Mid Century Modern Record Console

Jules Yap·
DVD & CD StorageMedia Storage
··39 Comments
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Materials: BESTÅ shelf/height extension unit

Starting with a BESTÅ shelf/height extension unit I moved the center divider to the left to accommodate more space for my records and to fit my receiver perfectly. I then cut one shelf down to fit and did not use the other. Instead of using the top I replaced it with some Ipe (a brazilian hardwood) that I made at a local woodshop. I then added some hairpin legs I had from another project.

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Jules Yap
Latest posts by Jules Yap (see all)

39 Responses

  2. I’ve been going through this hack and have a few things to offer.

    1) I’m using the Besta TV Cabinet 402.998.90 and it’s deep enough for my turntable and amplifier but it may not be deep enough for some larger amps

    2) When you move the center divider over and drill new holes for the connectors, the front will go into particle board but the back goes into the honeycomb. It’s still very stable but be ready for it.

    3) This picture is a little shorter than I wanted, my turn table will be at waist height around 31”. That includes 15” for the cabinet and 16” hairpin legs that I got from tablelegs.com. I’m using E-Z Lok Hex inserts 5/16-18 x 13mm. To secure the legs to the particle board. Using 5 legs, one in each corner and one in the back middle. I’ve hit partical board for the screws I’m using but I was ready to use a syringe to push epoxy into the honeycomb as a screw anchor if necessary.

    4) The Besta TV unit has a groove in the bottom back, I routed a grove in the top and I’m using 1/8” white hardboard for the back panel.

    Otherwise this went really well!

    Reply

  3. May I asked how much you paid for the ipe wood top? I looked for something similar but couldn’t find any (real) hardwood for under 100€.

    Reply

    1. I’m making my top out of Brazilian cherry. It’s about $11/bdft here in Colorado, I got a 8’ by 11” piece that I cut in half and joined together for a 4’x22” slab which was cut to 47-1/4”x15-3/4” top for $80 total.

      Reply

  7. Can I buy blueprints for the whole console unit. I am a draftsman and if I could get a few dimensions like the measurements of the the cabinets inside and the overall height and length, also the H and L of the legs and height of the console form the top of the legs up. With only this info and the picture i could make a set of professional blueprints or shop drawings for this console, which I think is beautiful by the way.I could send to whoever built this as many sets as they wanted. thanks

    Reply

  8. Does this unit have a chipboard base? I’m currently doing something very similar to a very old bonde unit which is very heavy chipboard. Am stressing over attaching the legs. Any advice? Was thinking of adding gorilla glue to screw holes and the L plates on the legs. Ridiculous idea probably XD

    Reply

    1. Jake… Thank you!!! lol! I have the world’s smallest living room outside of a tiny house. Until I read your comment it didn’t even occur to me that the only place I’d have for the speakers is directly on top of the console which would then be in front of the flat screen TV. Hahahahaha!! Thank you for stating the obvious for me!!!

      Reply

  11. Love this hack! It has inspired me to build one of my own and am nearly finished but having a (very) hard time finding a nice slice of wood to finish it off. Dimensions I want are 50″ x 14″ which is flush with the front/back and a few inches longer than each side so that I can fit a pair of Technics 1200’s and a mixer. Live in Central Los Angeles and any suggestions are most welcome..

    Reply

    1. Typically you have to make a piece of wood that big if you want it solid. You can’t just go but a board that big, not in a good piece of wood anyway. An easier way is to buy a sheet of veneered plywood and have it cut to size and then finish the edges with scribe or veneer tape.

      Reply

  16. I have zero experience in building or reconstructing something like this-do you think I would have any issues trying to build the same thing?

    I know I can buy the legs off Etsy and I’m assuming I could go to home depot for the top and have it shaved down to the right size (or do you have a better suggestion?). Any other issues you think I might run into (Screw holes, moving the center divider, etc…?) or do you think I could do it pretty easily on my own?

    Reply

    1. First look all around Ikea for a piece of good wood for that top. Check the As-is department first. Look at all the cabinet doors, cabinet panels etc. something is bound to fit. Or look for the good piece of wood first, then look for the corresponding cabinet that fits it. You can make a cabinet that looks like this with out using the exact same cabinet All of Ikea’s cabinets, be it kitchen, entertainment, office or bathroom are somewhat similar. Sometimes they have nice wood for countertops or office things. They have big table tops and desks that can be cut down and if you carefully take the scribe off you can reuse it. Tops are all sold separately and always found in As-is too. Or by a cabinet grade piece of plywood in a nice wood, cut to size and use veneer tape for the edges or scribe from HD, but you will have to stain the top. Or you can use something like a bamboo plywood, it needs no special edge finishing. However, that tends to be a bit spendy and you have to buy the whole 4 x 8 sheet unless you find some to share it. That could run $200 to $300 maybe more. The up side is that you do not have to do any finishing, just use a neutral stain, oil or wax it and you sre done. Here is a photo;
      http://thecarpentershop.net/images/bambooplywood.jpg

      http://iqworxpace.com/edge-grain-bamboo-plywood/

      Reply

  17. When you attached the hardwood top, did you use the metal “screw” devices from the original top, or did you attach it some other way?

    Reply

  19. any hints as how to best attach the new top? I’m guessing you had to drill some holes in the bottom? as well as when you moved the divider over?…

    Reply

  20. This is awesome. If anyone needs hairpin legs, I know someone who can make them for you at a good price.

    Reply

  21. Dam. I really wanted to make this but it doesn’t look like the BESTA shelf is available anymore

    Reply

    1. It is available, but it’s 64 cm instead of 38 cm in height. This would obviously make quite a difference. But I can’t really imagine if it would still be as gorgeous. What do you guys think?

      Reply

      1. Oh that’s good to know. Guess I’ll have to go to the actual store for it. When you click the link, it just takes you to a random Ike’s page. Even searching for it on the site didn’t work.

        Reply

      2. Oh that’s good to know. Guess I’ll have to go to the actual store for it. When you click the link, it just takes you to a random Ikea page. Even searching for it on the site didn’t work.

        Reply

      3. The original Besta shelf in this hack was W120xD48xH38. Currently they have a Besta frame which is very similar that is 120x40x38. They just made it it more shallow. It does not come with a shelf but you can buy one separately. The problem is that my receiver is 46cm deep and will be sticking out if I get the current model. Any ideas?

        Reply

    1. I measured roughly the hight of the legs at the wall, and compared it to the height of the BESTA.
      they are about 20-25 cm so about 8-10 Inches. It tends more to 8 then to 10.

      Reply

  24. This is gorgeous, a really great hack that is both modern and a throwback to mid-century modern!

    Might I ask: How tall are the hairpin legs you used?

    Reply

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