How to Update a Family Room Corner Cabinet Space

Most homes built in the early ’00’s (ours was built in 2003) have a corner cabinet in the family room with a huge gaping hole that used to house the large boob tube. Fast forward to the ’20’s and what do you do with this space? I tried filling it with a large picture…which worked for some time…..

But ultimately, I was ready to just get rid of the entire monstrosity. Most projects I tackle on my own. However, because this thing was so bulky and awkward, I decided to pass the removal process onto my husband and a friend. They did a great job and had it completely removed by the time I got home from running errands. The blank space already looked 100x’s better!

I was now ready to work my magic. First up, squaring off the carpet. I like to use this handy tool. It makes cutting carpet, almost effortless. Truly cuts like butter. Once the carpet is removed, it’s time to get rid of the tack strips. To do this, simply hammer a flathead screwdriver under the tack strip and lift it up. So easy! (Amazon Affiliate Links Included)

With the carpet removed….

I was ready to lay the flooring. When laying flooring, it’s helpful to put down underlayment first…

Thankfully, I had some laminate flooring left over from my master bedroom makeover. Amazingly, I had just the right amount needed to fill this tiny space….

To be honest, because it was such a small space and I was using a lot of already cut sheets to piece it together, I ended up using my nailgun to attach the laminate to the floor. It’s not noticeable AT ALL and eliminated the need to go out and buy a whole new box of laminate. To tuck the carpet where it meets up with the laminate, I used my nailgun again. Definitely not the way a professional would do it. 🙂 But I’m not a professional…just a diy girl who’s determined to get it done! Haha!!

And moving on, I was now ready to add my baseboards. I use 1×6 pinewood boards for all of my baseboards throughout my house. (Here’s a tutorial on how I do my trim work). I attached my baseboards with my nail gun and started on the shiplap. Working from bottom to top, I ripped 6″ strips of underlayment and once again attached with my nailgun….

What a transition this space was already becoming from the dated corner cabinet it once was!

Ready for the good stuff, I started the process of painting by filling in all of my slats. Tricorn Black is my go-to black paint color!!

Oh my gosh! I love it!!

Ready to paint all the things black, I decided to make the two corners opposite of one another on this wall the same color. This one was already shiplapped, so it was just a matter of painting it black….

Perfect! Pulling out the old corner cabinet was the right choice. A beautiful mess…

Time to break up that solid black wall where the corner cabinet used to be. Be sure to check back next week to see what I added to this space. Much more to come…