If you want a jewelry box whose design is unexpected rather than humdrum, consider repurposing a couple of old wooden drawers. Dig around in your attic for furniture, or scout tag sales to find old furniture pieces that you can use. This drawer-to-jewelry-box DIY converts the drawers into a lovely keeper of special things.
This creative project takes very little time and requires just a few tools and materials. Design your jewelry box around your décor. If you favor mid-century design, find a simple pair of end tables, and use those drawers. They’re often made of light-colored wood and have minimalist ball pulls or atomic design-influenced pulls. Or go Victorian with a darker wood and more formal, intricate brass hardware. This ingenious project will result in a made-to-order bedroom accessory with a unique appeal that far exceeds any standard, store-bought piece.
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Materials
- 2 old drawers from a table, desk or card catalog — must be identical and from the same piece or a set
- Electric drill
- Sanding sponge
- 2 small hinge hardware sets
- Pencil
- Two 8-by-8-inch squares of satin or velvet fabric — or enough fabric to line the bottom of the box with, depending on its size
- Hot glue gun
- Glue sticks
- Scissors
- Clear thin rubber gloves
- Gorilla Super Glue Gel
- Tweezers
- 4 tiny circular strike plates — exact size will depend on the box's corner-edge dimension
- 2 old drawers from a table, desk or card catalog — must be identical and from the same piece or a set
- Electric drill
- Sanding sponge
- 2 small hinge hardware sets
- Pencil
- Two 8-by-8-inch squares of satin or velvet fabric — or enough fabric to line the bottom of the box with, depending on its size
- Hot glue gun
- Glue sticks
- Scissors
- Clear thin rubber gloves
- Gorilla Super Glue Gel
- Tweezers
- 4 tiny circular strike plates — exact size will depend on the box's corner-edge dimension
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Place the drawer onto your work surface with its handle facing upward.
1. Place the drawer onto your work surface with its handle facing upward.
2. Use the electric drill to unscrew the drawer pull hardware.
3. Remove the hardware, and smooth the areas where the screw holes are located with the sanding sponge.
4. Flip the drawer over, and set it down on its front, so the back panel is facing upward.
5. Position a small hinge on the left side of the outer back panel of the drawer. Place it so that its outer screw hole is about ½ inch from the side panel. The hinge fold should hit the top of the drawer's back.
6. Mark the location of the hinge's lower holes with a pencil, and put the hinge aside.
7. Repeat steps 5-6, but place the other hinge on the right side of the back of the drawer.
8. Gather the four small screws to attach the hinges.
9. Position the hinges, so the lower portions’ holes are atop the pencil marks.
10. Attach the hinges to the back of the drawer by drilling the screws into the drawer through lower hinge holes. The top portion of each hinge will fold over the top of the back of the drawer, resting on the narrow top ridge of the back panel.
11. Get the second drawer, and remove the pull hardware by repeating steps 1-3, but you don’t need to use the sanding sponge to smooth the areas where the screws were.
12. Place the drawers’ open areas against each other, with the hinged drawer on the left and the second drawer on the right. Its front should face upward.
13. Place the unscrewed hinge halves on top of the other drawer, and mark points with the pencil where the screw holes are positioned.
14. Separate the drawer without the hinges from the other one, and drill the screw holes in it.
15. Bring the drawers back together, and place the loose hinge halves so their screw holes are lined up with the drilled holes on the other box.
16. Drill the screws into these hinges. This will connect the two drawers and form a box that can be opened and closed.
17. Replace the drawer pull to the top half of the box by attaching it with its screws, using the drill.
18. Get your fabric and the glue gun.
19. Apply a thin line of glue on the upper edge of the back panel on the box’s bottom half.
20. Gently fold under the edge of one side of the fabric, and affix the upper side of that folded edge to the panel with the glue on it.
21. Trim the other three sides of the fabric with the scissors, so there’s about 1 inch of extra fabric that exceeds the edges of the box.
22. Apply glue to the other upper ends of the other three bottom panels of the box.
23. Fold the upper edges of the fabric as you affix it to the glued upper portions of the panels.
24. Repeat steps 18-23, except line the top inside portion of the box.
25. Put a rubber glove on one hand.
26. Place a drop of the super glue on top of one of the corners on the bottom half of the box, where the corners of the upper half will rest when it’s closed.
27. With your ungloved hand, use the tweezers to grasp one of the tiny circular metal strike plates, and place it on one of the corners where you applied the super glue.
28. Press it down with your gloved hand.
29. Use the tweezers to grasp the second strike plate, and put in on the opposite outer corner that has glue applied to it.
30. Now put drops of glue in the front corners of the top portion of the box, directly above the strike plates you just positioned and glued. The plates will prevent the wood from getting damaged as you open and close the box.
31. Your drawer jewelry box is now ready to be filled with your favorite rings, bracelets and necklaces.
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