IKEA hack: making a shelving unit with IKEA IVAR shelving units as a basis, by Lana

Using the Ikea Ivar cabinet and custom-cut sheet material ordered online, you can quickly create a fantastic custom-made cabinet. In this DIY project, Lana demonstrates how she approached this for a cabinet in the living room. By combining different materials with black steel hardware, she has truly created a unique eye-catching piece.

Description by Lana

I made a tall custom-made cabinet fitted between the walls and arranged it to my liking to both store everything I wanted and make the cabinet a decorative part of the space.

How I Made This Project

As a base, I used the Ikea Ivar shelving system and secured it to the wall for extra stability. The middle section with drawers is a configured shelving unit. Additionally, I used the side panels of this system to further shape the cabinet and create unity. The rest of the cabinet is constructed with pine, spruce, and MDF ordered online from the webshop. All visible shelves are made of pine. I finished the sides of the open sections with thin spruce so that it is no longer visible that the side panels are actually a shelving unit. The shelves in the cabinet are made of MDF. For finishing touches, I painted the wood, and I left the cabinet doors (black MDF) untreated. The hardware is black steel.

Dimensions of My DIY Project

222.0 cm wide and 350.0 cm high