Can I Make a China Hutch Into a TV Stand?

Selecting a China Cabinet

• Ideally, find a piece that has a lower cabinet with doors or drawers, and an upper hutch. When finished with your repurposing project, you will set your TV directly on the top surface of the cabinet and use the hutch to frame your TV at the top and sides. Before selecting and purchasing a china cabinet, measure to be sure your TV fits the cabinet and the cabinet fits in the space available.

Configuring the Cabinet

• If the hutch part has doors and shelves, remove them. However, consider leaving the uppermost shelves if your TV will fit underneath them. You can use them for storage or displaying decorative accessories. In the back panel of the hutch, drill holes for your media equipment's electrical cords. Unless you want to make cosmetic changes, the bottom cabinet likely will need no reconfiguring at all, except for cord holes in the back panel.

Paint or Stain

• If the china cabinet's finish is in good shape and you are happy with its color, you may choose to leave it as is. If you're after a specific look, now's the time to achieve it. Paint or stain your piece any way you desire, from a simple black satin paint job to shabby-chic distressing to a complete stripping and restaining in rich, dark cherry. Use your creativity to turn your repurposed piece into a fabulous focal point.

Putting Your Entertainment Center to Work

• Once your new entertainment center is in place in your living room or den, it's time to load it up and get it organized. Place your TV on top of the cabinet with the hutch surrounding it. Use the cabinet drawers and shelves to hold your DVD player, gaming system and and stereo equipment. You can store DVDs and extra cables in the lower cabinets as well. If your china cabinet is large enough, you may even have room to store a few lap blankets or board games.