The IKEA KALLAX Hack That Makes It Look Like Vintage Furniture

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IKEA furniture is very popular on its own and within the DIY community. The modern minimalist furniture is simple in design and already requires self-assembly, making it easy to reassemble to one's preference. The IKEA KALLAX shelving units are among this brand's best-selling products, and there are many ways to upgrade and transform them into more niche and stylish furniture pieces. One idea by do.it.yourself.mum on TikTok transforms a four-compartment KALLAX unit into an elegant, industrial-style vintage cabinet that looks like it came straight out of the 20th century.

They fully transform this modern, minimalist-style shelf into a thrifted, retro-esque piece by installing DIY cabinet doors, repainting the entire design, and adding feet, handles, and label holders. The TikToker maintains an old-fashioned industrial vibe with metal accents and by sanding down the paint coats. The completed project rivals the IKEA hack that transforms a HAVSTA cabinet into a vintage style beauty, and has a darker, industrialized look better suited to moody, old-fashioned, and urban-inspired spaces.

In order to replicate this influencer's idea, you'll need four wood panels large enough to cover the KALLAX's open compartments. You'll also need four thinner wood pieces to serve as the smaller paneling. This project also requires four wood blocks for the feet, and a set of 16 vintage handles and label holders.

@do.it.yourself.mum

What can I do with a KALLAX UNIT...... Base colour I used was 'drama Llama' from @frenchicpaint I then went over with black jack and sanded parts down once dry. This was very much an experiment as I was originally just going to paint it in 'Drama Llama'

♬ Motivation Guitar – eggTunes

To emulate a vintage, industrial feel, look for handles that are made of iron or brass, since both were common in the 1900s. You can thrift them or purchase purposefully aged designs, like the Weichuan Antique Drawer Knobs and Unlorspy Antique Metal Name Card Frames. Both of these products are made of metal materials and have a bronze finish that closely emulates iron and brass furniture. Bronze finishes have a pre-aged look, making them more complementary than glossy, gold-colored brass designs for this dark, old-world-inspired cabinet.

In addition to the accessories, you'll also need a few common DIY tools for this project. A table saw will come in handy for making the paneling. You'll also need 20-grit sandpaper, a drill, screws, and wood glue, such as Gorilla Wood Glue. A paintbrush and two paint colors are also necessary. Use chalk paint colors similar to do.it.yourself.mum, like the Country Chic All-in-One Chalk Paints in "driftwood" and "liquorice."

Assembling the cabinet takes work. Start by prying off the elevated panels at the foot of the cabinet to make room for the four feet, which are installed with two pilot holes and wood glue. Install the cabinet panels and sand down the entire unit with 20-grit sandpaper before painting it over in the driftwood color. Let it dry for at least 30 minutes. It may take up to three coats for full coverage.

Once it's dry, add the four smaller panels to each cabinet front with glue and screws. Use a dry brush to coat the entire design with the liquorice-colored paint. Wait another 30 minutes before pulling out a sander to give the piece a naturally aged look. Make sure you know how to make wood furniture look antique by properly sanding the edges and not overdoing it. Add a top coat, like Minwax Polycrylic Protective Finish in matte, to preserve the finished look and keep the distressed paint from flaking off.

The last step is adding the vintage handles and label inserts, according to the manufacturer's instructions, and the cabinet is finished and ready to style. This piece fits seamlessly in rooms with dark furniture and similar bronze-colored accents. The cabinet is stylish enough to leave as is, or you can dress it up with other 20th-century-inspired decor. Try decorating it with 1980s thrift store finds everyone wants in their home like retro lamps, or add potted plants and hardback, old-fashioned books.