Vintage Metal File Repurposed Planter

May 01, 2022

I actually saw some of these vintage card files at a local consignment shop a while back, but didn't know what to do with them at first. Then an idea came to me.

The metal files are from the county courthouse.

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Here's another angle of the card file drawer.

As you can see, it has no back.

Photo of a green plastic rectangular planter.

I picked up this green resin 12" planter box at our local Menards.

Photo of a rectangular plastic planter sawed down with a jigsaw & painted with brown chalk paint.

The planter box was a pretty good fit, but it was too wide with the edge, and a little too tall.

The planter was cut off with a jig saw, and I brushed on a coat of Dixie Belle Chalk Paint in Coffee Bean. The planter had a textured finish so the paint adhered well.

The inner pot now blends in better with the drawer paint color.

Photo of the front of a vintage file drawer.

I cleaned the drawer with hot soapy Dawn Dish Soap water and a rag.

Photo of a decor transfer being added to a vintage file drawer.

I really liked the brass handle and label holder on the brown drawer.

I looked through my gold decor transfers scraps and found some from Redesign with Prima's, Gilded Home & Nature, and Somewhere in Paris, transfers.

Photo of a gold decor floral transfer applied to a vintage file drawer.

Make sure you have the transfers lined up before you let it touch any metal surfaces because there will be no repositioning it.

I then measured the label frame opening and drew it out on a sheet of very thin birch plywood from Menards. These sheets can be cut with a scissors.