I have a penchant for unusual furniture—an old desk from my Dad’s one-room schoolhouse, a church pew, a door-turned-headboard—and now, my most recent acquisition:
I got this library card catalog on an auction recently, and Bryan and Tom helped me move it into it’s place in our dining room earlier this week. I love it, but it’s quite a bit bigger than I thought it was.
Now, I’m torn—there’s really no other place to put it, unless I move the hutch next to it. The issue here? There’s no place for it to go except the basement. I have a sentimental attachment to the hutch—my great grandfather stained and varnished it for my Great Grandma Wallen—and it houses my wedding china. Plus, Dave bolted it to the wall three years ago.
I would really like to have the catalog in that room—in my mind, it will look something like this once it’s all set up. In reality, it will probably house Barbie clothes, random puzzle pieces and the 18-month-old who scaled the open drawers and has perched on the top.
My solution is to cut it in half (circular saw?) just above the pull-out shelves and use it as a bench behind our love seat:
I think it would be quaint and interesting—Bryan thinks it would be impossible to get a clean and even cut.
What do you think? Any ideas?
Update: Here’s a similar treatment.
Smith Family Weblog 
Posted by Doug on May 30, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I wouldn’t cut it, but ask Dave about that. Use it behind the love seat at full height, or hang it on the wall with the top drawers at the maximum height you can reach? Or even higher . . . so you can fit some other piece of furniture underneath. Above the pew and move the four photos Dave hung?
Posted by double L on May 30, 2009 at 8:02 pm
That is such a neat piece of furniture. I wouldn’t cut it because you will likely destroy it.
How deep is it? It looks like it will fit nicely between the kitchen table and the couch. Or, how about in the dining room where you have all the wedding photos? Or, how about in your closet? It would make a neat place to put socks, underware, jewelery, and other odds and ends. I could fill it with knitting yarn and needles…
Posted by Rebecca's Mom on May 30, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Bryan is a very smart man. If he hasn’t already, he should hide the saws.
Won’t the china closet fit in the opposite corner? Or is there not enough room between the corner and the window? What about putting it on the wall where the library table is?
What about using it as a table for the TV? It matches the new screen (where you had the quilt hanging) very nicely.
I like Liana’s idea about using it in your closet. Too bad it doesn’t have more drawers. You could put your shoes in it . . . .
Posted by Karyl on May 31, 2009 at 6:33 am
I would hate to see you saw it in half! Perhaps you could find another place for the church bench, and put the card catalogue below the pictures of the girls. You could use the top half for your stuff, and the girls could fill the lower drawers with theirs! The church bench would provide extra seating in the basement for when you entertain. Just a thought.
Posted by Fred Wallen on June 2, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Re: The Hutch
Sorry to say, my father (nor !!) ever posessed the skills to MAKE the hutch. I don’t know where it came from but it is possible that he had it made for him by a friend – specifically the Gartner’s in Unadilla who owned the construction company.
I speculate on this as I had a gun cabinet (since given to Troy) which was reputedly the very first thing Gartner made when he started out on his own (now this had to be back around 1930 or so??) and it is in a very similar manner/style.
Regards – hope all is well
Posted by Doug on June 3, 2009 at 10:41 am
A good rule to follow is to only saw women in half. Do not try this at home.
Posted by Rebecca on June 3, 2009 at 11:21 am
Fred–Mom said as far as she knew, he bought it unfurnished and stained it. Sorry for the misprint!
Posted by Karyl on June 3, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I think the ‘hootch’ has gone to Doug’s head.