If it were me, I would save up the $400 and pay for someone who knows what they're doing to do it.
As you say, you don't want to ruin the piece, and if it's a job well done and a piece you'll use, then money well spent IMO

Despite the fact that you know exactly what you want to do, this is not actually an easy job. $400 is not a bad quote, imo. Think of it this way: 20 hours at $20/hour (which is a pretty low hourly rate for a skilled carpenter) is one week of half-days.

It's hard to know how the piece is put together from just the photo, but I'm going to guess you'll need to remove the entire top - ideally intact - in order to remove the front panels. Nylon covered mini crow bars are ideal for lessening damage, but expect the wood to be both glued and nailed. And then you would need to size the front panels down by about 1/8 inch on all sides to allow for room for hinges (and have wood chisels to create hinge insets) and door openings - or decrease the width of the center piece and add an entire new edge underneath the top of the entire piece to allow room for door action. You would probably want to replace the entire top piece with one piece of wood too. All this, and you want to make sure any freshly cut edges or new pieces of wood match the existing.

Since I'm guessing neither of these options is realistic (i.e. $400 or doing what you are envisioning), you can just try to paint the nick in the filigree, replace the cloth with metal, and add on a nice, flat piece of wood to go over the top or a piece cut to fit into the recess (with an edge cut out for removal!), and just use the inside as deep storage for items you rarely need access to.

It sounds more complicated than something you could wing. That fretwork on the front panel is delicate. Save up the $400 and get it done right if you want to modify it as you suggested. Otherwise learn to live with it mostly as it is.

In addition to putting doors on the front, have you considered making new use of the sliding top panel? Have the carpenter remove the turn table and put in a shallow waterproof bin. Then, when you have a party, you can slide back that top panel, put some ice in the bin, then stand your drink bottles in there to stay cool and still be easily accessed by your guests. A shallow pan means that you can still have shelves below it and enough of the bottles will be standing up above the top of the unit so that folks see what's there.

I've seen similar things in antique sideboards, lead lined drawers for keeping bottles and other items cool.

This sounds like an idea and project I would have and take on. As a fellow DIY'er on a budget, I feel your pain. Although the suggestions here are probably not what you want to hear, I have to agree with them. I also agree the top will have to be removed before the front panels can be converted. Can you tell at all how it's attached?

I'm on team pay-a-professional -- especially since you got this beautiful piece for free. If you were to buy it, it would cost way more than $400.

the front is gorgeous, i dont think you should alter it all! maybe you could have the top detached and put it on a hinge. keep the sliding door so that you can have the shallow pan 'terry in silver spring' was talking about and then use the rest of the space as a trunk. you can even place items on display on top, if the stored items aren't ones that you need to access often. it might be a cheaper and far less invasive way to modify this piece into something more functional.

either way, beautiful find! good luck.

Unless you are a budding DIY carpenter with lots of prior project experience this isn't a project I would 'wing'.

Fixing the damage you are likely to do to it will probably cost more than to hire the professional in the first place.

As the purist I am on this sort of things... The most I would do is to gut the interior out of it electric components and leave as is..... refinish the exterior, replace the mesh (if absolutely needed) and put some easy access boxes with whatever it is you plan to store there....

I'd consider mirror behind that filigree before radiator grills. And agreed, $400 is a suitable investment. Save up.

Wonderful ideas! I'm on team-Terry with his ice-bin idea, and think that mirror would be very striking behind the filigree. Those ideas would cost much less than $400.00, and would respect the integrity of the piece much more, albeit it's not the purpose you had in mind... I noticed condensation rings on the top; is that a re-finish job or an orange-oil job that needs to be done there? I'm against refinishing pieces if at all possible.

Hi all, this is the Jessica in question. Thanks for taking the time to give me some much needed advice!

As far as the topic of $400 being a good trade for a buffet...let me just clarify that I live in central PA, and am lucky enough to stumble upon great MCM pieces for very little money compared to NYC and DC. So $400 would buy me something incredible around here, like a whole bedroom suite! The point is that I cannot spend that kind of cash on what is essentially a storage piece.
I am very crafty and handy, my husband and I are completely renovating our new home right now (thus no spare $$) so I have plenty of tools at my disposal. I have refinished furniture before, my mom is an antique hound.

In summary: to dc.d THANK YOU!!!! I don't know why I never thought to do hinges on the top! It's so much simpler, I can easily access the screws to remove the top, this can be done with no risk of damage to the cabinet. You get a gold star for the day!

I will try to do a tutorial with pics, and will definitely submit to the site when done! Thanks again everyone!

Does it still work? I would kill for a working turntable like that. Currently I'm using a new (cheap) little portable turntable I bought at Target to play my dad's old records.

While I understand being on a budget and trying to save money, $400 is not a bad quote for the amount of work a carpenter would need to do on this piece. You should consider it an investment. Done well, the 'sideboard' could last you a lifetime.

@phillaylay, seriously check craigslist once a week, you will find one for next to nothing!

http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/zip/2146839605.html
http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/zip/2168402120.html

where's the diy spirit gone? here are some examples to look at:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/jan-jumpstart-2008-news/gregorys-project-the-stereo-cabinet-7-moving-on-041778

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/sams-diy-mini-bar-credenza-090303

good luck!

@dalwan: thanks!! those were very helpful and inspirational! i'm not sure where the diy spirit went on this site, maybe the grinch ate it.

to all the people that voted for professional repair as the ONLY option: if i had $400 of disposable income it wouldn't be going to a dish cabinet. this was a piece that the guy was going to throw out or burn, i saved it hoping to convert it to a more useful purpose.

i appreciate the advice, but i'd hate for someone else to come across this post wondering the same thing and then getting intimidated into not going for it.

If you are very crafty and handy, why are you worried you are going to ruin it?

@patrick: i was worried about ruining it because i like it so much. i've refinished many pieces of furniture but never disassembled one to the extent i was originally thinking would be necessary. now that i have that awesome top hinge idea i'm not worried at all! i'm also very into your idea of putting mirrors behind the filigree...genius! thank you!

I would recommend carefully (REALLY CAREFULLY) cutting away the filigree'd panels, then backing them with 1x4 for added support. Then you can use concealed hinges with no problem.

For the top, I would get a piece of marble and add feet/shim it so it fits flush in the recessed bit. You'll still be able to take it out, but it's like having a built-in cheese platter!

Good luck!

I've had a lot of luck finding carpenters and craftsmen willing to work on trade off craigslist.

Depending on what skills you have, you could trade the whole cost or partial cost for landscaping, fixing a car, babysitting, a photo session, etc... just an idea. :P

Jessica, if you are going to DIY no matter what and you don't want to access through the top when you are redoing the fabric look at the method of assembly on the fillgree. If there are nails then pull them then if there is glue soften it with vinegar and ifyou absolutly haveto maybe some heat but not too much (hair dryer if no heatgun)- watch that finish!! Basicly remove the front panel, then build a frame to mount to the back of the filigree that can hold the mirror (try to keep it light=thin, say 1/16), pick the hinges work for the geometry of how the doors open (maybe dutch hinges?) mount your shelf and enjoy!

I say leave it alone! It is a wonderful piece on its own, and a conversational piece too.

$400 is a fair price. But I don’t think it would make a lot of sense to spend $400 on this item. Would you pay $400 for this if you saw it on craigslist or in a store? I would not. I don’t think it is worth that. It is a likeable piece – but certainly nothing special or rare.

I say save your $400 and keep looking for a sideboard that you can use as-is or modify on your own. And just use this as-is. A DIY job would probably destroy it.

And please, no mirrors! (read in the voice of Faye Dunaway in ‘Mommie Dearest’)

The filigree and surrounding frame seem too fragile to me to be directly converted into a door. You're definitely going to need to add support behind. Refinishing furniture and totally changing how it operates are in two different ball parks. I would recommend gutting the electronics out of the top and seeing how the interior is constructed before you decide for sure to install doors rather than use it like a chest. Check out some books on cabinet making from your local library.

I would put some good speakers inside, get a ipod hook up and have a updated music center..get out some good wood oil and give a good cleaning.

Hey jess--

Thank you for answering the question in the spirit in which it was intended... I realized, after typing, it sounded a little snarky. Which I'm not opposed to. Just not my intent here! :)

And to those who asked, "Would it be worth $400 in the end?" I say, heartily, yes!

I hate to be a hater, but there are plenty of people in the world looking for this piece, as-is, and they are nearly impossible to find. My hubby and I looked for 6 months before giving up. I personally know 3 people who are currently searching. Don't ruin it, sell it to someone who will appreciate what it is.

I'm biased because I have a strict budget to live on, but I would sell it to someone who wants this preserved as is, and use the money to buy a mid-century sideboard or credenza.

My mother still has (Lane, I think) dining room furniture, including a beautiful sideboard with drawers and cabinet storage. Depending on where you live, if you look, you might find one for $300-$600, and it would be designed from the ground up for exactly your purposes.

Two PP's have a very valid point (allisonnf and ProfKD). It is a little bit sad that you are going to permanently ruin a piece that so many people want to preserve and cherish in it's original state. If secondhand furniture is soooooo cheap where you are, just buy a sideboard and allow someone who really appreciates the piece to take/buy it.

to everyone who posted helpful tips and constructive criticism: thank you so much for trying to help a stranger out! i loved the links to other projects like mine and can't wait to get started!

to everyone who is telling me i shouldn't "ruin" this piece by trying to make it useful for my purposes...that there are so many people (including, apparently yourselves) that would want it for it's original music playing abilities: make me an offer. don't just sit there on your high horse harping on about how crap it is that i'm going to "destroy" this player. you're wasting everyone's time including your own.

did you know this was sitting in a guy's garage for 5 years? did you know he was going to leave it for the trash collector? that's nice that you are such a saint for wanting to preserve this important relic of yesteryear, but don't hate on someone who is actually trying to save something, and not just trolling internet posts. like i said: make an offer. put your money where your mouth is, and it better be more than $400.

if i had $400 to spend on a buffet i wouldn't have posted this question on this website.

i'm out.

I think you might have a hard time matching the chipped veneer, so I would (since no relic is sacred to me!) dismantle it, use wood filler on the chips, paint the whole unit black (I like black) and back the grillework with mirror (maybe plexiglass mirror for safety.) You might be able to remove the grillework carefully and attach it (and the mirror) to MDF or something to create doors, but maybe it would be more stable, or easier, to try the hinged doors on top. Good luck!

I understand what you are wanting, but as a lover of vintage audio, I hate to see its guts trashed. If restored, a high quality console like this will sound shockingly good!

Gorgeous piece and I hope you POST PHOTOS and an update when you finish it, whether you use someone or DIY, I'd love to see the finished product! Please keep us updated.

I got one from my grandmas house!! It's been gutted and I plan to turn it into a little minibar. Right now it's just extra counter space in my kitchen. Hope you get this worked out, I adore those things!

Also meant to say it was gutted before my possession, sad. :(

@Jess13, take the good, leave the bad. If you didn't want advice, why ask for it?

I thought a lot of the comments were helpful. It's a nice piece of furniture