Stylish Credenzas for Music Lovers
Roundup

Last week when I photographed Kristen and Mike’s Mid-Century Oasis, I was awe inspired by their incredible credenza with the built in Packard Bell vintage record player. Now I'm quite fixated on the idea of acquiring one for my own home or for my new artist studio space.

After deciding that I wanted to find a credenza similar to Kristen and Mikes, I began my search. There are quite a few available on Craigslist. One was even listed as "FREE; Sitting on the corner of…" Of course for those of you who are die-hard vinyl collectors, it will be worth it to spend a bit more money for one that's been well kept up. Some of them floating around in swapmeets or online have broken hardware or require new wiring. Also, I recommend checking out estate sales, and vintage stores that specialize in restoring classic pieces.

1. This mid century modern piece is the one I am in the works of acquiring, I found it on Craigslist for $200.

2. Another online resource for vintage furniture is TINI: This Is Not IKEA, and guess what fellow Angelenos? They just opened a store front on Fairfax last year!

3. This amazing musical storage was an IKEA hack that parallels the dimensions and idea of a more modern credenza. I thought it was really clever and well made. I spotted it while searching house and office tours on Unpluggd.

4. This one I found, while searching Craigslist LA was this very similar mid century piece complete with a reel to reel recorder and an AM/FM radio.

Images: as linked above

Comments (28)

I've been wanting one of these are a TV stand and haven't had much luck. They're the perfect size and have spaces for speakers...love.

We had one of these in my childhood home. Such fond memories of lying on the carpet listening. One great story: spent a whole day with one ear pressed to a speaker trying to decipher the words to HAIR (age 7), and that night entering my parents' party holding a tray of hors d'oeuvres while singing the opening words to the song I can't mention here (needless to say that record was out of my parents' home immediately). Good times.

I've always wanted one of these, but the boyfriend says no, and for good reason. It's huge, it's going to break, we're never going to get it fixed, and then it's just a huge, completely useless piece of wood. Albeit a beautiful useless piece of wood.

I got mine at a local thrift for 35 bucks! It's a good thing my bf can fix everything on it.

Those are lovely! We have a teak media console from my grandparents (which you can sort of see here) in our living room, otherwise I would be ALL OVER one finding of these.

I've been wanting one of these for a long time. The boy is a DJ and we have two turntables in the living room. It's fun, but it's a LOT of wires and equipment, and I would love something to contain them. Problem is these tend to only hold one deck, not two. Have you ever seen one that would hold two, or just has a flip up top to put anything?

I have a lovely Grundig console that I found on eBay. Everything works and it even has a button on the radio for the VATIKAN!

I also have a Grundig that belonged to my Great Aunt who purchased it overseas. It was with her in her Washington DC apartment until she moved to MN and I received it. It cost about $800 to get it working again, but I would say it is definitely worth it - it plays records, radio - FM and short wave. It is the centerpiece of our family room.

I asked myself, "what's the difference between a credenza and a buffet?" I found out that a credenda and a sideboard are much the same thing, and a buffet is sort of slang for a sideboard. Interestingly, according to the Great Wiki, "In the 16th century the act of credenza was the tasting of food and drinks by a servant for a lord or other important person (such as the pope or a cardinal) in order to test for poison."

We have a record console from 1960, and as I bought it in working condition, it was dead E A S Y to introduce a path for in a digital music source.

First, route the RCA outputs from the turntable into an RCA switchbox instead of the amp. Then a headphone-plug-to-RCA cable goes into other RCA input, and the switchbox-OUT goes to the amp.

This setup lets us listen to iPhone (iPod, Pandora, etc) through the tube amp and big ole speakers, inside a pretty MCM console.

Try it. You will LOVE it. Go forth and amplify.

I have a beautiful teak zenith that I found at a salvation army for $20, i've had it for years! The radio has always worked fabulously. Sadly, we moved into our new house and I just never found a good place for it (as another poster stated, its huge and is really only a radio...) so its been in our garage. Im so ashamed!

Retro fun!

Lovely.

I realize I'm dating myself here but I'm laughing hysterically at this description...
"credenza with the built in Packard Bell vintage record player". The proper term is *console stereo system*. Must we rename everthing to make it more appealing? And the term 'vintage' was uncalled for. Seriously.

Enjoyed the post, though. And the giggle.

~thanks

I'm actually revamping one of these right now to be the hidden media rack and storage. I got it for $25 and the size was perfect.

I found one for free on the side of the road by an apartment that was being cleared out, one of the guys clearing out the space offered to haul it down the street to my apartment. We had it for about a year, and then sold it when we moved across the country. I wish we could of held onto it, but we had to purge and I made some money on it, so all is well. It was a Sears Silvertone.

We had one like this in my childhood home. In 1970. No reel to reel, though, LOL.

I just aquired one of these last weekend at an estate sale. The sign said 'does not work. make offer'. $5.00 and we took it home. It actually does work. It was a good day.

we have one, purchased at a thrift store in van nuys. we replaced one of the speakers with computer speakers (way better quality) and i bluetoothed them using airfoil and an airport. i love that i get to control the music from my laptop (usually using pandora).

I am selling something similar if anyone is interested: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/fuo/2184235596.html

I actually bought a very similar one off of ebay last year. If anyone (in the New York area) knows someone who makes house calls (since it's too big to transport around) and would be able to hook it up to an ipod dock, please let me know!

I had one of these growing up, my father gave his to my grandmother, who in turn taught me how to use it. I think they are lovely pieces!

I have one of these waiting for me at my parents' house--along with a full record collection.

They finally upgraded to a shelf stereo system, and I can't wait to "downgrade" to the warm sound of music from my childhood.

But where the hell am I going to put it? :)

The one with the reel-to-reel is awsome.

I love modern audio gear, but these vintage consoles can sound great.

I've always called the sideboard with a radio and record player a "hi-fi". That came from my grandmother, who calls a couch a "davenport".

I have one of these...my mom used to own a diner and someone left one by her dumpster. She took it home, eventually gave it to my grandma, who gave it to me 2 years ago. It is in pretty good condition, small chip on one side I think. When we got it, it still worked! It ended up sparking once and I haven't plugged it in since. It is currently being used as a sidetable in my dining room mostly just to display some decorative items on top.

Just checked, mine still works! It's a zenith...

i have two of these that have been in storage in my parents basement. just moved one into my new place and it only works sometimes. who can i get to fix this? any ideas?