We love the idea of using vintage furniture in a completely new way. This practice is great for the environment and it can be a creative option to buying new furniture. Marni, an Apartment Therapy reader, emailed us pictures of her old card catalog that she now uses as a home bar. It perfectly holds most wine and liquor bottles and helps with keeping things organized. A few of the drawers are reserved for mixers. Marni's friend helped with the custom built base, so the top surface is at perfect height for making drinks. More photos after the jump...
We posted about a similar idea using a card catalog a while back. The height of this one is more flexible and the two pull out writing/organizing surfaces provide extra space for mixing drinks. Cheers!
If you are looking for an old card catalog, you should definitely visit Bay Area's flea markets. Alameda Point Antiques and Collectibles Faire would be a great place to start. Also you might be lucky enough to find one on eBay, Craigslist, or Etsy. Good luck!
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Sure hope those caps are on tight...
Gods, I love this idea. "EB" for Emergency Bourbon and so many other fun possibilities.
Now if only I could get my hands on one that wouldn't cost an Arm and a Leg (filed separately).
Even though I'm intensely fond of old card-catalog cabinets, I find this use just a little too fey.
Guess it depends on the space it will occupy. Funny, though, I saw a neat-looking/vintage green metal version on a site called Cococozy http://www.cococozy.com/2008/06/vintage-index-card-file-cabinet.html. I want one but I don't know what I would do with it...or where I'd put it!
I also have a great fondness for the Index Cabinet... I would probably line the bottom with a nice wool felt and use it for jewelry or if I were a man and had lots of ties... stack each drawer full of ties... looks like enough room not to wrinkle. Having to lay the bottles down might seem a bit odd, but points for creativity!
Hot!
I like sfteri's ideas about stacking these drawers with ties or jewellery. But bottles don't quite seem like the right thing to put in them.
I have a similar use for old cassette tape drawers - you know those ugly-ass ones that have black drawers and the main part is covered in that plastic woodgrain veneer? They're pretty retro, they sually cost $0.50 to $2.00 at secondhand shops, and they're great for storing cotton thread, tools, and other craft supplies. Craft supply storage can be SO expensive.
Love the idea! I agree with Julz, craft storage is terribly expensive, this would be a great way to manage that. I like the bar idea though... very tempting.
However find the outlet cover really distracting in this picture and I'm never sure why folks don't paint them the same color as the walls or baseboard.
I think it's a great idea, and it looks good too. It's nice to have booze at hand without having to display it all the time.
BUT, storing opened bottles of alcohol sideways can lead to heartache. I tried to store mine horizontally in a wine bottle rack, but the tops of most alcohol bottles, even the nice brands, are too cheapy to make a good seal when the bottles are lying down, so they slowly leak. The more viscous, sweet things, like peach schnapps, were especially messy to clean up, too.
Love it! I've been deterred from buying an old card catalog for ages because... what the heck could you put in it? But it looks perfect for wine storage, and with wine you dont have all the cap issues...
Wow! That is so awesome!
Hey this is great! I LOVE my card catalog and had a lot of fun refinishing it. I got it for a couple hundred bucks at an antique store in downtown Reno. I use mine in my art room/office for supplies. Mine is much larger and almost looks like an apothecary. Check it out at http://www.oliveandlove.com/2009/09/card-catalog-furniture-evolution.html
Love this upcycled idea. And the custom base is the perfect addition to update/modernize the piece. Check out this site if you need someone to help custom make yours (or something similar) http://custm.co/at/6