# Making a built in entertainment center



## unexperienced (Sep 3, 2011)

My contractor left me with a hole in the wall.  It was suppose to be a built in entertainment center because he messed up on putting in a heating system in my 1890 victorian home.  But, he then said he ran out of money and is not able to finish so I am stuck with this built in hole in the wall.  I have an extremely small living room and need to use this space but I don't know how to make a nice area out of this can anyone give my some ideas or direction on where to find information to make a nice entertainment center?
I have attached pictures of the wall and what I currently have
Thanks in advance for any help


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## adjustabledraftingtable (Dec 6, 2011)

If you search for entertainment centers on google you might find some ideas. With a space that small you might be best off building a tv armoire.


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## joecaption (Dec 7, 2011)

I would build the wall out further on the right hand side by just making what looks like another 2 X 4 wall (to make room for some trim.) Build what looks like a 3/4 cabinet grade plywood stand alone shelve unit compleatly built before installing it with soild plywood facing the very bottom of it. (No need for shelves at the very bottom) Once built just slide it in place and face the side edges with 1 X 4 red oak or just use casing,  your choise. 
Just key word "building a book shelve" on the net and you can see the principals on how to build it. All you would have to do is figure out what the shelve heights need to be.
The sheet rock on the back of what you have now may have to be remove to prewire everything.


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## thomask (Dec 15, 2011)

Hey my carpenter did the same thing to me back in 1987 when finishing up my house.  He left a hole where the stereo was to go.

My wonderful wife decided she would get all over that carpenter and get him to finish up that stereo cabinet. 

LOL, I decided I better get going...:rofl:


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## do-er (Jan 17, 2012)

If I would be you with no bigger experience in woodworking and trying to fill that space with real looking built in I would look for unfinished cabinet(s), available in home improvement stores or lumber yards, for example: two door cabinet in size that will leave you some few inches of space on each side and top and not deeper then recess. Also elevate the whole unit to create the space for finishing piece on the bottom i.e. baseboard or casing. When you find the right one, place cabinet into the niche and secure to the surrounding walls. Then to make it really decorative and to cover all the gaps around install some nice casing around with baseboard on the bottom. Paint and enjoy ! It will require minimal tools and time with really nice effect. 

Look at the attached picture, the bottom part is a actual unfinished grade two door cabinet placed into created recessed wall and dressed up with moldings.


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## thomask (Jan 18, 2012)

do-er said:


> If I would be you with no bigger experience in woodworking and trying to fill that space with real looking built in I would look for unfinished cabinet(s), available in home improvement stores or lumber yards, for example:
> Look at the attached picture, the bottom part is a actual unfinished grade two door cabinet placed into created recessed wall and dressed up with moldings.



I agree 100% on the suggestion.  Attached pic is start of a built in stereo cabinet I made using same basic idea. I built my own cabinet and shelves but you can buy a base to work from, not too expensive and should look great when trimmed out and painted.  Take some measurements and head to home supply or a cabinet supply house. Ask for some help with ideas and let us know what happens. Buy unfinished  and paint yourself to save. Most my cabinet was built from scraps from when we had floor put down. Just had to build some deep shelves from 1 x 12 glued together and bought nice trim. Done for less than fifty dollars.


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## thomask (Jan 18, 2012)

Here is pic of finished cabinet.

Hey do-er,

May I say, you have good taste in trim I see there...

Wife wants a glass door cabinet now over the wet bar, any suggestions?


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## do-er (Jan 19, 2012)

thomask said:


> ...
> 
> May I say, you have good taste in trim I see there...
> 
> Wife wants a glass door cabinet now over the wet bar, any suggestions?




Thanks, trying my best to put the right the pieces together.

If it comes to the wet bar cabinet there might be a million different ways to make it "jaw dropping" and definitely the "moldings" can give it a thousand different faces.

Here is one I've done recently out of few cabinet grade plywoods.
You could easily attach door to it and done, use pre-made doors (find them first and try to incorporate in the project). Some non-glass unfinished doors that you can find in home improvement stores have separate panel attached to frame of the door which is very easy to replace with piece of glass, try using a good quality plexi glass sheets, they look very natural, much cheaper then ordering custom cut glass and you can cut them down yourself to desired measurements.


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## thomask (Jan 20, 2012)

Now that's a nice WET BAR cabinet there do-er.

Nice work using moldings to really dress her up.

My cabinet will need to be a little less detailed.

Any more pics?


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