I’m usually a pretty good “doer”.
I mean, I don’t sit around idly dreaming of how nice our house could be “if only”. I get to work (usually with the Mr.) and just do it.
But I must admit, I’ve pinned a lot of stuff I haven’t yet had time to tackle.
Cue Sherry and Katie’s Pinterest Challenge – Summer Edition (with Kate and Michelle this go-round).
Basically it goes like this: we should challenge ourselves to make one thing each season that’s inspired by all the gorgeous stuff that we’ve pinned. The only rule is to do your own personal take on something inspirational that you’ve pinned (and link back to the original creator of the project that inspired you, be it a company like Anthropologie or a personal blog that got your wheels a turning).
When I read about all the festivities, I went directly to my DIY board on Pinterest to see what I could make. There were several things I’d love to create for our house. But then I found this Ikea Moppe hack by Kristine of The Painted Hive that I pinned almost 3 months ago.
I’ve had the bigger version of the Ikea Moppe drawers on my dresser for ages. I used to use them for pens and pencils and scissors and such. Now I use them to hold my jewelry.
You see where this is going, yes?
My Moppe drawers stayed plain for years. I gave them a quick coat of chalk paint last year just to perk them up. But I’ve never been totally happy with them.
Until now.
Just look at all that chippy, industrial goodness!
I was going to sand the chalk paint off and stain the drawers just like Kristine’s. But a bout of sickness in our house sort of left me a day behind. Pooh! So I looked around and spotted our Pottery Barn Ledge. Ah, the perfect finish!
If you follow us on twitter, you know we were perusing Lee Valley Tools the other night. We were looking for card catalog pulls. But all the ones I liked were too expensive – and I didn’t want to spend much on this project. Enter some creativity on my hubby’s part; why not combine a label holder and a drawer pull to make a card catalog pull look-alike? Brills!
What you’ll need:
-
Ikea Moppe Drawers
-
Craft paint in black and burnt umber (Plaid/Folk Art)
-
Crackle medium (DecoArt)
- Light grey paint (we used Analytical Grey by Sherwin Williams)
- Paint brush (Purdy)
- Metal ruler or scraper
- Sandpaper
- Adhesive metal bookplate (these from Staples/Martha Stewart)
- Handles (we used these from Lee Valley)
- Lint free white cloth/rag
- Natural and Dark Finishing Paste Wax (Minwax)
- Ink pen
1. Paint each drawer front and the main unit with a thin coat of black paint. Let dry. You just want enough to show through when you distress the drawers.
2. Randomly paint with the burnt umber. Let dry. This just adds some interest to the distressing.
3. Using a large brush with large sweeping motions brush the crackle medium all over. Let dry.
4. Now paint over the crackle with the grey paint. Let dry.
5. Distress. Using a metal ruler or scraper, roughly chip off paint where desired. Using sandpaper, sand edges.
6. Using a clean rag randomly rub dark wax in a few places. Then using the natural wax, wax the entire piece. (Now Shown)
7. Drill holes and screw a handle to each drawer.
8. Remove adhesive backing and attach bookplates to each drawer. Add labels – and voila!
I love it! Thanks girls for the Pinterest Challenge and the kick in the pants to get ‘er done!
What do you think of our little card catalog-looking jewelry box? Did you participate in the challenge? Anything you’ve pinned that you need to make the time to create?
That looks AMAZING Shannon, wow, so impressed! Incredible project, thanks so much for joining in on the Pinterest fun!
xo
Kate
Thanks, Kate! Such an improvement!
Love it – I have two of these sets all plain and begging for an up style – only problem is mine has the little cut out pulls at the top. Did you fill or cover yours or did they come without the finger pull holes?
Ah, simply take the drawers out and turn them around! Problem solved!
Mine has the pulls on front and back of drawers
Will solve this dilemma somehow….
Well duh – just discovered mine is the ‘crappy’ fira drawers and not the moppe – oh well, I am still giving them a makeover! Thanks for the inspiration.
Have fun!
Hmmm, anyone have any ideas?
very cool! i may hack your hack!! lol
marie recently posted..I think I’m ready to be done with this room.
Would love to see it if you do!
love love love!
lisa @StudioJewel recently posted..Happy 4th of July and a how-to create a Sparkler Photo
thanks, thanks, thanks! xo.
Great Post, awesome project!!! Well done and congrats on a wonderful piece!! Love it!
Looks great! I love your spin on it. I too have that card catalog pinned with no plan in place to accomplish it! Thanks for the inspiration.
Amy @ PaintWineRepeat recently posted..Red Barn – Where to shop
What an amazing job! It looks great!! Another thing to add to my list when I go to IKEA. Thanks for the inspiration. I found you on Twitter and I’m glad I did!
Elizabeth @ The Little Black Door recently posted..pinterest challenge – dipped in gold
We’re glad you did too!!
I love it! It looks amazing and oh so useful. I have an old metal card catalogue that was left in our garage when we moved in. It’s in rough shape and we’ve started to use it to store tools and painting supplies and things, but I have a vague dream to fix it up and put it in my office one day when I have such a room. Only problem? It probably weighs about 300 pounds and is impossible to move. Perhaps I should set my sights on something a little smaller? Thanks for the inspiration!
Jeanette @ This Dusty House recently posted..A New Living Room
A small set of drawers is a great place to start!!! (But your metal card catalog sounds FAB!)
I pinned that card catalog hack, too! Both projects are gorgeous!
I haven’t been to Ikea in a while since the closest one to me is in Burlington. Do you know approximately how much these cost?
After making painted signs from your tutorial, I’ve given the crackle medium some time off because I’ve been letting my palm sander do the distressing. It’s definitely time to break it out again!
Thanks for sharing another awesome tutorial!
Claire@alittlesomethinginthemeantime.blogspot.com recently posted..Summer Pinterest Challenge: Tea Tin Planters
I have had our Moppe drawers for probably ten years – so no, I don’t even know which stores carry them anymore.
I ignored the crackle medium for ages too…made me think of those cheap looking antique knockoffs at Walmart. BUT if you use a large brush and big sweeping motions it looks fab!
Looks great. How awesome to have your jewelry organized so you can find it when you need it!
Jennifer@DreamingofJune recently posted..Coffee Table Dilemma and Ideas
Love me some fun jewelry – so having it organized is a must!
Wow, this turned out so good! Perfectly industrial, it easily looks like something you would pay hundreds for
Tamsyn recently posted..DIY TeePee – Pinterest Challenge #4
Thanks Tamsyn!
This turned out great and I LOVE the tutorial! I’ve been MIA for a while with lots of company, but I was glad to be welcomed by this wonderful piece from you upon my return! Fabulous work!!!
Heather @ The Junktion recently posted..How to Antique Using Wood Stain
Welcome back, Heather!
WOW! That looks so pretty and I love the way you styled it on your dresser.
Thanks! That’s part of project fun – the finished styling!
I love this!!! Found you on the Pinterest Challange….I’m pinning this now. Awesome job.
Thanks for pinning!
Wow! Love that chippy goodness. I would have thought it had always been like that. Love it! Pinning this one! x
Danielle recently posted..Beatrice
This is gorgeous! How do you get rid of the “finger” holes on the front of the drawers like in the picture?
Kelli Helm recently posted..Pinterest Challenge – Flower Mobile
I just turned the drawers around backwards!
This looks awesome!! Great post! How long did the project take you to do?
how2home recently posted..How to: Coca Cola Cupcakes
I’d say a few hours on a Sunday afternoon. It may have been shorter if I’d used the blow dryer for the paint as I often do. But I was doing other things while each coat of paint dried.
was the crackle paint easy to work with? It has the effect as the crackle nail polish…. I’ve never used this type of paint before and im really curious to try now. Did you just buy it from Home depot/michaels?
how2home recently posted..How to: Coca Cola Cupcakes
It is easy. Just use a large brush and long sweeping motions. Work quickly and don’t go back over what you’ve already done. You can buy it at Michael’s with the craft paints.
i LOVE it!! i, too, have pinned Kristine’s version and you have inspired me to jump on this project (as soon as i can make a trip to Ikea to purchase it)!!
Have fun with it, Holly! Would live to see it after!
I love that! It looks really wonderful! You did such a good job on it
Allie ~ This Yellow House recently posted..Flower Mirror made with Plastic Spoons
I just died from amazing overload! Seriously, I’m in love with your project. I have that same inspiration picture pinned, but haven’t done anything with it yet. Now I really want to get on it and make one after seeing how good yours look. Oh, and your whole blog is pretty amazing…where have I been that I’ve never been by before?!
Sam @ The Junk House recently posted..Mini "Pallet" Sign
Lol. You just made me snort! Thank you for the very sweet (and enthusiastic) compliments!
I LOVE this project! The crackle paint and distressing made it look amazing, and I love what you did for the hardware! Great job!
Thanks, Liz!
Love it, Shannon! The head librarian lives across the street from us….and they just re-did the library….oooooooo, I’m hoping for the old card catalogs! Say a prayer for me……
Daune | Cottage in the Oaks recently posted..The Blessing Tree…..
Oh man – so jealous!!!
I love the card catalog look; I’ll have to keep this in mind! Great job, and congrats on the CG feature!
Erin
Erin @ The Great Indoors recently posted..One Dollar, Bob
Thanks, Erin!
Hi!
I LOVE THIS IDEA!!
I went to IKEA.com and cannot find this item.
Could someone lead me to it, if they still carry them?
This is awesome! I want this, it would be perfect for my jewelry collection. Thanks for the idea!
I love it!!!
I just want to say that I put a link on my blog here:
http://www.louloupi.org/post/2012/07/27/Petit-meuble-ik%C3%A9a-customis%C3%A9-G%C3%A9niaaalll%21%21%21
Thank you for share this wonderfull idea
Louloupi
Wow I just found the original post about these drawers, looked them up and promptly put them on my Ikea shopping list despite them being fugly in their original, un-hacked form. I’m currently re-designing my student room so I have a more usable space with a lot more storage. I’m hoping to replace a huge chair with an old wooden thrifted one (just to put clothing on) which I was thinking of crackling…..I was wondering what to do with the drawers if I got them and totally lacking inspiration. So your idea matches the two together!! Brilliant. Now I just have to get the drawers and chair and actually make them look pretty…… One day!!
Sounds like you’ve got some wonderful ideas!
Saw this hack and absolutely love it!
Ikea no longer carries the Moppe or Fira lines in Canada but does anyone know of a good place to find a good substitute? I’ve looked everywhere I can think of and haven’t been able to come up with anything that will work for this project!
Yianna recently posted..Goose Creek Candle Co. {Review, Discount & Giveaway!}
Hmm. Let me think on it a bit. So frustrating…I’ve had my drawers for years!
OH MAN… perfect timing on this post, also great comments by your followers, it did not dawn on me to turn the drawers around until I read the other comments. This project is getting moved up to the top of my list. Great site!
I know right! Such smart followers!
The antiqued look is really great! It ads such character!
Thanks, Sandi!
I pinned your box ages ago and I keep coming back to it! I love it so much. I am finally getting ready to make one of my own and can’t thank you enough for the inspiration!
Taryn @ Design, Dining + Diapers recently posted..24 Fall Wreaths: Finding Your Fall Style
Fantastic idea. This one is for me far the best hack I saw on ¨ikea hackers¨ . I am thinking for years how I can give my Moppe drawers a better look and I got no further than to paint it white. Now I am happy I have not done yet, because this idea is so much better. Thanks a lot.
(Unfortunately I have the one with the little cut out pulls at the top at both sides of each draw, but I will find a solution for this little problem)
This piece is LOVELY! Really great job! And so clever with the pulls and labels! I was just thinking about trying to find something that had the look of a card catalog pull without the price–and now I don’t have to think anymore, because you already found a great alternative! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Sometimes the best projects happen because of a tight budget! Have fun with yours…
Wow, y’all! I clicked over from East Coast Creative’s CWTS contest, and this is beautiful! I love it! Job well done
. Hope y’all get a spot in the top 12 so I can see more of your creativity!
Thank you so much for coming over to tell us that! Very sweet!
I’m in love with this project. I can’t wait to get my own drawers to do this! Thanks so much for sharing!
What a great idea! Ikea stuff is great but its all very similar in style. This is a great way to change it up. Thanks for sharing!
Sweet idea, thank you!! I just happen to have one of those boxes.
: )
Julie M.
Perfect!