Desk Drawer Re Vamp!

Update plain wooden storage into something much more appealing with pretty papers

Posted by Delicate Stitches

About

I've been meaning to decorate my wooden Ikea desk drawers since I bought them several years ago but until now I've never quite got round to it. However, I had a spare couple of hours so I got out all my pretty papers (collected from magazines mostly) and had fun cutting and sticking. You could also use fabric for this, just stick to something quite light weight.

Share

You Will Need (5 things)

  • Wooden Drawers
  • A range of Decorative Paper
  • PVA Glue
  • Metallic Gold Paint
  • Varnish

Steps (6 steps, 120 minutes)

  1. 1

    Start by cutting pieces of paper slightly bigger than each drawer front, or cut up lots of smaller pieces and go for a patchwork effect.

  2. 2

    Using a watered down solution of PVA glue attach your papers to the front of your drawers and the outside edges of the frame of the unit. I painted the PVA onto the wood and then laid the paper on top. As the paper gets wet you're likely to notice it buckle a bit. You have four options:
    1. Smooth out the bubbles with a brush or your fingers (be careful not to rub too much or the paper will disintegrate)
    2. Soak the paper in a PVA solution first and then lay it onto the wood (smoother finish but a more messy process)
    3. Accept the quirks of the paper bubbling and move onto Step 3
    4. Throw the whole project out the window in frustration (not recommended)

  3. 3

    Once the glue solution has dried your papers should be firmly stuck to the frame. Use a craft knife to trim away any excess and give a nice neat edge.

  4. 4

    Use gold paint to add a bit of glam and sparkle to the edge of your drawers and any exposed parts of the frame.

  5. 5

    Give everything a coat of varnish to seal everything in and give a strong shiny finish.

  6. 6

    Replace the drawers, fill with sweeties/treasure/random stuff and admire your new storage system.