Sewing Cabinet to Outdoor Bar
My mom’s friend picked up a sewing cabinet from the curb knowing that I would enjoy making it over. This sewing cabinet is no longer a sewing cabinet, it’s now an outdoor bar.
Sewing Cabinet to Outdoor Bar
Sewing cabinets are easy to find in thrift shops or even for free. People aren’t sewing much these days and have no use for a sewing cabinet.
Turing a sewing cabinet into an outdoor bar is a great way to upcycle an unwanted item and to turn it into something useful.
Sewing Cabinet Before
This sewing cabinet had definitely seen better days.
Someone decided to decorate each leg by gouging the wood. They did this in a fairly even pattern around each leg.
The top was full of ring marks and one of the faux drawers had come off. Perhaps someone used the hardware for something else as it was missing.
How to Make the Outdoor Bar
After cleaning the cabinet, I used copious amounts of wood filler to smooth out the gouge marks on the legs. After the wood filler dried, I sanded the legs to get them as smooth as I could and then sanded the rest of the piece.
An 18-quart dishpan from Walmart was purchased to become the sink part of the bar. Mr. SP decided that the dishpan should be inset into the cabinet so that the tabletop pieces could close over the sink. To accomplish this, we first traced the top of the dishpan and then cut on the line with a jigsaw.
We then cut plyboard to hold the dishpan into place. We had to use two pieces of plyboard because we didn’t have a large enough piece on hand and had to make do with scraps. The plyboard was glued and screwed into place, so it should have no problem supporting the weight of a dishpan loaded with ice and drinks.
Here you can see that the dishpan is flush with the cabinet top. No one will ever know that it’s inside with the leaves are shut.
Making the Outdoor Bar Pretty
I wanted to use a bright and cheerful color for this piece since its meant to use outdoors for parties. I chose Ava from The Plaster Paint Company.
To protect the paint, I sealed this piece with my favorite poly, General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin.
The original bat wing pulls were reused but given an update with black spray paint.
The knobs came with an Ikea Rast dresser. We upgraded to pretty knobs for that patriotic hack and kept these in case we ever needed them.
Enjoying the Outdoor Bar
When the sewing cabinet leaves are opened, the party can begin!
The leaves offer plenty of space for snacks, napkins, and glasses.
The dishpan can be filled with drinks and ice inside and then easily added to the bar area outside.
When the party is over, dump the ice in the grass, put the dishpan back in the cabinet, take the snacks inside, fold up the leaves, and clean-up is done.
The wood filler worked like a charm on the gouges in the legs. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but you’d never know that those marks were there.
This piece is now used at the lake entertaining on the dock.
Our guests love seeing it and it is always a conversation starter.
What a save, Paula! It never looked so good. Great job!
Super transformation and I love the bright blue paint!
Paula, this is brilliant! What a great makeover, and what a wonderful way to take advantage of the fact that the cabinet opens up. You are one smart cookie!
I love seeing these made into bars! It turned out so cute! Well done!
Very clever use of an old sewing table, Paula! Love the hidden ice bucket idea and how it all folds up into a pretty outdoor table. Your Bluegrass party at the lake sounds like so much fun – enjoy your Outdoor Bar Cart!
This may be my favorite project of yours yet! What an awesome idea!! I love that you can use it at your lake house too. Sounds like you have a bunch of fun weekends coming up! Enjoy!
That turned out really well! I have been looking for an old sewing cabinet to repurpose but have not yet run across one at a reasonable price. I’m pinning this for inspiration!
Perfect makeover for this sewing table! Now, I need to find a sewing table to do the same thing! Great job!
This is such a great makeover. You are so clever and I love the color.
Oh wow, Paula! This is just too cool!! Looks like the legs were a cat’s scratching post, but you could hardly tell now! And the color is perfect for a party outdoors!! XO
I love how the blue color POPS on this piece! What a fun makeover 🙂
Well, Paula, all of your hard work really paid off on the makeover! Love the color and the purpose for this piece! Great Job!
This is so cool, Paula! I love the color and I know you guys will enjoy your new party piece for years to come.
Super repurpose!!! I have one of those tables awaiting a makeover and yours is definitely inspiring! Pinning for later!
You did such a beautiful job with your bar! I love the color and you’re right, you’d never know the legs were once damaged! 🙂
Paula, I’m just stopping back by to thank you for joining the Grace at Home party and to let you know I’m featuring you this week. I’m just smitten with your outdoor bar! 🙂
Love this to the moon and back. Look for it among our honored features on Friday’s Furniture Fix and out on social media in the next few days. Susie from The Chelsea Project
Wow! Who would have thought! Well, you did!! This is so brilliant and it looks great! I see these cabinets at all the thrift stores. Now I know what to do with it!
What a beautiful makeover! You worked wonders with that wood filler–I’ve never had luck getting it that perfect. Thank you for sharing at Merry Monday!
Such a clever idea…turned out GREAT!
Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
Blessings,
Cindy
Wow! What a makeover. I love it!! Thanks for sharing at You’re Gonna Love It!
Thanks, Kim! I wish you could have stopped by our dock to see it in action at SML.
Paula
Such a great makeover Paula! Thanks for sharing the idea with me! I will be on the hunt for another sewing cabinet 😉
It is fun to use on the dock at the lake!
Paula
What a unique idea! I have an old sewing machine bound for the trash, maybe I will have to save it for this purpose!
We really enjoy using this and it was a great way to repurpose a sewing table and to keep it out of a landfill.
Paula
What a great repurpose, you did a great job.
Such a cool & fun idea! I love the shade of blue you chose. To me it just sings “tropical.” And then you have the boat drinks right there. Pretty soon, I’m going to be singing a Jimmy Buffet tune…..
I have two old sewing machine cabinets! I love this idea and I may just have to try it!
The bar came out really good and what a great way to upcycle! I’m inspired to make my own now. THanks for sharing this idea with us at #OMHGWW
That is such a great idea! We found so many of these old sewing machines cleaning out my husband’s grandparents’ house. I love that upcycle.
Thank you so much! It’s nice to create something useful out of a piece headed for the landfill.
Paula
I loved your cabinet conversion, Paula! Such a fun color you chose, too! I’m now on the lookout for something like this! Thanks for sharing it with us at Tuesday Turn About. I was happy to feature you.
Oh My Lanta! That is the cutest, and I mean the cutest, redo of a sewing machine I’ve ever seen! You are a genius! I’m on the hunt for one now! Love it! Pinned
Thank you, Cindy! I see these frequently at Goodwill. Speaking of Goodwill, I hope ours reopens soon!
Paula
I love this and it was my inspiration to do one myself! Question though, the left flap that opens up, how do you keep that stable? When I have mine open and place anything at all on it, it starts bending downward and I’m not sure how to correct that.
Hi, Paige! I suspect that the hinges on your left side may be your problem. Good luck with your project!
Paula