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You are here: Home / Sunroom / Building An Armoire

Building An Armoire

Sep 21, 2014 By Layla

Hi!

Remember those old doors I blogged about a couple of weeks ago?

Old Doors from Southern Accents

They came from a house called Cliff Side Manor that was built in 1884 in Fayetteville, TN…

Cliff Side Manor | Fayetteville Tennessee

…and they used to be the “walls” of a very deep doorway…sort of like this:

Extra Thick Walls | Doorway | The Lettered Cottage

A fire consumed the house in 2004, but our doors and whatever else was salvageable was sold at auction. (We got them from Garlan at Southern Accents who bought them at the auction.)

And remember that corner in the sunroom where we used to have the secretary, but that now just has a chair sitting in it because we moved the secretary into the kitchen?

Sunroom Corner | The Lettered Cottage

Sunroom | The Lettered Cottage

Well, the old paint has been stripped off the doors…

Old Doors from Southern Accents | The Lettered Cottage

…and I’m in the process of designing a big ol’ armoire-style storage cabinet to add to that spot this week!

Now that we’ve lived here for a couple of years, we know exactly where we’re lacking storage. Over the past several months, our dining room table and living room floor & fireplace hearth are almost always covered with “stuff”: stacks of Blog Threads t-shirts, guitars & cases, and random little things that just don’t seem to find forever homes until we’re done working on them.

Built In Cabinet | Old Narrow Doors

I used painters tape on the floor in the photo above to show how far the armoire will sit out from the wall. We may end up giving it an angled corner, just to soften that edge, but either way, there’ll still be plenty of room to pass by it and the symmetry nut in me loves  that the old doors will be the exact same height as the doors on the bathroom and storage closet/Kit-Cat room next to them.

(Note: I considered doing an angled, corner-style cabinet- but Kevin’s not a corner cabinet kinda guy, and it really wouldn’t be big enough for his (four) guitar cases anyway.)

Brian the Carpenter is coming over tomorrow to take some measurements and figure out exactly what we’ll need to get started, and I’m going to see if I can find some interesting feet, hardware, and a pediment to go on top. Here’s hoping we have a finished project to share with you sometime next week! 😀

Filed Under: Sunroom

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. sarah

    Sep 22, 2014 at 6:55 am

    Great idea. Love the doors. Any advice on how to find a good carpenter that can do magical things like your friend, Brian? We have had some bad luck finding contractors that even show up or call us back lately.

  2. Julia G.

    Sep 22, 2014 at 7:55 am

    Great idea! Can’t wait to see how it turns out.

  3. Mary | Lemon Grove Blog

    Sep 22, 2014 at 8:28 am

    LOVE the direction this is headed! 🙂

  4. Tara Dalton

    Sep 22, 2014 at 8:30 am

    I love reading your blog and look forward to seeing this armoire. My mother is a couple streets over from you and when I visit her, we always wonder if we’ll see some construction of some sort going on around your spot! I’m usually at her house working on something for her. 🙂
    I look forward to coming to town in October for the market!
    Many blessings!

  5. Kim

    Sep 22, 2014 at 9:24 am

    This is going to be beautiful! Wondering if anyone else has suddenly had your posts stop showing up when going to the website? If I click on the link you provide on facebook or the email feed then I can see it. But if I type in the url or go to my bookmark and refresh the feed it’s stuck on the post from Sept 11. Anyone have any thoughts on fixes?

    • Raylynn

      Sep 22, 2014 at 2:31 pm

      I have the same problem. Thought it was just me. Don’t know what is going on, but I haven’t been able to access anything on the site since Sept. 11th.

    • Megan C.

      Sep 22, 2014 at 9:17 pm

      I have the same problem. I thought there were no posts since then until I decided to look at Facebook.

      • Layla

        Sep 22, 2014 at 10:14 pm

        Hi Megan!
        Can you tell me where you’re normally seeing my posts? I just want to make sure I understand before I tell my blog tech where they’re not showing up. Thank you for the feedback! 🙂

        • Christy

          Sep 23, 2014 at 5:36 pm

          I noticed this happening for the 1st chandelier post. I saw your comment on Instagram about it and when I went to your website, it wasn’t there.

          • Layla

            Sep 23, 2014 at 5:46 pm

            Thanks for responding, Christy! Can you tell me if it shows up on my home page today?

        • Megan C.

          Sep 24, 2014 at 9:12 pm

          I go directly to https://theletteredcottage.net/ on Firefox. It still shows your September 7th post as the most recent.

          • Layla

            Sep 25, 2014 at 7:34 am

            Okay, can you do me a favor and check it again? My blog tech *may* have it fixed now! 😀

          • Regina

            Oct 1, 2014 at 7:08 pm

            I’m having the same problem with Sept. 7 being the last post that shows up. I stumbled across some more recent ones when I was searching for all your PickMyPresto posts. Wondered why you suddenly quit posting now that I found your site and love it! Hopefully things will start working again soon, I’d hate to miss any! 🙂

  6. Cheryl @ Living Design

    Sep 22, 2014 at 9:52 am

    Hello! For some reason the photos are not showing up in the blog post for me today. I’ve never had this issue on your blog before, so I wanted to let you know. I am on an iPad, if that helps you figure out the problem. Looking forward to seeing those photos, as it sounds like an interesting project!

    • Cheryl @ Living Design

      Sep 22, 2014 at 9:53 am

      And when the page refreshed to post my comment the photos showed up. Weird.

  7. Robin

    Sep 22, 2014 at 10:05 am

    I love it, I was born in Fayetteville, moved back home several years ago and remember that house on the hill. Brought a smile to see the doors and the photos. Can’t wait to see the finished product.

  8. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh

    Sep 22, 2014 at 10:26 am

    I wish Brian the Carpenter traveled. His projects always come out so nice for you guys! Can’t wait to see the finished product!

  9. hello haha narf

    Sep 22, 2014 at 10:47 am

    way cool! looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

  10. Leah

    Sep 22, 2014 at 11:37 am

    Love it! I’m kinda hoping you’ll paint he cabinet but maybe leave the doors as-is…like the custom built cabinet in Sweet P’s room!! : )
    Leah

  11. Jen

    Sep 22, 2014 at 11:54 am

    Always enjoy ready your post! However, today I really enjoyed reading about the doors from Fayetteville, TN since I live around that area. I’m looking forward to seeing them completed. You all always just know how to do things and I love seeing them. Autumn Happiness to you and always.

  12. Donna Doble-Brown

    Sep 22, 2014 at 12:26 pm

    Layla, you are soooo good at visualizing these things!!!!! Can I borrow you?????? LOL I just love this idea and I always love the old door s you find! xoxo

  13. Scribbler

    Sep 22, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    I love visiting Southern Accents — can’t wait to see what you do with these gorgeous doors.

  14. Laura S

    Sep 22, 2014 at 3:31 pm

    It always surprises me how nice wood can look when stripped of it’s paint. Looking forward to seeing the finished project but already know it will be beautiful. I too was wishing for Brian but I think I may know a good carpenter in my area, will have to check the old hotel doors in my storage shed & give him a call! Thank you so very much for the inspiration.

  15. Marianne in Mo.

    Sep 22, 2014 at 4:47 pm

    Still getting annoying banner ad from “network (dot) adsmarket (dot)com” that cannot be removed because it’s “x” is below (off screen), and if I try to scroll up to remove it, it briefly disappears. Then reappears with the “x” hidden again. I can read the post, but the dang ad bounces around with every scroll. Pics also take about 45 seconds or more to load.
    Having said that, I love the armoire idea, and can hardly wait to see it finished.
    How goes the refrigerator saga?

    • Layla

      Sep 22, 2014 at 5:48 pm

      Thanks Marianne!
      (And I’m still in the middle of working with tech support to get rid of those pesky pop-ups. Hoping to have it all fixed soon!) XO

      • Marianne in Mo.

        Sep 22, 2014 at 9:52 pm

        Layla, I checked on my desktop, and it’s fine there, all runs smoothly. Must be my Kindle that is doing it. Sorry if I gave you stress!

  16. Betsy @ Happily Ever After Etc.

    Sep 22, 2014 at 6:05 pm

    I love how you always take historical or antique pieces and re-vision them. It brings new life to the old, it’s just amazing. Your brain must always be working! Love the doors, can’t wait to see what you do with them!

  17. Carol

    Sep 23, 2014 at 3:11 pm

    But why, oh why, did you strip the old paint off? That just doesn’t seem like the Layla thing to do!

    • Layla

      Sep 23, 2014 at 5:27 pm

      So that I could either paint them another color OR keep them naked, of course! 😀 You must not have seen my delicious corbels:

      https://theletteredcottage.net/kitchen-update-island-makeover/

      They’re my favorite thing in the whole kitchen! 😀

  18. Denise

    Sep 23, 2014 at 4:44 pm

    All the pictures load but a really annoying ad about find yearbook photos keeps popping across everything an I can’t close it.

    • Layla

      Sep 23, 2014 at 5:25 pm

      Thanks, Denise! I’m hoping a friend of mine can help me get rid of that annoying floating pop-up ad this week! 😀

  19. Christy

    Sep 23, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    LUV the doors! Since you are having it custom built, here’s an idea- you could have it built up to the ceiling with cubby style compartments for baskets and such below and above the doors. Sort of like what you built in sweet pea’s room. Just a thought. Have fun with it! I know it will be fabulous.

  20. Nikki Maynard

    Sep 25, 2014 at 7:22 am

    Hi Layla, I have to ask. What is the square opening above the basket, in the picture with your kitty? I’m intrigued and curious minds need to know these things.

  21. Leslie Sinclair

    Sep 25, 2014 at 5:09 pm

    Looking forward to seeing what you do with those pretty doors! An armoire would be gorgeous!!
    xo. Leslie
    Segreto Finishes

  22. Joni Webb

    Sep 28, 2014 at 8:31 am

    love this idea!!! so pretty – I love the doors. Are you sure they weren’t doors – because there are hinges and locks? can’t wait to see it finished. and can’t wait to see the rest of the house finished! it’s turning into a real beauty.

    • Layla

      Sep 28, 2014 at 10:02 am

      Yep, just confirmed with Garlan- they weren’t doors. He said, “If you look close- the hinge is mounted, but it’s on the wall side and the latch is the strike plate, that’s mounted to the wall side.” #I’mConfused 🙂

  23. Maria M

    Sep 29, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    Can’t wait to see the final product. I have two doors from an old bank and have thought of making a cabinet from them.

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