How to Make a Mid-Century Modern Hanging Bar

Inspiration for this mid-century modern wall-hung bar was from a Brutalist piece from Adrian Pearsall of Craft Associates. Pearsall was a well-known designer of mid-century furniture. You can see the inspiration pic online.

An old seventies-era plastic laminate tabletop and an old dresser drawer are the reclaimed materials used in this build. The tabletop will become the doors and the drawers will be the storage space

Materials/Tools: (affiliate links to materials can be found on our website)

• 23-1/2in x 16in drawer (reclaimed)
• 30in circle tabletop (relclaimed)
• OOK 75 lb Picture Hanging System (Amazon)
• (2) 12” piano hinges (Amazon)
• Rust-Oleum Metallic spray paint, flat soft iron (Amazon)
• Zinsser BIN white primer (Amazon)
• DecoArt Chalky Gesso, dark grey (Amazon)
• Wagner Paint Easy Latex Paint Conditioner (Amazon)
• DecoArt Americana Decor Chalky Finish, treasure (Amazon)
• DecoArt Matte Metallics, amethyst (Amazon)
• DecoArt Matte Metallics, sapphire blue (Amazon)
• DecoArt Matte Metallics, vintage brass (Amazon)
• DecoArt Extreme Sheen, silver (Amazon)
• DecoArt Galaxy Glitter, clear ice comet (Amazon)
• Total Boat Countertop Epoxy (Amazon)
• Wood clothespins (Amazon)
• Wood ice cream spoons (Amazon)
• Wood circles, various sizes (Amazon)
• Rub n’ Buff, Black, Silver (Amazon)
• White tissue paper (Amazon)
• Mod Podge (Amazon)
• Behr, The Real Teal (Home Depot)
• Ryobi Hot Glue Gun/18 Gauge Brad Nailer (Home Depot)
• Makita Track Saw (Home Depot)
• Everbilt White Heavy Duty Magnetic Catch (Home Depot)

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The tabletop was particle board topped with Formica plastic laminate. To create a smooth surface on the particleboard side, I covered it with wood fill which I let dry and sanded smooth. The wood fill also helped to improve the broken edges. We used a track saw to make the very important center cut on the tabletop. Both sides of the "doors in the making" were primed.

The drawer was cleaned up and measured to add additional thickness to the sides with a piece of plywood. The plywood was glued and brad nailed into place into place

The interior of the storage space was paint poured using a variety of DecoArt paints. The outside of the box as well as the back of the doors are painted in "The Real Teal" from Behr paints.

Once dry, the paint poured interior was finished with a coat of TotalBoat countertop epoxy.

The front finish is made from a variety of wood parts, tissue paper, Mod Podge, spray paint, and Rub n Buff wax.

Before gluing anything to the front, I used a compass to divide the circle to mark guidelines for the pattern.

The wood parts were hot glued into place.

The front was covered with Mod Podge and the tissue paper was gently pressed into place. Once dry, the front was given a second coat of Mod Podge.

The entire front and sides were spray-painted after everything was dry and trimmed up

Silver and black Rub n Buff was used to highlight the wrinkles and wood edges.

Piano hinges are used to attach the doors to the storage space. Magnetic catches keep the doors in place.

A French cleat was used to hang the bar in place.

From the front, the bar is dark and mysterious, but from the side and the interior, there is an unexpected color explosion.

For full details please visit our website!