Over the years, Ken and I have completed a variety of repurposed kitchen cabinet projects.
We’ve made a kitchen sideboard, a coffee table bench, and even a quirky, burlap-wrapped cat litter cabinet.
The kitchen cabinets of old are often sturdy, and made with wood, while more modern cabinets can be a combination of wood and man-made materials. And who knows, as time goes on if real wood will continue to be a material used in cabinetry or other pieces of furniture, at all, for that matter. Thus, re-using cabinetry that was manufactured several years ago, or more, for other areas of your home, might not be such a bad idea, in my humble opinion. Of course, the supply chain issues only add to this notion, unfortunately.
New Ways To Re-Use Old Kitchen Cabinets
Here is a quick view of the list of ways you can repurpose kitchen cabinets for other uses in your home.
- Coffee Table
- Storage Bench
- Cat Litter Cabinet
- Coffee Station
- Sideboard
- Bathroom Storage Side Cabinet
- Window Seat / Electronics Storage Cabinet
- Laundry Room Storage
- Built-In Dining Area Bench
- Outdoor Covered Free Book Library
- Breakfast Bar
- Kitchen Island
- Potting Bench
- Shoe Storage Bench
- Dart Board Cabinet
Lots of creativity going on here, right? Now let’s break out each one with more details for a better picture of what you can imagine for your home.
Upcycled Kitchen Cabinet Bench/ Coffee Table
Upcycled Kitchen Cabinet Coffee Table/Storage Bench
Turn a kitchen cabinet into a bench, a coffee table, or both. I found a singular vintage upper kitchen cabinet years ago. It was so sturdy that we turned it into a coffee table bench and kept it unadorned, yet functional for years. All along, we’ve used it to store board games and other miscellaneous gaming goodies.
Only years later, did we finally give it a fancy makeover with boho wallpaper for a much more chic appearance.
It still holds our board games and works as a coffee table, while it also doubles for extra party seating when we have a large crowd.
Repurposed Kitchen Cabinet Cat Litter Enclosure/ Coffee Station
DIY Upcycled Cat Litter Cabinet Transformation
Transform an old kitchen cabinet into a hidden kitty litter cabinet, or a coffee station (or both?) Once upon a time, Ken and I drove a good 20 miles to purchase two used vintage kitchen cabinets that were about 60 years old.
Frighteningly enough, when we were cleaning them up, these creepy red spiders came crawling out from inside the cabinets. I started hyperventilating, and Ken freaked out almost as much. Ken did the honors of “removing” them. We cleaned the insides down extra, extra carefully with bleach. Thank goodness there were only a few of those critters.
After we calmed down from that scare, we eventually created this quirky kitty litter enclosure out of the first cabinet. Ken cut an opening for the cat on the side. I painted the countertop with chalkboard paint and finished off the drawers and doors with burlap coffee sacks.
In the end, I called it a coffee sack-covered, coffee station/cat litter cabinet. Try to say that 10 times fast, lol.
Pretty over the top, I know.
One lady even commented that she would never drink a cup of coffee that was served on top of a cat litter enclosure. I tend to think, she’s not the only one… I was over-reaching, to say the least, lol.
But, if you’re looking for ways to repurpose kitchen cabinets, and you’re a cat-lover, a basic kitty litter cabinet (without all the frills I added) is certainly a great option.
Or, if you are looking to set up a coffee station, then this idea may be helpful, too.
Re-Use Cabinets To Add Storage To Another Area of Your Home
Repurposed Kitchen Cabinet Sideboard (With A Wallpaper Covered Countertop.)
Maximize the storage in your home by moving an old lower kitchen cabinet to a new location. We turned the 2nd vintage cabinet into a sideboard for our kitchen. The cabinet was already painted white, which we preferred, but the key change we did make was updating the outdated countertop with faux wood wallpaper. The cabinet has lots of storage which gave our kitchen a less cluttered look. Always a great goal whether you use the piece in the kitchen, the craft room, or the garage, for example.
Full List of Budget-Friendly Upcycled Kitchen Cabinet Ideas
Explore these ideas for repurposing stock and older kitchen cabinets that can enhance other areas of your home, while avoiding extra costs incurred by investing in new materials and/or furniture.
Bathroom Storage Side Cabinet
While most of us focus on painting the outside of a cabinet, this makeover adds contrast with a dark gray painted inner cupboard while keeping the outer portion bright white. So sleek and stunning. I love this idea.
Painting Stock Cabinets For Laundry Room Storage
This laundry room makeover shows you that stock, oak-style cabinets can be dressed up with your favorite paint color to create a whole new vibe. In this case, the laundry area was already equipped with storage cupboards, but if yours isn’t, you could certainly add some, space provided.
From Kitchen Cabinet To Breakfast Bar
This is certainly one of the ideas we are considering for our kitchen. Two old upper kitchen cabinets were repurposed into a cozy breakfast bar with added storage to boot. If you live in a small home and want a place to sit down and eat, this project is worth considering for sure.
Outdoor Covered Free Book Library For Kids
Who knew? A kitchen cabinet can be used outdoors if it’s in a covered area, or you give it a DIY covered tin roof like this adorable, and most importantly, useful book library. If only to be a kid again and come upon such a treasure.
DIY Window Seat From a Kitchen Cabinet
When you can get a two-for-one, all the better in my book. A set of newer-model, upper kitchen cabinets repurposed as a window seat that doubles for electronic storage. Check out this tutorial that shows you how to add an additional wood structure to make it secure enough for lounging with a good book, playing checkers, or just peering out on a bright sunny day.
Build A Custom-Look Window Seat Using Stock Kitchen Cabinets
Small home alert!! A bench seat, whether against a window or against a wall is a space-saver indeed. Learn how to use stock upper kitchen cabinets to build out this project and cut down on the square footage taken up by standard dining chairs.
Repurposed Kitchen Cabinet Cat Litter Enclosure/ Coffee Station
We made this quirky kitty litter enclosure out of the first cabinet. Ken cut an opening for the cat on the side. I painted the countertop with chalkboard paint and finished off the drawers and doors with burlap coffee sacks.
Upcycled Kitchen Cabinet Coffee Table and Storage Bench
A singular vintage upper kitchen cabinet transformed into a coffee table and storage bench. Finished off with a gorgeous boho wallpaper.
How to Easily make a Sideboard from a Kitchen Cabinet
You can add a sideboard in a kitchen, an entryway, a hallway, and more. Learn how to upcycle a set of upper kitchen cabinets into a sideboard, with a DIY countertop and a fresh coat of chalk paint.
Repurposing Furniture as a Potting Bench
A potting bench helps keep all your garden essentials in one place. I should know, we don’t have one, and all our stuff is lined up along the one side of our garage. Not working, to say the least. Don’t you love this idea of creating a potting bench from old kitchen cabinets?
DIY Kitchen Island with Breakfast Bar
Now this project is a big one, but well worth it for the functionality. A stock kitchen cabinet transformed into a kitchen island with seating, storage, and pull-out garbage. Probably a better fit for a larger home, but with a few variations, it would be a nice gathering place in a smaller home, too.
Repurpose Kitchen Cabinets To Add Storage To Another Area of Your Home
Maximize the storage in your home by moving an older lower kitchen cabinet piece to a new location. The countertop was outdated, so we gave it a refresh with a faux woodgrain wallpaper.
How to Make a Shoe Storage Bench out of a Habitat ReStore Wall Cabinet
Boots and shoes can clutter your entryway pretty fast. See this handy furniture makeover from an upper kitchen cabinet to a shoe storage bench. Because sitting down when you put your shoes on is always recommended.
Turning a Repurposed Cabinet Into a Handsome Potting Bench with Fusion Mineral Paint
And yet another potting bench upcycle on a smaller scale. This one would fit so nicely on a covered porch and double as a small serving spot for a party, don’t you think?
6 Creative and Sustainable Ways to Recycle Kitchens
This list of transformations includes a DIY dartboard enclosure, a children's play kitchen, a double desk for an office or craft room, and a variety of other ideas for refreshing cabinets in functional, purposeful ways.
As you can see, there are a lot of clever ways to repurpose kitchen cabinets. So if you find a solid kitchen cabinet, or have one (or several) on hand, the question to ask is can you use it somewhere else in your home in a repurposed fashion?
Remember, it doesn’t have to be nearly as off-beat as my coffee sack-covered coffee station/kitty litter cabinet.
PS: Watch out for terrifying red spiders!
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