High end built-ins can cost a fortune, but by using existing pieces of furniture as our framework, we were able to Knock-Off an awesome look at a fraction of the cost! This one project really made this makeover complete- without it, we're pretty sure the room would be a little blah.
To begin, use store bought cube units as your base for the bench seat- you can get these at many stores now, the only think to make sure of is that they’re pretty heavy duty- we don’t want a flimsy bench now do we?!? Ours are the Expedit cubes from Ikea.
Connect the cube units together to make one long bench seat. We just used a drill and a few long screws to do this.
On either side of the cube unit, add two store bought bookshelves (you can find the ones we used here). The height will depend on your ceilings and if you want them to go all the way up. Use a drill and heavy duty screws to connect the sides of your shelves to the cube unit. Don’t worry about things matching up perfectly or seeing gaps- moulding covers a multitude of sins!
Add trim moulding anywhere that the pieces of furniture meet and crown molding around the top of the bookshelves. We actually used two types of moulding stacked on top of a box that we added to increase the height of the bookcase. Moulding is where we’re getting our high end look! Don’t forget to use a miter saw with 45 degree angles.
Add pillows and cushions to the seat, accessorize those shelves and you’ve just successfully knocked off high end built ins! Seriously impressive, right?
We love a good Ikea hack…check out this one from Jess' living room:
Ikea Lack Ottoman
Never think that store-bought furniture can't be changed. We always look for possibilities to customize things, no matter where we are!
