Library Card Catalog Inspired Furniture Makeover

I have a serious crush on vintage library catalogs and would love to get my hands on one to call my own.   The problem is they are so few and far between and my beer budget just doesn't cut it when it comes to paying for such a unique and vintage item.   That doesn't mean I'm giving up my hunt, but until I get my hands on one I've settled for giving a piece of furniture a library catalog inspired makeover.

Before I get into how I updated this piece, here's how the cabinet looked before.  I loved the black, but it was time to brighten things up and create a more custom piece of furniture.

                       

The first step in achieving the card catalog look was to create the look of drawers.  I knew exactly what to use to achieve that very look and headed to Michaels to pick up a few sheets of thin balsa wood.

This wood is awesome for using in small DIY and craft projects.  It's just like the thin plywood I used for the plank wall, but comes in small sheets that are easier to manage.

After measuring how large I wanted my "drawers" I cut each piece with a chop saw.

After I laid all the pieces out and was happy with the look I sanded the wood, filled the old hardware holes with wood putty then attached the new "drawers" with wood glue.

At first, I painted the cabinet Relic using Americana Decor chalk paint, but wasn't thrilled with how it looked next the black TV cabinet.  I ended up going over the Relic with two coats of Everlasting, which ended up distressing nicely over top the Relic.

After distressing and a coat of clear varnish I was ready to attach the hardware.  I ordered these cup pulls from D. Lawless Hardware and couldn't be happier with the price and quality.

I'm still not sure about stark white, so don't be surprised if this cabinet gets painted again in the future.  Either way, I'm loving the new look.

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