Dresser Turned TV Stand Part 2

About a month ago I found a beautiful dresser and decided to make it our TV stand. You can read about it here. Today I decided to finally do something about the clutter that has been sitting on top of it beside my TV ever since we brought it home.

I have seen a lot of people remove the some drawers, painted the insides and placed their electronics in the holes like this.

But I didn't want to remove any drawers. (I love the hardware too much) I just don't like that look and I thought it would take away from the piece. I know it is possible to wire the cable box into a near by closet. People do this if they are hanging a flat screen above a fireplace or something where they don't have a place to store the cable box. Problem with that is I don't have a near by closet. I have also heard of people placing their electronics inside a drawer and drilling holes in the back for the wires. My number one concern was keeping the integrity of the dresser. I didn't want to deface it because it's a beautiful mid-century piece...somewhat of an antique. I couldn't bring myself to drill holes in it. In addition, the man from Bright House said not to put it in the drawer because it would "catch fire." Not sure how true that is, but I could see the thing overheating being kept in a sealed drawer all the time. 

I decided to take my own approach and remove the backs of the drawers so that the front would look the same, but the back would have plenty of ventilation. 

Here is what I did:

1. Remove the back panel. This part was easy. I used a flat head to pry out a few staples on the same side and then gently pulled it away. The other staples just popped right out. I put the back panel in the garage in case I ever decide to turn it back into a traditional dresser. 

2. Pull out the drawers and examine how they are constructed. Mine had dovetail joints holding it together, so I had to remove the sides before I could remove the back. Use a hammer to lightly tap the pieces loose. I guess the glue that was holding it together had broken down over time because my pieces popped out easily.

3. Remove the back piece of each drawer. I used a screwdriver to pull the track off. Then squeezed that piece onto the bottom of the drawer and reattached the sides. (I saved the backs, so I can put it back together one day.) 

4. Last step, put the drawers back in and place the electronics in through the back. It looks messy with wires everywhere, but it's the back - no one will see it. 

Voila! No more clutter and all drawers are in there places.

I know you are wondering how the clicker works now that the cable box is hidden in the drawer. We ordered this infrared extender on Amazon. 

It plugs into the cable box. A little piece covers the sensor on the box.

It connects to the new sensor that you stick in a hidden spot on the TV.

Simple as that.

I didn't like how plane and small the TV looked all alone, so I framed the card I gave Mr. Wonderful on our wedding day. (I put his note to me and our vows inside, so if we need a reminder someday, we know where to find it)

Isn't the frame pretty? My friend Kim was getting rid of it, so I took it. It goes great with the colors of the room.

We Got a Sectional.

So the living room wasn't on my list of summer to-do's, but it's transforming. We got the new TV stand that can be seen here, and now we have a sectional. Our old couch was really, really old. Here's a picture of it.

Mr. Wonderful and I got it used from a friend when we first started dating 8 years ago. For its age, it was in good condition, but because the seat cushions are attached they couldn't be flipped or switched which lead to the center being really squishy. When 2 people sat on it, they would both end up in the crack down the middle...which was fine for us (we're the cuddly type), but not so great when we had company over. It was time for something new and a sectional just made sense. 

Problem now is that the ottoman clashes-BAD, so that will be getting a make-over pretty soon. I'm going to reupholster it and add some button tufting. I was debating between a solid pop of color or a more neutral (but fun) print. I think I'm going with a print. Here is what I've narrowed it down to:

Which do you like?
I found this beauty in the clearance section at Home Goods. Its going in the living room.

It was marked down to $39.99. I had a $20 store card which made it only $20-score!...now all I need is something over the couch. Any suggestions. Big piece of art? several frames? shelves?

It's The Little Things

We finally finished up our thank you cards from the wedding. (I know they were late, but I figured better late than never.) Part of what took so long was we were waiting on the pics from the photographer. Then I had to add the words and order online because neither Walgreens or CVS offers in-store pick-up for cards.

In our house there is a rule, you may not open, use, or put away any gift until a thank you card has been written. This rule is in place because I hate writing thank you cards, and it insures they get done in a timely manner... usually. The daunting task of writing all those thank you's didn't take as long as expected. As with most things I dread, I found it's not so bad once you get started.

Mr. Wonderful couldn't wait to use his George Foreman. After all, he had been waiting almost 2 whole months. This was one of the 2 items on our registry he insisted on having. The other item was this HUGE shower head that Allie got us for my bridal shower. I think he installed it the same day that we got it.

We've had a mini George that got tons of use for years. That thing makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches, but it can only cook one piece of chicken or one burger at a time. It was time to upgrade. Mr. Wonderful was eager to cook dinner. He made chicken (The new George cooked 5 legs all at once!) and rice.

I couldn't wait to use our new silverware that we bought using our wedding gift cards. As soon as we got it home, I unwrapped all the individually packaged pieces and reorganized the silverware drawer so everything could fit neatly.

Isn't it so shinny! It's heavy too. We spent a quite a bit on the set, but we needed it. We've never had a complete set, much less a set that matched. This set is 18/10 stainless steel, so it's meant to last. I tell you, it's the littlest things that can make our day. Mr. Wonderful got to use his giant George, and I got new silverware- It was a good day in the Bowry house.

What is something little that makes your day?

Best Brother-In-Law in the World

Have I ever mentioned that I have the best brother-in-law in the world. It has taken years for me to feel this way (at first, neither one of us cared for the other), but I really do love him. Although he hangs around some sketchy people and has make some questionable choices in the past, he really is a good guy with a kind heart. He was a groomsman at our wedding. I was surprised at how emotional he was. He got teary eyed during the ceremony and during our first dance. He expressed numerous times how happy he was to finally have a sister.

Last week, I finally changed my name. I went to the social security office on Wednesday and then to the DMV on Friday. I had a lot to do at the DMV: change my name, change my address, and renew my license and registration. I know what you're thinking- Change your address? Well, even though we've lived here almost 2 years, I'm just now getting around to changing it on my license. It no longer says my moms address.

As we were pulling out of our parking spot of the DMV, another lady wasn't paying attention and backed into my car! Of all places to get in a fender bender. She was at fault, but wouldn't admit it (of course). Claims she was honking as backing up. No one heard a sound. Her car was fine; mine was not :(

While I was at lunch with these ladies,


my brother-in-law fixed my car. (Told you he was the best)

It's not perfect, but it is 100 times better than what it was. There is a little crackling in the paint and a small section wouldn't pop out, but if you don't know its there, you cant even tell. He saved me an insurance claim which means no money out of pocket and my premiums wont go up.

His birthday is coming up this Friday. Any ideas for what I should get him?