How To Make a Drawer Liner with a Book Page

How to line any drawer or cabinet with pages from a book.

This is my very first completed project in my studioffice.  I figured I would start out with a simple project.  You all know that I think the desk is pretty, but the aged yellow finish is just not my cup of tea so I am going to be changing it.   I started with the inside of the drawer and made a new drawer liner for it.  The rest of the desk is going to be painted.

If you haven’t read my previous post – I found this desk curbside. It was a freebie that I put in my basement as I didn’t have place for it. That all changed when I recently cleaned out my basement.  I got inspired and decided the time was right to make the desk my own.

Even if the inside of this drawer gets filled with “drawer junk”, it would bother me that it was not pretty.  I had to make the drawer lining look more attractive.

Here is what the inside of the drawer looked like when I brought the desk  up from my basement.

Where to Find Books With Interesting Pages To Line a Drawer

I find the best books to use to line drawers when I go thrifting – my first destination is always to head to the book section.  It is where I found all of these books that have provided me with decorative paper and prints to use on decorative projects.

The book on the bottom left is the one I used to line the drawer. I only used 10 pages.  The book cost me $1.50. I also have a file where I keep all sorts of b/w illustrations and drawings to use.

• These illustrations could be framed, used to wallpaper a wall, wrap a gift, make tags, scrapbooking…are just a few ideas that I can think of.

I simply cut out the pages I liked and used Mod Podge Matte Formula to adhere and seal each page to the inside of the drawer.

I used a flat wide paint brush to apply the ModPodge to the drawer, not the book pages.  Once I had each page positioned on the Mod Podge covered area, I applied one coat of Mod Podge to the top of the book page.   Doing it this way will lessen any wrinkling.  I did one area at a time until I had the entire surface covered.     I then went over a few areas that I missed with the Mod Podge and let it dry.

I used a pair of scissors to trim the paper to size to fit into each corner. Made sure it fit perfectly and then applied the Mod Podge.  Took about 25 minutes start to finish. My photos are dark because I did this late last night.

The Newly Lined Desk Drawer

All done. The perfect lining for a desk drawer. I love it.

DIY Drawer Organizing Ideas

To make your desk drawers even better, try making dividers to add to the drawers.  I have posted two different kinds:

• How to Make Cardboard Drawer Dividers
• How to Make Wood Drawer Dividers

If you want to see another way I used I used book pages/illustrations, click over to the post I did on how I made a craft cart:

• Zoom Zoom Zoom..Craft Cart on Wheels

UPDATE:  See how I painted this desk with the glossiest white paint you have ever seen.