When we last worked on our little media cabinet we’d scrubbed away the grime (with a Magic Eraser of all things) and removed the stale odor from the drawers with vinegar. We still needed to hide the cable box in a drawer and seal the wood to preserve its color and sheen. We finally finished both tasks using a mix of simple tools and a bit of elbow grease. Here’s how we tucked the cable box out of sight and restored the cabinet’s finish.
First, we drilled several large holes in the back of the top middle drawer and through the back panel of the unit using a 1 3/4″ drill bit. The drawer is also open on top, so heat can escape easily. The photos were taken with a flashlight inside the drawer, which made the lighting a little strange.
After finishing one side of what we jokingly called “Project Ventilation” we repeated the same process on the left side of the back panel and drilled matching holes in the back of the drawer. That created enough airflow to keep the enclosed cable box cool.
We hooked up the cable box, slid it into the drawer, and closed it. The neat part: we don’t have to leave the drawer open for the remote to work because we installed an IR extender.
If you look closely you can see the small black dome about an inch wide mounted where it’s discreet but still able to receive the remote’s signal.
That little dome is the IR extender’s receiver. For a modest price it lets the remote communicate with the cable box even when the drawer is closed: the receiver sits visibly on the cabinet front and a thin wire runs back to the box inside the drawer. It worked flawlessly for us and saved the trouble of altering the drawer face.
The IR extender proved reliable, and thanks to the ventilation holes we didn’t have any overheating concerns even after the drawer stayed closed for long periods.
Next, we focused on restoring the cabinet’s color and shine. The photos above show the finished look, but here’s the process we followed to get there. With the piece already scrubbed and de-grimed, our goal was to revive the wood’s luster and seal the finish for longevity. Step 1: remove the drawers and roll back the rug.
Step 2: move the drawers to a bright workspace and gather products. We used Restore-A-Finish and Howard Feed-N-Wax, which are commonly recommended together for reviving and protecting wood finishes.
Here’s how the drawers looked before treatment—dry and showing small dings and scratches in the finish.
Step 3: apply Restore-A-Finish to the drawers and the cabinet frame with a rag, following the product instructions (generally rub on, wait about 30 minutes). The results were dramatic: the wood visibly regained color and depth, smoothing out many of the smaller scratches and dull spots.
There were still a few deeper chips that Restore-A-Finish didn’t completely hide, though it did improve their appearance and rejuvenated the wood overall.
Step 4: touch up larger chips with a brown marker from an art drawer to match the wood tone. Step 5: blend the marker with a finger immediately to soften and blend the repair so it’s less noticeable.
After waiting the recommended time for the Restore-A-Finish to set, we sealed everything with Howard Feed-N-Wax. I used an old clean sock as a rag, which worked well.
Step 6: apply the wax to the drawer faces and cabinet frame, let it soak in for about 30 minutes, then buff off the excess. The result was a glossy, nourished finish that brought the piece back to life.
“Bling bling. Every time I come into the sunroom bling bling.” That’s about how it felt seeing the newly refreshed cabinet gleaming in the light.
Once the drawers were reinserted the cabinet looked much improved and felt ready for regular use.
All told, the cabinet was a great thrift-store find—about $59 after a markdown—and the restoration work made it look like a much more expensive piece. It’s satisfying to rescue a overlooked item and give it new life.
What about you—any furniture revivals or IR/remote solutions you’ve had luck with? These simple steps—venting the enclosure, using an IR extender, and refreshing the finish—made a big difference for us and kept the cabinet functional and attractive.