apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Thanks for the step-by-step!
We have been looking to do something similar in our entry way!

Love this - now I need to befriend a professional handyman

mdeathstar,
YOU CAN DO IT, really.
Get thyself to a home improvement store and pick up a drill, and a level you'll be so glad you did!

Very awesome. Great tutorial!

I did a similar project, but went with the Besta model because the tops are finished. Also, they have a slightly beefier cross-section if you want to leave parts exposed:

http://www.unplggd.com/unplggd/flickr-finds/flickr-finds-ikea-wall-console-044428

i've wanted to do this too ever since seeing Andreas' place-- but I'm 90% sure my apartment walls would'nt be able to support the weight!

thanks for posting this. i have wanted to do something like this too, but i couldn't explain it well enough or find pictures of it anywhere to convince my wife.

they also make little peg-like feet that could be used to take some pressure off the wall. but I like the floating look.

Oh how I envy these people with actual STUDS in their walls and no dreaded plaster...

Amen, complicatedshoes. I can't even mount my tv.

There are studs behind that plaster!!!... They may not be evenly spaced, and hard to find, but they are there... I used a small drill (1/16th) bit and drilled a row of small holes into the plaster till I hit studs. It took a bit of work, but I found them. Then I patched the extra holes.

that stud-finder is kind of a stud himself

Thanks for posting this. I always go back to Andreas' image gallery to look at that loft. I love everything about it especially this credenza. Great job. (btw: I agree with secretadmirer, dave is cute).

love it too! but wonder why they recommend using only one rail instead of two parallel rails? maybe why trouble w/leveling perhaps?

hey i know you people. you guys are totally famous these days. in my maginzes, on my internet, and so on and so forth.

I love the Holmbo doors that come with the Besta cabinets. But the Besta cabinets bodies seem to be paper covered whereas the Akurum are laminate. Are the Besta holding up well?

anniepeanut - They used one rail as per the IKEA instructions. I have an IKEA kitchen, and all of the upper cabinets are hung this way.

I'd also like to add that I live in an older house with plaster walls. Plaster doesn't mean you can't install the Akurum rail system! You screw into the studs. It' amazing to think that all the upper cabinets in our kitchen are hanging from these rails. It's amazing, and it works!!

is a very good idea and simple, and the outcome once it is finished it will be fantastic

besides this very well explained step by step

a greeting

A little late to the party but....thought I'd try.
Does anyone have advice about installing this same set up on a wall with metal studs ... like I have?

"Does anyone have advice about installing this same set up on a wall with metal studs ... like I have?"

Toggle Bolts.

Installing these cabinets a foot from the ground is exactly the same as installing them above base cabinets in the kitchen - The only difference is that you'll probably want something to cover the tops of the cabinets such as a sheet of glass, or a shallow countertop to finish of the top and hide the exposed camlocks and joints.

I think more pictures of that guy Dave would have improved the article.

I think you might want to rethink step 11. If the screws are showing, I think you have installed the horizontal top piece upside down. If you invert it, the screws will be face down and be inside the cabinet where you can't see them.

I think you might want to rethink step 9. It is better not to use wood screws to join the cabinets together. There is a two part screwed joiner that is used for cabinets.
Choose an empty hole that is used for the pins that hold the shelves together and drill through it. Do the same for the corresponding hole in the other cabinet.
You put one side of the joiner into one hole and the other in the corresponding hole in the other cabinet. You then screw these together. They pull the two cabinets into perfect alignment, and will not leave a gap between them.

my husband did the same thing in our place. it's totally do-able by a nonprofessional!
http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/111308jacoblaurie/item/54498

Great job & thanks for the step-by-step!

Nice idea about having a piece of cork cut to fit the top. You could also use cork shelf paper.

Thanks for the instructions and like the idea of the cork top!

OMD. Seriously? Is it really so difficult to follow the VERY CLEAR instructions that come with the cabinets from IKEA that we need an AT post about it?
YOU DON't EVEN NEED TO BE ABLE TO READ to hang IKEA cabinets. A drill, a level and a studfinder are basic life skills 101, not rocket science. I will never understand why people insist on finding this so intimidating.

And yea, there is a special sleeve bolt for ganging the cabinets, the presence and installatio of which is crystal clear to anyone who bothers to look at the instructions.

I love this idea, I dream of doing something similar one day. I would love to see this entire room, it looks like there are lots of great elements. But, I do have to say I think the row of boxes on the floor ruins the look of the floating cabinets.

LOL I've had this in my dining room for years...except they're the last remnants of the Ikea Vattern bathroom line. So they're only 7" deep (great for martini glasses and alcohol bottles!). Oh and they only cost me $38 for the 72" span!

I did this in my house to use as an entertainment/storage cabinet and to support a large tv. I used IKEA cover panels to hide the hardware on the top, and to match the doors.

If you have plaster walls you'll need a studfinder that has a 'Deep' setting to find them. The regular studfinders don't go deep enough to find 'em. Use toggle bolts as sparingly as possible if there's studs available. Just make sure the wood screws you use dig into the studs enough ( 1.5" at least). I recommend using Spax brand screws (avail at Depot & Menard's) in predrilled holes to attach.

splatgirl: I agree with you on this one - If you're buying IKEA you should have some basic DIY skills - BUT if you're the one with the house in MN, you have more skills than the average DIY'er...a brick outdoor wood-fired oven? c'mon! :) I do plan on showing that idea to my father-in-law to build though - he's a mason.

This is the perfect solution for my future workspace. I don't have a lot of floor space (that I want to give up, anyway) and I have a lot of stuff that needs to be stored. And let's face it, a lot of the stuff involved with letterpressing is kinda ugly. I don't want to stare at cans of ink.

Thanks, guys!

wow I was about to do something like this ( floating bookshelves on top) in a couple of days, this tutorial is super timely - as are all the comments re: plaster walls, esp. 337's - the details are appreciated!