Update: Check out the finished fluted cabinets and full room reveal here!
Over the past month we’ve been slowly working on the most challenging part of our work/play room renovation—the built-in storage cabinets. Let me refresh your memory of how the wall looked before:
And here’s a rough mockup of our cabinet layout:
After researching all my options, I chose Ikea’s Sektion (kitchen cabinet) line because of the many configurations and ability to use custom doors. We decided to use three 80′ tall cabinets, two 24″ base cabinets and two 24×30″ wall cabinets.
A bench seat/kids desk will go under the window, and a large L shaped desk will run along the back wall and on top of the base cabinets. Here they are assembled (minus the wall cabinets):
Before securing the cabinets to the wall, we had to build a base for them to sit on. We opted not to purchase the Ikea cabinet legs/toe kicks, and instead build our own since we’d be customizing/painting them to our liking. The easiest and most inexpensive way to do this is with 2×4’s, but before we could build that, we had to cut out the baseboard to allow the cabinets to sit flush against the wall.
This part is simple—use a level to mark a straight line where the cabinet will go, then cut along the line with a dremel (still one of our favorite multi-use tools!)
Make sure to score the caulk along the top of the baseboard with a sharp utility knife, and the baseboard should lift right off. Next it was time to build the frame, using 2×4’s cut exactly to the width/length of the cabinets with a support in the center.
It’s important for this piece to be level, since the cabinet will be sitting directly on top of it. We attached the boards with 3″ wood screws at each connection point.
On the other side of the window, the situation was a bit different. We built another 2×4′ frame for the tall cabinet, but couldn’t do the same for the base cabinets as it would make them too tall for a desk. Standard desk height is around 30″, and the base cabinets alone are 30″ tall (add in the countertop and it would be almost 36″—much too tall for a desk!)
We also didn’t want the cabinet sitting directly on the floor (which would allow no clearance for the doors) so we ripped down 2×4’s to 3/4″ inch and built a shallow frame:
Using plastic shims and a level, we adjusted the frames so they were perfectly level in every direction. Even though our house is new, the floor is almost never perfectly level and these adjustments will be necessary.
We planned to add a floor-to-ceiling panel in between these cabinets, so we used a spacer to make sure we left the right amount of room for it.
Once the bases were built and attached to the wall and floor, it was time to do a test fit with the cabinets.
A few adjustments to the bases were necessary at this point as our walls aren’t straight vertically. We had to shim out one of the bases to accommodate and ensure the cabinets were level from top to bottom.
We used the IKEA suspension rail for our upper cabinets on the left, and attached the others to the wall using their supplied brackets. With the cabinets in place, we marked where the anchor needed to go and used a self-drilling drywall anchor to secure the screw to the wall.
Here’s the IKEA suspension rail in place for our upper cabinets (the desk/countertop will be installed below).
The rail system is very simple to use, you just have to make sure to double and triple check that it is level. It’s easy to make slight adjustments once it’s up. One person can manage a shorter rail, but longer rails might require the help of a friend.
With the cabinets in place, we used a combination of screws and bolts to secure the cabinets to each other and pull everything tight. We used these bolts and barrel nuts from a previous project on a few of the cabinets:
After the base and large cabinets were up and secured, it was time to move on to the trim and filler panels. When I ordered our cabinet doors from Semihandmade, they also supplied MDF panels and fillers to complete the built-in look. This process requires installing 2×4 blocks between the cabinet and wall, then attaching the filler pieces on top. It’s essentially one big puzzle, and you just have to take it one piece at a time.
This is our second time customizing Ikea Sektion cabinets—you may remember our Riverside Retreat kitchen:
For this kitchen we made the panels/filler pieces recessed from the doors, but this time we wanted to make them flush for a truly built-in look, like this:
Starting in the far right corner, we cut our first 2×4 block to the size of our wall gap and drilled a pocket hole to attach it to the wall:
Here it is in place—attached to the wall through the pocket hole, and also directly through the cabinet:
We wanted our filler piece to be even with the doors (both are 3/4″ thick), so we had to align the blocks with the edge of the cabinet. Here’s how the top looks (the two blocks in the back are for a second vertical filler piece):
For a tall filler piece, you’ll want to add at least three blocks for stability. They don’t need to go into studs, as they’re not supporting any weight.
Once the blocks are in place, we carefully measured and cut our MDF panel to fit.
Nice and snug! But then things got tricky for us. As of now, our plan is to leave the top of the cabinets open to utilize the storage space, but we couldn’t leave any visible gaping holes on the sides. Our ceiling has some crazy compound angles/slopes, and our first challenge was to cut a piece to fit this section…
The easiest way we’ve found to tackle these situations is using cardboard to make a template. I let Lucas handle this one.
He used a combination of a miter saw and jigsaw to carefully miter the edge and cut along the angle. And it worked!
Here’s how the first four panels/filler pieces look on the right side. The short panel on the left would sit underneath our window bench seat, and the fifth and final panel added later above the window seat:
On the left side, we had another problem area with the large vertical panel between the cabinets. We were battling both the ceiling slope and a wavy/uneven wall, but we managed to get it pretty close (lots of test fitting and detail sanding!)
Additional blocking was added around the upper cabinets (there wasn’t a lot of space above these, so we decided to put a cover panel rather than leave it open for storage):
One small issue we ran across was a gap between the cabinet and filler panel, caused by the sides of the cabinet box sticking out farther than the top and bottom (why Ikea, why?!)
It’s only visible when the door is open and not a huge deal, but we decided to minimize it by adding a thin strip of MDF (ripped down with a table saw) to fill it.
You can still see a seam where the strip is, but it’s less noticeable than an open gap. We did this along the bottom of the cabinets as well:
Under the base cabinets, we ripped down a 3/4″ piece of MDF to fill the smaller gap:
Before we could finish installing the panels, we had to fit our window bench in place. This butcher block was the best option I found (affordable, in stock, and a light color to match our floors). I ordered two 6′ lengths and one 8′ length to use for the desk top + window bench.
We determined the height we wanted for the window seat—23″, which would work well as a future kids desk. The lower side panels were then cut to 21.25″ to account for the butcher block thickness.
The panels were attached from the cabinet side so there were no visible screws. Then the butcher block was screwed into the cabinet on each side. Sorry, I only have an “after” shot of the bench!
I ordered two brackets to place underneath, but they ended up being extremely visible and distracting. The butcher block holds our weight just fine on the panels, but I’m nervous about it long term as a window seat so I’m on the hunt for smaller brackets that wouldn’t be visible unless you were crouching down. Any ideas?
The last piece of the puzzle were the two panels above the window bench. Once again, cardboard was used as a template to capture the shape of our contoured walls:
We used our table saw to rip down the length, then a circle saw for the top angle.
Lots and lots of detail sanding was key to get them to sit flush along the entire wall/ceiling. It was also critical to make sure they were exactly 3/4″ past the cabinet the whole way down, as any difference be very noticeable once the doors were installed.
But the extra effort pays off to make the job look professional!
One the pieces are dry fit, it’s time to paint them. You want to paint them before installing to save the hassle of trying to cut in around trim and cabinet boxes. It’s much easier and more efficient! We considered using our paint sprayer but decided it wasn’t worth the extra trouble, especially since we were painting/installing these a little at a time and not all on the same day. Instead, we used a velour roller which is supposed to provide a similar smooth finish. We’ll definitely be switching to these from now on!
We nailed our trim to the blocks, so we had to go back and fill in the holes with putty.
Then it’s a matter of sanding them smooth and touch-up painting, followed by caulking where the trim meets the ceiling and walls. One trick is to use painters tape along the edge of the cabinet, which is then peeled off immediately after caulking the gap.
This gives you a crisp line and eliminates the need for touchup painting due to a wide caulk line (but only works for white/off-white walls!)
We stayed up late to finish them in time, and put a few drawers in too!
We painted the cabinet doors months ago (Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige) but we’re not done with them yet! I decided to customize them further, so we’ll be tackling that project soon (and I’ll share all the details in another blog post) but I was still anxious to see how they looked/fit…
The doors haven’t been adjusted so they aren’t perfectly straight, but I’m loving this clean built-in look!
We didn’t bother adding a filler piece along the left base cabinet, since it will be hidden underneath a desk.
Here’s another view of that wall:
I think the window seat/kids desk is my favorite part! I can just picture Esmé snuggling up here with her stack of books, or doing school work when she’s older…
The biggest question that remains—what to do with the space above the cabinets? There’s a lot of usable storage up there and I’d hate to lose that just for aesthetics, but I also don’t want it to look sloppy/unfinished. I tried placing a few items up there, and landed on these old books…
I’m kinda digging the library vibe they give the space, and how well it fits in with the whole storybook mural theme. I don’t have enough books to fill both spaces, though, so I’d have to add other things… like boxes? baskets? (I tried pillows and blankets and they just looked sloppy).
What do you think? Should we keep the open storage, or close it off? I’m trying to figure out a way to add a door on a hinge, or some type of sliding drawer to be able to access it, but these angles and curves make that tricky!
Here’s a rough Photoshop version with panels:
Any and all ideas are welcome! While you think about it, let’s talk numbers. I know you’re curious about the cost for something like this, so let’s break it down!
- Ikea cabinet boxes: $1,185
- Ikea shelves and drawers: $642
- Semihandmade doors: $1,954 + $399 shipping
- Semihandmade panels: $773
- Grand Total: $4,953
Let’s call it an even $5k after adding in a few 2×4’s and misc hardware store supplies. I didn’t include the butcher block since that’s a separate project, but 20′ of material cost $622.
I compared Semihandmade doors with the cost of Ikea Torhamn doors (those are the doors we used in the Riverside Retreat kitchen, and the only Ikea doors I’d recommend painting since they’re wood) and Ikea’s door total came to $2,452—that’s $498 more than Semihandmade! Even when you add in the shipping cost, Semihandmade DIY shaker doors come out $98 less. Of course, these are for unfinished doors (the cost for their painted doors comes in higher) but if you plan to paint the doors yourself, using Semihandmade is a no-brainer.
Full disclosure: Semihandmade is a sponsor so that was not my direct cost, but I think they are worth a lot more than Ikea doors since they’re customizable and easily paintable (and their customer service is the best—Ikea is a pain!) I’ll share more on the doors in another blog post soon, but for now, we need to celebrate the fact that we finished the most challenging phase of this room renovation…
Let me know if you have any specific questions, and tell me your thoughts about the open storage and bench seat supports below! Off to work on our next DIY…
Jenni says
I think baskets would be nice for the open area above the shelves – all of the gray/beige is very relaxing but it feels like it needs a little texture/contrast to break up the smoothness of the shelves – plus, they hide a lot of loose items you may need to contain. As for the window seat, I would create a center divider to support the bench and then trim it out with face boards across the bench and down the middle. There would still be two openings on each side to allow for a child to use it later as a desk, but for the time being you could put baskets for storing pillow/toys/etc. under there. Or ottoman storage that slides underneath. Something like this can be used as extra seating/storage and is only 16 inches tall. https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/seville-classics-foldable-storage-cube-ottoman/3336169?skuId=62243766&enginename=google&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_storage_online&product_id=62243766&adtype=pla_with_promotion&product_channel=online&adpos=&creative=224124676749&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&utm_campaignid=71700000037121782&utm_adgroupid=58700004139985086&targetid=92700035325268482&gclid=CjwKCAjww5r8BRB6EiwArcckC8LdPwefgqZ-llmCMrHV0GXJbL-rztXqqP5Md18u6gVEhxpT5JoC_BoC_OYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Jenna Sue says
I was looking for baskets under the window seat but I love the idea of a storage cube to double as extra seating—thanks Jenni!
Pam says
Looks so good. You
May just want to live with it for awhile before deciding. I know you guys put a lot into fitting those filler pieces so precisely. If you leave the top open, have you considered just ending the filler pieces flush with the top of the cabinets rather going all the way to the ceiling? I wonder if those pieces are what is making you feel like it’s maybe not quite “finished”. Just a thought. Either way, it is stunning!
Linda Fitzgerald says
I agree, everything looks beautiful but the filler pieces going to the ceiling are throwing it off. I think it would look more finished if the filler pieces end at the top of the cabinets. And I would definitely leave it open and use baskets to store things up there (you can never have too much storage, IMO). Great job!
Linda says
I went back to see what you have above the upper cabinets in your kitchen. You only have the one above the fridge, and it has crown moulding. We have the same over our kitchen cabinets (they don’t go to the ceiling) and love how it looks. Best of luck and keep us posted.
Wendy says
I responded earlier on Instagram that I liked the look of the books exposed but after seeing the cabinets up close, I think that area should be covered. It looks unfinished right now. The room is really looking great.
Jacky says
It’s looking beautiful so far, can’t wait for the finished product! I think some oversized rectangular wicker baskets might look good up there. Maybe in a medium brown tone for a little contrast.
I second Kelly’s comment about the apron/ supports for the bench. It makes me nervous thinking those two MDF boards are the only thing holding it up.
Victoria says
Such a great tutorial and the built-ins are beautiful! Thanking practically and aesthetically, consider closing off the tops of the cabinets (dust and really – who will climb up there for books or storage?). Looking at the wall as a whole, the window seems to be floating as a box. It might make sense to strengthen the window seat and add some Esmé-accessible toy storage underneath. And think ahead for safety as well as looks. How will she climb up to the window seat or what will she stand in?
Enjoy!
Izabela says
So much work, but so worth it – the cabinets look great! I am always impressed with your attention to detail and I can’t wait to see how you customize the doors. My vote is for leaving the tops open. Adding books, boxes, baskets makes the room feel cozy and add to the attic vibe.
Abby says
Beautiful! They look great. My vote would be to close off the top portions of the cabinets.
Jen Garbett says
Look at originalgranitebracket.com We built a long, floating butcher block counter for a kids workstation and used the Regular Shelf Bracket underneath the butcher black to help hold and distribute the weight (we used 4 of them for about a 7′ long countertop. It has held up nicely, although the caulked edge on the wall side didn’t always stay looking caulked…so I may avoid caulking next time. To cover up the lower part of the bracket we used shiplap on the wall so the bracket is only seen if you are laying on the floor looking up to the under part of the butcher block.
This all looks so great! I’m team cover up the top for a true built in look, but I know and love all that you do, so if you keep it, I’m sure I’ll love your final staged design just the same.
Jenna Sue says
Thanks for sharing, Jen!
NLP says
Longtime lurker here. Y’all are AMAZING 🙂
For the bench support, maybe a floating bench frame that you drill into the wall studs like this?
https://www.ana-white.com/blog/2014/04/framing-mudroom-bench-nook
Our mudroom’s floating bench was built in a similar fashion & there’s no bowing, still going strong 7 yrs later.
Thanks for sharing your adventures in life and renovating!
Jenna Sue says
Thank you! Someone else mentioned that too, I didn’t think of adding that in addition to the butcher block but I think it just might work!
Cindy says
Love every inch of it! I like it open but maybe it’s wiser to cover it up otherwise trying to figure out what looks good up there… also it’s a dust collector. But leave the bottom open. Can always get a basket or something to put there. Love it again! Can’t wait to see what you will do with the whole room!
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Cindy!
Kelly says
So lovely! I think the bench/kids desk needs an apron front to make it look a little less like modern “floating shelves”. The apron would elevate the look of the built-in, add strenth, AND allow you to add a ledger board along the back wall to support the wood top. You could even add blocking between the apron the the ledger for even more strength!
Melissa Delaunay says
Lovely! Perhaps add two vintage wood brackets under the bench?
I love those old books. Try old fairy tales books, she will read them…
Jenna Sue says
Hmmm that’s not a bad idea! I think that could be our best bet to avoid visible brackets or a vertical support. Thanks Kelly!
Mona says
Looks great. I like the top open.
Nicole says
Everything looks great! Personally, I prefer the top closed off. It just looks cleaner and more of a true built in. The extra storage would be nice but there’s a lot going on visually with the mural, angles, and variation of cabinets (tall, short, bench seat, etc.) so it appears a bit choppy… although that should be less noticeable when the room is completely finished. Either way, FANTASTIC job!
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Nicole!
Natalie says
Everything looks gorgeous! You guys did a great job! Looking at the cost breakdown, would you consider having a trim carpenter or local cabinet maker make the cabinets? It looks like so much work to go this route (just feeling that personally because I’m in the middle of a renovation, as well & a bit overwhelmed). I considered all options including IKEA/Semihandmade but after I priced the job out with my cabinet guy, he was pretty much on point with what it would cost to get IKEA frames & Semihandmade doors & the boxes are a lot stronger. I saved the IKEA for my master closet. I know you guys love to DIY so I’m just curious how you navigate something like this when time is money. If cost being the same, would you still opt for the IKEA route?
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Natalie! If we weren’t DIYers, I’m sure I’d hire it out, especially if the cost was similar. I just don’t trust that a carpenter would be as detailed/thorough as we are (I haven’t had the best experiences in the past). If your time is more valuable to you (and you trust the carpenter more than yourself on this project) then I think there’s no reason not to hire out!
Cathy says
I love this, I want to do the same idea on each side of our window up in our loft. Can you use just a wood piece nailed to the wall under the seat and paint it the wall color to blend in? That should help hold the weight. I like the idea of the open storage up above the cabinets. Go grift shopping for more books! Great job!
Victoria says
That’s what I was going to say.
Jenny B says
So inspiring! Now going to look up that mural!!! Since you don’t need the storage above ( you are actively looking for things to fill them up with) I think it looks better covering the space above. And for the bench, can’t you put wood bracing under on the wall and sides, and paint to match what they are on ( cabinet or wall)
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Jenny! We definitely could use the extra space — the books and storage box would be inside the cabinets, so this would free up much needed shelving space! I’m only collecting more decor these days so I want all the space I can get 🙂
Victoria says
It sounded like you were trying to find things to use up the space but I hadn’t realised you’d have things like those books for styling props. Having gone back and forth with those images I think closed in looks cleaner and more polished.
I guess you’ll be having a window treatment of some sort but I love the idea of adding hanging plants like ivy or tradescantia. I would bring life to the cabinets and link with the mural. And I love how the mural looks with the green trim.