How an Old IKEA Cabinet Became Unrecognizably High-End After a $100 DIY

Written by

Inigo Del Castillo
Inigo Del Castillo
Inigo is a content writer at Apartment Therapy and previously for Lost At E Minor. A few years ago, he wrote an article about baby bats, which was so cute, Buzzfeed took a screenshot of the headline and cover image, then made a listicle about weird but adorable things. He…read more
published Nov 8, 2021
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London-based blogger Kelsey Heinrichs recently turned an old wooden cabinet into what feels like a new one, proving that you can have stylish furniture armed with only a small budget, some hardware supplies, and a bit of sweat and imagination.

At first glance, Heinrichs’ finished product might look like a $1,000 cabinet from Pottery Barn, but it’s actually a pre-loved, upcycled piece from IKEA. Its real cost? About $100.

According to Heinrichs, she initially wanted a storage solution with reeded glass. “However, the price tag for the real deal was out of my budget,” she said. So instead of spending beyond her means, she got creative. 

“I picked up an old IKEA cabinet for £15 [about $20] from Facebook Marketplace and filled any holes with wood filler,” she explained. “I sanded it, primed, and painted it in the shade Green Beret for a sophisticated look.”

Heinrichs then added semicircle gold handles from Amazon, as well as inexpensive fluted glass film on top of the original glass. The result is a stylish cabinet at a fraction of the cost of similar models. Oh, and it took her only a day to do the DIY.

Here’s the project’s cost breakdown. £15 (about $20) for the cabinet. £25 ($34) for the paint and primer. £12.40 ($17) for the gold handles. £30 ($41) for the fluted glass film. Total cost: £72.40, which is around $100.

“I have this exact cabinet — cannot wait to get stuck into it,” gushed a follower of Heinrich’s on Instagram, while another added “Looks so luxe.”

You can see more of Heinrich’s DIY projects on Instagram.