What is pre-fab you ask? In a nutshell…virtually anything from Ikea. It’s inexpensive furniture that is made by connecting board “A” to board “B.” It often times comes in a box and is put together by the consumer, or can be purchased already assembled. Some pre-fab furniture may have solid wood components, but is rarely made entirely from solid wood. It might have a wood veneer but beneath that is press board. 

As a rule, I try and stay away from anything pre-fab. That being said, if I come across a piece cheap enough and think that there might be some potential, I’ll pick it up and work a little paint brush magic. 

This is the top piece to a pre-fab hutch that I picked up. It’s a bit “country” for my taste, but the base had some great potential (plus, it was highly affordable). 

The top of this was complete junk. Basically, a really nice looking piece of cardboard covered the top and back of it. And, the knobs were so nasty looking they gave me chills. 

I scrapped the top piece and just kept the bottom and turned it into this…

I used Duck Egg and Old White.

I left the original “wood” top and put the square knobs in my $1 hardware bin. 

The numbers and red hardware add some visual interest to an otherwise plain piece. 

Plus, some great storage.

All in all, a nice fix for pre-fab piece of furniture that looks anything but pre-fab.