Card Catalog Craze on the Cheap

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January 23, 2013 by Decorum DIYer

I know we have all seen the card catalogs that keep popping up everywhere.  I, myself, am quite smitten with them.  I love organization and vintage furnishings.  I am old enough to remember actually using the card catalog in the school and community libraries.  Card catalogs are definitely a nostalgic piece of furniture from a bygone era.  Have you seen how much these original card catalogs cost?

Here are a two card catalogs for sale via my local Craigslist:

$225

$300 (and probably closest to my inexpensive diy solution)

So, perhaps a diy version is in order?

A quick check with Pinterst reveals quite the craze.

A $25 night stand (this one found via Craigslist, but certainly any second-hand source would do) that could easily be transformed into a stylish card catalog, but with many more storage options.

Sure, tiny drawers are cool, but really, what would you store in those tiny drawers?  There are some cool ideas out there to fill those tiny drawers, but I think I like the look of the card catalog cabinet more than the actual tiny drawers.

Take this ordinary night stand/end table that has three drawers.  The $25.00 asking price isn’t too bad (although I’d ask to pay $10 with immediate pick up to open up negotiations.)

 

And this one offered at $45.

The key to making these look like a card catalogs, without much work, is that the drawer fronts are milled in a way that looks like nine, small drawers. Of course, if you have the tools, a few simple dado cuts, or grooves, would recreate the look on a flat front drawer.

You could paint this little dresser any color,

or re-stain (pretty sure it is solid wood) another color.

Keep the table top edging or cut it off for a more sleek, streamlined look.

Then, simply replace the drawer handles with something like the file drawer pulls below:

Brass label holders from Paxton Hardware at just under $1.00 a piece. For $9.00, you have a completely different look!

The cabinet could be left with a flat base or even perched atop some cool new legs:

You can choose any style of leg to suit your decor and taste.

Mid-century modern legs, perhaps?

Hairpin legs?

The possibilities are endless.

Here are a few examples of diy’ed card catalog tables for more ideas!

 (Most of the below were made from scratch or using original card catalog units,

not as furniture revamps)

Via ‘DIY on the Cheap’

Via ‘Not Just a Housewife’

Via ‘Mad Props Boston’ – linked disabled.

Via ‘Oakland Avenue’ (and quite possibly my favorite).

Via ‘The Daily Telecraft’.

So, what do you think of card catalogs?

I think the biggest attraction to me is all of that lovely hardware – like a room’s jewelry.

Until next time…, happy Craigslisting and furniture revamping!

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