File Cabinet Flip

We needed some extra storage in our office area for files and paperwork. It's a more formal space so the traditional metal file cabinet would be a real eye sore. And... with no closet to tuck it away, I needed to find a way to hide the file cabinet in plain site. This makeover was simple and changed the look of this $20 Craigslist find completely! (My last file cabinet makeover was in Better Homes and Gardens... you can take a peek at that one here!)


Believe it or not, this file cabinet was $20 and DEFinitely not worthy of prime time floor space in our home office until I gave it a makeover!


I was looking for a file cabinet with removable hardware and one that wasn't super deep.


The hardware got a coat of gold spray paint.


To make it feel more like a piece of furniture, I added legs also!


A credit card was my most useful tool with this project as I used wood grain contact paper to cover the ugly metal. I painted the drawer fronts with chalk paint.


Looks MUCH more fitting for a room like this than the dented metal one I came home with!


To see some of the other furniture makeovers I've done thanks to Craigslist, visit my page full of Furniture Fixer uppers.


It still looks like a file cabinet, but... like I said, with some contact paper and chalk paint, it fits into this formal office area a *little* better! Click my blog link below for source list to materials I used for this makeover!
Stop by and say hi! At Charlotte's House
At Charlotte's House
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • She16902363 She16902363 on Mar 30, 2017

    Raleigh, NC

    I'm with "Shopper530"....how did u get the dent out of top drawer? I have filing cabinets just like these and they have dents on front and sides.

  • She16902363 She16902363 on Apr 03, 2017
    How did you get the dent out of top drawer? I have filing cabinets just like these and they have dents on front and sides. Raleigh, NC
  • Jaye Jaye on Dec 29, 2020

    What are your plans for redoing the chest of drawers? It too is a beauty.

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  • Willow runningwater Willow runningwater on Mar 25, 2021

    I've done this but the contact paper wants to come off in places. I did wash the cabinet and wiped it down with alcohol first.

  • Amy Amy on Jan 09, 2023

    I'm still working on my office and need a file cabinet for the paperwork but those metal cabinets are just so ugly. This is the perfect solution. Thank you for sharing

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