DIY Vintage Inspired Storage Cabinet & Side Porch Refresh

Do you have a little extra clutter around the house, in the garage, shed, or basement? If so, take the time to make your own DIY storage cabinet and store those loose items in one location right where you need them. This will not only give you more space but also make it easier for you to find what you need when you need it, and have it look more aesthetically pleasing than a store-bought one.We hope that by following these steps and the information that we provide that anyone who reads this article can create their very own DIY vintage-inspired storage cabinet at home without too much trouble!

The Inspiration

Before we get into the DIY let me show you the inspiration behind the piece. We have this vintage beadboard cabinet we have used around the house, and are currently in a temporary space in the mudroom. This piece is perfect for holding smaller items, like smaller linens, off-season decor, and candles.

 

Our needs

So with some remodels in prep mode we are relocating some of our current storage items permanently and temporarily. Right now our pet food goes into a little tin container in the mudroom, but that container does take a full large bag of food. So we are left with about 1/4 of the bag left. Mix that with some snacks, bones, catnip… there were a few extra bags of stuff floating around and they currently found homes in a little space next to the steps in the back of the house on the way to the basement. Right off of our kitchen, in our covered porch area, we have a little space that was perfect for these items.

Build Plan

The Cabinet is for a small space, and given its intent, we aren’t planing on this being any type of fine furniture with high dollar lumber. Since I’m building it, and I am not a big moving overly heavy piece of furniture, 1 inch thick pine is going to be the perfect cut for this project.

The Material List

• (4) 1 in. x 10 in. x 8 ft.
• (1) 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft.
• (1) 1 in. x 3 in. x 8 ft.
• (7) 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft. Premium Tongue and Groove Pattern Whitewood Board
• (1) Sheet 23/32 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. BC Sanded Pine Plywood
• (1) Box of 1 1/4 in. Pocket Hole Screws
• (1) Pack of Non-Mortise Hinges
• (1) Pack of White Steel Window Sash Lock
• (1) Pack of #8 x 2 in. Star Drive Trim-Head White Trim Screw
• (1) Bottle of Wood Glue
• (1) 2 in. Wood Knob (You can pick any hardware you like)

The Tool List

• RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 7-1/4 in. Sliding Compound Miter Saw
• ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless Compact 1/2 in. Drill
• ONE+ 18V Cordless 6-1/2 in. Circular Saw
• 7 in. Speed Square, Rafter / Carpenter Square
• True Blue 12 in. Magnetic Tool Box Level
• Pocket-Hole Jig 720
• LeverLock 25 ft. x 1 in. CC Center Tape Measure
• TableSaw

Step-by-Step Build Instructions

1. Cut (2) 1 in. x 10 in. x 8 ft. Pine Boards to 71 in. These will be used for the sides
2. Cut (5) 1 in. x 10 in. x 8 ft. Pine Boards to 20 1/2 in. These will be used for the shelves and interior top board
3. Cut (1) 1 in. x 10 in. x 8ft. Pine Boards to 22 1/2 in. This will be used for the exterior top board
4. Cut (3) 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft. Tongue and Groove Whitewood Boards to 68 in. long.
5. Cut (1) 1 in. x 3 in. x 8 ft. Pine Board to 68 in. long AND Rip to 1 7/8 in. thick. This will be used for the door lock and catch.
6. Cut (2) 1 in. x 6 in. x 8ft. Pine Board to 17 3/4 in. AND Rip to 4 1/2 in. Overall dimensions should be 4 1/2 in. x 17 3/4 in. These will be used on the backside of the door to keep it together.
7. Using the KregJig Pocket-Hole Jig 720, Drill two holes on each end, ensuring you are drilling the pocket holes on the same face or side of the board, totaling in four pocket holes drilled for each 20 1/2 boards.
8. Build the shell of the cabinet. Using Pocket Screws, screw together the sides (from step 1.) to one 20 1/2 inch board (from step 2.). Starting with the top board, on the inside of the sides. The bottom shelf is lifted up off the ground 8 inches. Using pocket screws, attach the bottom shelf to the sides, the end of this step the shell of the cabinet should look like the letter A.
9. Install the exterior top board. This board will be stacked on top of the interior top bard and extend 1/4 in. from each of the sides. Using a light bead of glue, long the top of the sides and interior top board, place the exterior top board in place & screw using the StarDrive Trim-Head White Trim Screws
10. Install the backboard. Using the sheet of Sanded Pine Plywood, lay the shell of your cabinet on top of the plywood. Check the cabinet is square, by measuring diagonally from corner to corner. Once Square, mark out the height and width of the shell of the cabinet & cut at markings. Lay a light bead of glue along the back of the sides and top and screw the backboard using the StarDrive Trim-Head White Trim Screws
11. Fit in shelves to the desired height. Our spacing from the bottom up is 16 1/4 in. on center. *Tip, if you have scrap wood, cut to length the desired height of the shelf (from the top of the lower shelf to the bottom of the upper shelf) to be used as a spacer block, this will help hold the shelves in place, and keep the shelf spacing even. *Tip: Use a small level during installation to ensure shelves are level
12. Cut the width of the door. Using the table saw, rip the tongue off of one of the Tongue and Groove boards. This will be the hinge side of the door. Dry fit the boards together, you may need to use a bar clamp or a ratchet strap to ensure the boards are fully nested into one another. Measure the width of the dry fit to 20 1/4 in. On the opposite of the recently ripped board (hinge side). Disassemble the dry fit, rip at the mark. Using glue in the groove of each board, nest the boards together and clamp or ratchet them together to ensure they are fully fit together
13. Using the Cut and Ripped boards from step 6. install the cross-boards on the backside of the door, using the StarDrive Trim-Head White Trim Screws. Pay attention to the placement of these cross-boards, to ensure they will not hit the face of the shelves.
14. Lay the cabinet down on its back. Measure and install the hinges, door lock, and knob or desired hardware.
15. With the piece still on its back, cut your desired design for the front “feet” of the cabinet. I was mimicking a piece we currently have and cut 5 in. radias curves out of an 8 in. x 8 in. piece of scrap from the sanded plywood. With 2 identical pieces covering a width of 16 in. I cut a spacer and pocket holed them together to get the appearance of the arched lower. If you don’t want to take those extra steps a squared front foot with an 8 in. x 8 in. piece from the sanded plywood would also work.
16. Paint and Enjoy.

 

 

To tie the entire space together to a styled vignetted we also upgraded our door hardware using the Delaney Visconti in black with an oval interior knob. The exterior hardware is the same as the front of the house, so we thought while we are making this space useful it’s about time we tie it into the rest of the house. Except for the back door, all our forward-facing doors are now cohesive, making the home feel a bit more planned and cozy.

If you’re looking for a project that will give your home some style and function, this step-by-step tutorial on how to build your own styled storage cabinet is just what you need. Whether it’s in the entryway or tucked away in an unused room of the house, we hope these tips help make building one as easy as possible! Follow us on social media for more DIY projects like this one.