Downsizing from 3200 sq. ft to 1400 means storage is a giant deal to us as of late, and a few weeks in the past we obtained two main upgrades in that division. We nonetheless have some “hacking” to do to the easy Ikea cupboards that we purchased, however we’re stupidly giddy over simply having them assembled and put in. They principally add as much as 8 extra massive cupboards price of storage – and our kitchen solely has 7 cupboards, so the thrill was palpable when these flat-packed bins arrived (that they had a few 4 week wait time, however in any other case supply was clean and uneventful for these questioning how the ordering expertise was throughout this time interval).
They make a HUGE distinction in how a lot we are able to retailer – actually, it’s like we added a closet… besides it’s within the type of three totally different massive cupboards round the home.
Let’s begin in our upstairs household room, the place we beforehand had this small console desk below the TV. The material baskets beneath wrangled all of our board video games, however over time we discovered that attending to no matter recreation was on the underside of the basket was fairly annoying. Cabinets for board video games the place you may see all of them and simply take away the one you need with out having to dump all the opposite ones out = far more splendid.
Now, my associates, we now have dramatically elevated our space for storing due to this almost eight-foot lengthy, shiny white console created from two Ikea Bestå cupboards. And any recreation we would like may be seen and grabbed simply with out dumping anything out – plus each single picture album, photobook, outdated yearbook, and all of our different ebook/album keepsakes now have a house up right here too.
Regardless of being Ikea customers for almost twenty years, that is the primary time we’ve ever used one thing from their Bestå line, which is primarily geared in direction of media storage. We lucked out that their commonplace sizes have been a near-perfect match for this spot and one other space downstairs in our bed room, which I’ll present you in a second.
We ordered 4 47″ cabinet boxes (two for every room). Every has two compartments that you would be able to customise with the cabinets, doorways, legs, and even the countertop of your liking. So what you see above are two cupboards joined collectively to make one lengthy storage console.
Ikea consists of all the directions and {hardware} for connecting them and, for those who use their legs (we went with these), they supply a bracket to span throughout the underside of two cupboards to be able to set up one central leg (as a substitute of assembling them individually and standing them subsequent to one another, which leads to two legs proper subsequent to one another in that center space there).
We additionally added some discreet metal support legs on every one (which you see within the image above), simply to verify the center of the cupboard doesn’t sag over time.
If you wish to forgo the legs totally, they do promote suspension rails so your bins may be mounted on to the wall to create a floating console or “fauxdenza” look (you may Google for TONS of examples like this one and this one). We determined to simply go along with the easy white legs for now, however nonetheless secured every field to the wall so we don’t danger them tipping over.
We opted for legs as a result of we wished this to look extra like a chunk of furnishings than a built-in. Despite the fact that it goes virtually wall-to-wall, we’ve obtained some raised paneling on the suitable finish that we predict would look bizarre to strive to connect with with some filler items or one thing because it must terminate into that. So a protracted freestanding cupboard appeared like a better option for this spot. The one different improve we’ll most likely do ultimately is add a countertop to hide the small seam between the 2 cupboards. Though it actually hasn’t bothered us one bit.
The opposite factor we’re considering is ultimately upgrading the doorways for one thing extra customized trying from Semihandmade. Possibly one thing with some coloration? Or a wooden grain? We’ll positively share wherever we find yourself. Semihandmade sells doorways tailor-made to Ikea’s Bestå merchandise (though there are fewer choices than what they provide for kitchens). However we truly just like the inventory glossy white Ikea doors that we ordered greater than we anticipated, so we’re in no rush to switch them.
The one factor on our instant to-do record is to rehang the TV slightly bit extra to the suitable. It’s presently centered below our mini-split HVAC unit (which is centered between the left nook and window) however that places the TV off heart in comparison with the Bestå console (which is centered between the left nook and paneled knee wall that overlooks the steps). It truly seems to be completely fantastic from the facet (see pictures above) however from straight-on you may inform the TV must nudge over a bit.
All of our board video games match behind simply 1 of the 4 doorways, and we’ve used the opposite three compartments for puzzles, picture albums, further books, and different sentimental stuff that had been crammed downstairs in numerous locations. Now it’s multi functional easier-to-access spot.
Truly, one of many spots a few of these gadgets was crammed into was the white printer/submitting cupboard seen under to the suitable of the fireside in our bed room:
Clearly that association above was simply how every part that got here out of the pod settled after we moved in, however now that we’ve Bestå-fied this space, it’s trying extra polished, extra symmetrical, and we now have SO MUCH MORE STORAGE. Additionally I’ll pause when you spot the chihuahua. I swear we didn’t lure him there and sing him a lullaby to get him to sleep for this shot. It simply occurs to be his favourite place to take a nap.
These are the very same 47″ Bestå cupboards that we used upstairs, simply separated on both facet of the fireside (as a substitute of joined with that centered leg and bracket system). Once more, we lucked out that they have been just about the proper measurement that we wanted to fill these areas (even the peak was nice for below the window).
I do know it seems to be like they’re completely obstructed by the chairs within the straight-on pictures, however there’s loads of clearance to get in there:
As for what’s in these cupboards, you may see it’s a bunch of random stuff. The cupboard to the suitable of the fireside (seen above) holds some tools, like our DSLR camera, podcast mic, tripod, and so forth – and a bunch of spare image frames that we’re planning to hold within the visitor studio one we get that going.
Right here’s the opposite facet open. That left cupboard acts as Sherry’s “decor retailer” with spare ornamental issues that aren’t presently in rotation – lots of which we’re planning to make use of within the visitor studio (some vases, two steel sconces, a chopping board, shelf brackets, some plant pots, further candles, some bowls, spare bookends, and so forth).
The doorways are the true MVPs, hiding all that muddle…
… and creating a pleasant clear look when closed.
Most of this stuff was shoved below our mattress, so by transferring it we’ve made it much less chaotic down there and made issues infinitely simpler to see and seize. Plus, now we now have room to get some correct under-bed storage containers, which we’re planning to make use of to retailer our coats & winter gear that we stored for once we go to household in NY/VA or do different winter journey.
In contrast to their counterparts upstairs, we’ll most likely “hack” these to make them look utterly built-in. Suppose filler items on the facet, a wall-to-wall counter on the highest, some good knobs or pulls on the doorways, and a steady baseboard that matches the remainder of the room as a substitute of the inventory legs we now have now.
However once more, for now, the easy clear look is a big improve, and have I discussed that storage is our foreign money as of late? It’s bizarre how a lot we nerd out about discovering a greater spot for one thing or an added space to make use of in a extra environment friendly approach.
As for our building-these-in plans, they’re on maintain till we are able to make progress on our closet building, which you’ll be able to learn extra about on this publish (and see vaguely represented under). As soon as we get the facet wall of the closet constructed, it would give the righthand cupboard one thing to terminate into on that facet, and the fireside shall be completely centered on that span of wall, with a brilliant useful new closet for our currently-closetless bed room. So sure… that could be very thrilling to us as nicely.
Despite the fact that Operation Construct A Closet has but to start, we’re excited to share that replace once we get there. We’re considering we would discover a native carpenter to make us some cool customized door fronts (extra on the particular plans for our closet right here).
Now I’m going to conclude this publish by patting myself on the again for not breaking out all the Bestå puns which were operating by way of my head this complete time. I assume you may say I didn’t allow them to get the Bestå me.
P.S. To comply with together with our complete reno of this home, you may see each single replace we’ve made proper right here in this FL Home archive.
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