DIY Cardboard Dollhouse Wardrobe With Drawer -

This little dollhouse wardrobe is made entirely from cardboard, with no paint involved at all. Instead, I wrapped every visible surface in wood-print decorative paper, which instantly gives it that realistic wooden look without the mess, drying time, or brush marks.

Table of Contents

As long as you take your time wrapping the paper neatly, the end result looks far more polished than you’d expect from something that started as packaging cardboard.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the process step by step: from cutting the cardboard pieces to assembling the cabinet, building the legs, and finishing the drawer.

Materials Used

Sturdy currogated Cardboard
Craft knife + metal ruler
Pencil
Strong craft glue or all-purpose glue
Wood-print decorative paper (scrapbook or dollhouse prints)
White cardstock
Decorative paper or fabric (drawer front)
Small bead (drawer knob)

You can get scrapbook paper with wooden prints online, like on Etsy, for example.

Measurements

Before we start the tutorial, here are the measurements for the cardboard pieces:

Main Structure

Upper base (top): 7 × 8 cm
Side panels (2x): 6 × 7 cm
Center shelf: 7 × 7 cm
Lower base (under cabinet): 4.5 × 6 cm

Legs

Leg piece (cut 4x): 7.5 × 5 cm

Drawer

Drawer base: 7 × 7 cm
Drawer sides (2x): 2.5 × 6.5 cm
Drawer back: 2.5 × 7 cm
Drawer front: 3 × 7.2 cm

Step-by-step tutorial for a dollhouse wardrobe from cardboard

Step 1: Cut All Cardboard Pieces

Cut all pieces according to the measurements above.

For the legs, cut all four pieces as evenly as possible to keep the furniture stable.

Step 2: Wrap All Visible Pieces With Wood-Print Paper

Before assembling anything, wrap all visible cardboard parts with wood-print decorative paper:

Side panels
Top panel
Center shelf
Lower base

Fold the paper tightly around edges and corners and glue it flat.
Trim excess paper carefully so seams stay neat.

Step 3: Cut out the legs like this:

Step 4: Assemble the Cabinet Body

Glue the two side panels onto the edges of the 7 × 7 cm center shelf.
Attach the top panel (7 × 8 cm).
Check alignment before the glue sets.

You now have the basic cabinet shape.

Step 5: Attach the Lower Part

Glue the 4.5 × 6 cm lower base underneath the cabinet.
This piece creates a visual break between the cabinet and the legs and helps with stability.

Allow this to dry fully before moving on.

Step 6: Build and Attach the Legs

Each leg is made by layering cardboard for extra strength.
Glue two identical leg shapes together for each leg.
Attach one leg to each corner underneath the base.

Place the wardrobe on a flat surface while drying to make sure all legs sit evenly.

Step 7: Build the Drawer Box

Glue the drawer sides onto the 7 × 7 cm drawer base.
Add the drawer back.
Line the inside with white cardstock for a clean finish.

Test-fit the drawer inside the cabinet opening.

Step 8: Decorate the Drawer Front

Cover the drawer front with a different decorative paper or fabric (this is the only contrasting color).
Glue it onto the drawer box.
Add a small bead in the center as a knob.