This is the carcass color code for cutting reference. See next step.

As you can see, there's quite a bit of waste. I think this is the most effective use of the pieces, however, and it allows a lot of gang cutting of identical lengths (just be careful!). If your store carries 1x2x6's and 2x2x6's, you don't have to buy all 8 footers.

Edge glue your side panel 1x2s and clamp well. Then attach the top and bottom trim pieces as shown. Make two of these.

With pocket hole screws and glue, attach your 2x2 legs to each side panel as shown. There should be a 3" gap between the floor and the bottom of your side panel piece.

Now attach the rest of those stretchers using the spacing shown above. Front stretcher positions match back stretcher positions. Check for level from front to back across each set of stretchers. I sure hope those things are really called stretchers.

Now we begin adding the millions of short sticks you had to cut. Beginning with the bottom shelf, use the spacing shown in the diagram, and attach with glue and pocket hole screws.

Attach with glue and pocket hole screws, spacing is shown.

Attach with glue and pocket hole screws. Careful! The spacing on these is close. You may find this set more easily accomplished with countersunk screws from the outside, if you don't mind the look of them.

The final stretcher is attached at mid-point on the top.

Next come the vertical spacers. Begin on the bottom row, one in front and one in back at mid-point. Make sure the one in back is positioned flush with the inner edge of the 2x2 stretcher...you will want that 2x2 to extrude a bit in order to inset your backing later on. Check for square.

Second row of verticals, two in front, two in rear, using the spacing shown. Check for square.

In a perfect world, all four of these verticals would attach at even spacing...but I don't want to bog you down with measurements to the 3/65ths. The first two may be spaced as shown, but for the middle two...

...the spacing gets wonky. In a miniscule sense. Do your best to space them out pleasingly.

THIS is why you must not cut drawers before the dresser is assembled! (You haven't, have you?) Take your measurements from the finished cubby before you begin cutting drawer faces. Remember you will want 1/8" gap (or close to it) on each side.

Cut the back, if using, as shown on the right. For the top, you have the option of a plain 3/4" ply, or my preferred design on the left. The following is for that design:

Edge glue your 1x6's and clamp well, finishing with pocket hole screws. Attach the 1x2 trim pieces as shown (pic shows top lying on its face).

Attach front trim piece as shown. Check for square. Flip this over and attach to the carcass (it should be a pretty tight fit).

NOW we can cut the drawer pieces (did you double check the actual cubby measurements?). Rip one sheet of 1/2" ply into two 15" strips and one 18". You may gang cut a lot of this, just be very careful to make your cuts square and precise. Use up some scrap, if you can. If you like, make the two large drawers out of 3/4" ply and eliminate that second half-sheet of 1/2".

Use a router or jig saw to cut the arcs in the face pieces. They do not all have to match each other, but the ones across a row should match as closely as possible. But! This is rustic and primitive, right? So imperfection will just add a little character!

The drawers are just simple boxes. Attach the sides to the bottoms using glue and 1" pocket hole screws. Check for square.

Attach the backs, again checking for square.

Attach your face using pocket hole screws from the underside of the drawer bottom. Check the drawer in position (there should be about 1/8" gap on each side).

Now here's something I'd like to try. Instead of regular drawer slides, take two 1 1/2" pieces of scrap...from the underside of the well-positioned drawer, attach your scrap with glue and screw or nail as shown. This acts as a primitive drawer guide, keeping it straight as it slides in and out. It will also stop the drawer from sliding out too far and falling on the floor.

An alternative would be to attach a piece of 2x2 between the two vertical spacers to guide the drawer along its side.

For the middle and top drawers, the "primitive guides" should sandwich the 1x2 upon which they are centered. Remove the lower drawers, place the drawer you're working on, and then attach the scrap guides from underneath.

We are now structurally complete. Attach the back, if using.

Using painter's tape, give yourself some generous area to paint a chalkboard surface. For my top drawers, I got creative since I'm not going to frame them out anyway. If you ARE going to frame, don't worry too much about perfect lines....they'll be covered by the trim.

If you have a miter saw, by all means get fancy with the framing of the chalkboard (left). If not, I think a plain frame with butt joints (on the right) looks just as nice.

That's it, functionally. For this piece, I would love a plain look like a whitewash or tung oil finish, but it would also be stunning in white or red paint or a rich cherry stain.

Thanks for reading through!

(This inspiration, in case you didn't know what I was talking about :)