Victorian Hallway Makeover – Custom Console Table Tutorial

Following on from my posts on our Victorian hallway makeover (see HERE and HERE), we needed a new console table to put all our hallway crap on. You know, like keys, spare change, candles, plants, mirrors – the usual stuff. I also needed something to disguise the radiator a bit. Here’s our custom console table tutorial!

This is a big ugly 1990s radiator, not a beautiful old Victorian style one (yet). I painted it the same colour as the wall but it still dominates, and I didn’t fancy a radiator cover as they just attract even more attention. Mr R also thinks they block out the heat from the radiator and our house is cold enough without this happening!

This radiator is also fitted high on the wall. The original skirting boards are deep, like 12″ deep, so the radiator has been hung above these. Great, until you want to find a piece of furniture to go in front of the radiator and can’t because nothing is tall enough.

So, my only option was to make something. I had a trip to our local timber yard and chose some softwood which they very kindly cut to size for me. If I have them cut it, I at least know it’ll be straight. I had it cut 10cm longer than the radiator itself.

I ordered some farmhouse style table legs from Ebay. I had Mr R cut two of the legs down and attached them to the ends of the other two legs to create two really long legs. He attached the piece of timber to the wall just above the radiator using a batten and then attached the legs to the front to create a kind of table. Or a shelf with legs. I painted the whole thing with a black satin paint.

I’m thrilled with how it looks, and once it’s had another coat of black paint it’ll look even better. I just couldn’t wait to show you what we’d done! Obviously it’ll get a lot more styling too. I am wondering whether to paint the radiator black so it looks like more of a unit, but I can’t decide.

Doesn’t every house have brooms by the front door? Harry Potter is life in this house.

So what do you think? Pretty good for a few bits of wood stuck together and painted black! Come and connect with me on Pinterest where I’ve got boards for lots more Victorian hallway inspiration.