Quirky DIY Transforms Obsolete TV into Colorful Liquor Cabinet

With today's sleek flat-screen TV technology, a CRT (tube) set is becoming increasingly rare inside modern homes. These vintage devices are often overlooked and discarded, being seen as obsolete. However, Norwegian DIY enthusiast Kjell Are had an inventive, alternative use for one of these television sets. Rather than simply discarding the antiquated object, Are transformed it into a quirky liquor cabinet. He even documented the entire process in an Imgur album.

Are's television of choice was the Tandberg TV3-47–an old-fashioned TV he picked up at a second-hand store for a mere $30. It has a chestnut stain and features a sliding door to conceal the screen when not in use. To begin the project, he carefully removed the circuits, CRT tube, and other internal elements, in addition to the glass display. He then fit the insides with thick composite wood, sanded them down, and painted the interior a shade of mint green. A small speaker and lighting were installed, illuminating the bottles in a cool blue hue. The result is a unique, now-functional piece of furniture that makes a bold statement in his living room.

Kjell Are: Instagram | Reddit

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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