How to Update a Family Room Corner Cabinet Space

October 7, 2021
nicole

Hi! I'm Nicole

Fearless DIY. Sharing building project tutorials and interior design tips. Let’s build something beautiful together. For more projects, design tips and behind the scenes, follow me @designtobuild.nicole

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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…..

A corner cabinet painted white with shiplap inside and a lot of decor

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!

Empty wall space with a cord hanging down.

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)

Removing tack strips with a flathead screwdriver and a hammer

With the carpet removed….

Empty space where a corner cabinet used to be and carpet has been removed

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

Underlayment paper for laminate flooring

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….

Laminate flooring where a corner cabinet used to sit

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….

Shiplap on a wall where a corner cabinet used to sit

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

Shiplap wall unpainted

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!!

Shiplap wall with black paint in between each board

Oh my gosh! I love it!!

Black painted shiplap wall

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….

Shiplap wall with black paint between each slat

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

Corner cabinet removed and black painted shiplap walls added. A full view of the entire open space

Time to break up that solid black wall where the corner cabinet used to be. Here’s the link to see what I added to this space. These beautiful floating shelves were the perfect addition to finish off this area. Go check out how I built these shelves through this link

Family room with black shiplap walls and a large sliding barn door

Let’s add the shelves…

fireplace with floating shelves next to it where a corner cabinet used to sit

Until next week,

Happy Building, Friend!!

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