Bookcase Makeover to Faux Card Catalog

This midcentury bookcase was an impulse buy, but for $12 how could I pass it up?  You really can’t go wrong with buying a wooden bookcase to upcycle; almost everyone needs more shelf space in their home.

As it waited for its update, I considered decoupaging paper onto the back like this bookcase makeover I did a couple years ago.  But I really wanted to do something different this time.

Thankfully I had another idea:  A faux card catalog. Yes, creating them is a favorite project of mine – I’ve made quite a few!

Guy in the Garage measured the front side of the bookcase and cut a board for me, which would become the door.  I had some thin balsa wood rectangles leftover from another project so I measured and marked exactly where they’d go on the door.  (If you look closely you can see my pencil marks below.)

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I dabbed my favorite super glue on and then set heavy books on top of all the panels overnight.

After the glue was dry, hubs took it outside and stained it with Minwax Espresso.

Then it was time to see my idea come to life.  Each panel got a card catalog drawer pull (available Here) – it didn’t take too long to attach 32 tiny screws.  My Black+Decker drill/driver (available Here) worked very well for the job.

The bookcase was painted in Fusion Mineral Paint – Raw Silk.  Finally, the door was attached with two hinges inside (the trickiest part of this entire project) and I added a magnetic closure inside the top of the bookcase.

And here she is….

Here’s a peek inside…

Here’s a better view inside of the hinges and magnetic closure.  In the process of adding the hinges, hubs tried removing the back of the bookcase and it ended up breaking, so he cut and stained a brand new back for it too.  🙂   (The original back had been painted in Raw Silk also, but I do really like the new stained back!)

The drawer pulls are pretty fantastic.  They’re available here, very reasonably priced.  🙂  Should I put labels inside?   What do you think they should say?

A midcentury bookcase/faux card catalog calls for vintage bottles and succulents as decor.

Even though the hinges were tricky, I love this little upcycled bookcase.  It’s definitely a unique piece – and it sold quickly at the market!

If this faux card catalog bookcase makeover has inspired you, I’d so appreciate if you’d Pin it or share it with someone else – thank you!

Friends, now let’s see the latest furniture makeovers from my blogging friends… Below are the Before photos – click the links underneath to see the After photos and learn how they transformed it.

1. The Interior Frugalista
2. Just The Woods
3. Petticoat Junktion
4. Confessions of a Serial DIYer
5. Prodigal Pieces

You might also like these similar makeovers…

Faux Industrial Printer’s Cabinet Dresser

Faux Apothecary Cabinet Makeover