Want to turn simple store-bought cabinets into custom built-ins? “Hacking” something that’s already been built is a lot easier than building something from scratch, and it can seem really customized in the end. Built-in storage is universally useful (especially in a smaller home – but really, anywhere), and things like floor to ceiling wardrobes in our bedroom, We added a desk and a bookshelf into our son’s room and into the wall-to-wall media closet our family room made such a difference. But one built-in component we’ve barely mentioned since we added and upgraded the Ikea Bestas next to our fireplace:
The good news is that it only took a few fairly easy steps to make them look a lot more custom than they do on the showroom floor at Ikea. So let’s get into the details.
Why did we choose Ikea Bestas?
The photo you see above is the view directly across from our bed. You may remember him from inspirational photos like the one below, taken right after we moved in and we were still in the middle of unpacking. Like, literally THICK.
Once we had fully unpacked, it became clear that this area required proper storage on either side of the fireplace. We knew that some sort of cabinetry would sit nicely next to the fireplace, sit right under those matching windows and not take up a lot of floor space while adding a lot more hidden storage. Because let’s face it, what we had on hand wasn’t going to cut it in the long run:
Fortunately for us, Ikea’s Besta system was sold 47″ wide closet that fit almost perfectly into that 50″ space on the left (we added some filler pieces for a wall-to-wall look – but more on that in a second). Paired with some basic legs, the height of Besta fits perfectly under any window. So it was basically a simple matter of starting with them and then adding custom details to them for a built-in look. We actually bought them back in Fall 2020, which is why you may have noticed them in the background our holiday decor fast that year. Here’s a photo from back then, without the actual holiday decorations:
At this point, they weren’t really “built in” – they were just sitting there. But we were so grateful to earn more hidden storage that we didn’t rush the rest of the makeover. But I’m glad we have these photos because it shows how upgraded the same basic cabinets can look with a little extra work.
Over the next year, we made them look a lot more custom. And now we can’t even imagine them looking like the two photos above.
It’s worth noting that the reason the right one doesn’t end in a wall is because we haven’t added a wall there yet – but one day we plan to build a bathroom right at the end of that built-in space, so it will end in a wall and look perfectly balanced from the bedroom.
How we adapted our best
There are many ways you can “hack” Ikea pieces to make them your own – paint, add trim, install hardware, wallpaper, etc. But we really did three simple things for them to make them look more built in:
- Added stand
- Added side filler decorations
- Added butcher block counter
Adding trim and floorboards
We’ve covered how to add trim and plinths to Ikea pieces several times for other built-in projects. So check it out installation in our son’s nursery or our Ikea wardrobe for a more specific step-by-step on that process (I walk you through the whole process completely – I promise you can do it).
The main thing to remember – which I’ve highlighted below when working our last closet – is that you may need to consider TWO LAYERS of filler liner. The bottom layer will be attached to the side of the cabinet box, while the top layer will sit on it, looking flush with your door.
That way when the door is closed it should look something like this – with the filler piece flush with the front of our door.
To add the base, we just used the same base and quarter round trim that we have around the rest of the room and literally hammered it into the basic square legs that you get with the Bestas. It was so easy!
After the filler and stand pieces were attached, we taped all the seams and nail holes and then painted everything to match. We had a decent lucky color matching the “Ikea white” color (although even Ikea doesn’t use the same white on every piece). For them, we realized that our wall color (SW Pure White) was close enough, so we just used it.
Adding a butcher block counter
Now you have seen that we use this butcher board material for 2 more projects – our fashion wardrobe and our DIY wooden nightstands – but these Bestas were actually where we first used them! We love how chunky it is and how the color matches our floors so nicely, so we thought it would be a great way to make these cabinets look more custom.
We used ours circular saw to cut it to size and then seal it with a ply cutting board oil, and to protect it and to highlight the color a little. It dries a lot easier than it looks below, so don’t panic.
To attach it, we simply screwed the top of the Besta right into the wood (just make sure you use screws that aren’t long enough to go through the top!). Sherry is sitting on top of it and I’m screwing up from underneath (yes, I’m aware of how that line sounds and I’m waiting for Michael Scott to say his well-known Office catchphrase). It’s quite heavy so it stayed in place well, but the screws ensure it won’t move over time.
The other thing we did was drill holes for various cables so that things like our table lamps could go through the top and be plugged in underneath. Both Bests have a wall outlet behind them (we’ll show you how we exposed them to be exposed behind the cabinets in a second), but adding these plug access points in the worktop was a really great upgrade. We had to buy a 2″ special drill bit to make a hole (it took a little patience to go all the way through the butcher’s block AND the top of the Besta). When that was done, we closed it with this brass table lugs to look neat and professional. They enter with a light blow of a rubber mallet.
The cords simply slip into the Besta and sit unceremoniously on one of the shelves. You can also see how we cut a hole in the back of the Besta to access the socket. It’s not very pretty, but who cares? It is hidden inside the cabinet and you have to crouch about 10″ off the floor to see it even with the door open.
Speaking of the inside of our closets…
What we store in our custom Bestas
Adding these cabinets was a game changer for our storage in this room. It turned the dead space on either side of our fireplace into a super functional place to hide a ton of stuff that would otherwise look a lot cluttered. Sherry actually made a short video to give you a closer look at what the upgrades look like in our space and to show you what’s inside (including more on how we put the lamps together):
Note: You can also watch this video on YouTube.
For those who cannot watch the video, here is a short photo tour. The cabinet on the right stores a bunch of miscellaneous stuff like spare paint (as you can see above in the outlet photo), camera and podcast gear, and some random magazines and stuff. There’s even a fair amount of extra space that we can expand into when and if we need it (watch the video to see what we mean by that).
The closet on the left is a little more valuable. It contains loads of iridescent books, gift bags and tissues, plus some iridescent candles, vases and other trinkets that Sherry likes to rotate in and out. We’ve definitely cut down on excess “decorative stuff” since we moved, but it’s nice to have a place for this smaller group of items that we’ve kept and still use occasionally.
And I know from the photos that it looks like it’s really hard to access this cabinet, with the table and chairs in front of them. But don’t worry, it’s definitely totally accessible in real life. That table is heavy, so I certainly wouldn’t want to move it every time we need to wrap a present! You can see Sherry easily get in there and open the cabinets to show you what’s inside in the video in this post.
And here’s a photo of Sherry grabbing the candle from there (but be sure to watch the video for a real-life POV).
Overall, we’re so pleased with how they turned out, especially considering how simple our “hacks” were to feel like a custom built-in.
Other Ikea Hack Projects
Want to see some other Ikea hacks? Here are some of our favorite Ikea furniture pieces:
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