This IKEA Shoe Cabinet Looks Expensive with Added Fluted Wood Trim

With a bit of DIY, patience, and TLC, a $150 cabinet from IKEA now looks like it’s worth a thousand dollars. And one TikToker’s entryway undoubtedly will catch the eyes of her guests.

Last month, Instagram user @mynorfolknest, aka Alicja, posted a video showing her hack that makes IKEA’s STÄLL shoe cabinet more stylish by simply adding fluted wood trim.

Here’s how she did it: In her video, the Toronto-based content creator first shows what her hallway looked like before the upgrade. The shoe cabinet was already functional and sleek-looking, but it was pretty bare and needed some warmth. So, she got to work. First, she bought Home Depot’s fluted wood trim, which she cut to match the size of the cabinets. 

Alicja then glued the trim to the cabinets, allowed the pieces to dry before sanding, and applied primer and a coat of white paint. And because she covered the previous handles with the wood trim, she attached metal ones and chose a gold color as an accent. Finally, to complete the look, she added some vases, paintings, and sconces to sit on top of the storage unit.

The resulting before-and-after videos are stunning: She now has an entryway that’s both impressive and welcoming, in addition to offering storage.

According to Alicja’s Instagram stories, the DIY project was exhausting, but worth it. “Would I do this again? Not sure. LOL took much longer than I thought,” she said. “Super happy with it though!”

Her followers loved her idea, and some are planning to do the IKEA hack too. “Sooooo good. I thought the before was beautiful but then the AFTER!!!” said one user, while another commented, “I need to steal this idea.”

If you’re looking to upgrade your shoe cabinet, you should consider trying this DIY project. It’s versatile, meaning you can apply the fluted wood trim on any storage solution, and not just on IKEA products. It’s also inexpensive and a luxurious outcome. As one person in her comment section put it perfectly, “The fluting really elevates the whole look!”

You can see more details from Alicja’s process by checking out her Instagram Stories here.