necessary to fill in the space between the two sides with wood filler then stain over it. Since the top had a left and a right side which the customer had wanted to keep, this was the most feasible solution and it looked pretty good.

My customer had discussed replacing the hardware, but I assured her she'd have plenty of time to choose that once the cabinet had been refinished. I'm sure she'll have fun searching for the perfect hardware because there's so much to choose from. This was definitely a unique refinishing item but as always, very rewarding because this old gem has many years of use left it in as it makes its debut as the most beautiful vanity. What a great way to use an old piece of furniture...
Old Victrola in Customer's Basement Complete