Shabby Miniature Bureau Tutorial

I made this bureau for my Orange Blossom and it's still one of my favorite pieces I've ever made from scratch! I'm going to let you know the secret of how I made it from a very ragged block of wood. Ready for the transformation?

I adore the crackle finish and the very chipped patch was a happy accident which is, of course, the very best kind! The open drawer is fun to drape items from and adds to the illusion...

because the drawers are all faux!

Here is the original block of wood that I salvaged from an ugly mini sofa. I cut a piece of basswood a little larger than the top and then went to work with my budget savvy molding method: I cut very bumpy case molding and cut it into long thin strips of various widths. It's the perfect scale for detail trim!

I then used precut wood rectangles and applied them as false drawer fronts, outlining them with my mini-molding from above. Next trick: the open drawer is simply held out with skinny strips for the side and bottom to give the impression of depth.

Here's where it looks as if I've lost my mini mind: I painted it shades of orange and red, using the deepest shades for inside the faux drawer to add the impression of depth. It is all very blotchy and smudged which adds to the realism for the crackle finish.

I applied the crackle finish according to directions and painted the whole thing a lovely shade of white. Add feet and a little hardware it here it is in it's proper home. Who says drawers have to open? :)