Also visit

Tyler and Kelsey Johnston didn’t even consider calling in the pros when faced with designing a  massive floor-to-ceiling media cabinet for their brand-new basement.

“We love to tackle home projects ourselves,” says Kelsey. The couple’s modern Indiana farmhouse is filled with plenty of ingenious DIY projects like this, but you’d never guess. The former engineer turned full-time design blogger has a talent for making budget finds look professional-grade, from her IKEA guest bathroom and Semihandmade kitchen to her DIY office lamp and custom laundry nook

True to form, the pair designed, constructed, installed, and styled the floor-to-ceiling media unit themselves. We spent around $3,000 on the project, whereas a custom solution would’ve probably cost $5,000 to $10,000 or more,” she explains. “We were trying to get as much storage as possible at an affordable price point.” 

Finished with trim, custom open shelving, and texture-rich wall paneling, the built-in is a design feature of the basement and looks much more expensive than it actually is. If you’d like to follow in the Johnstons’ footsteps, find their nine-step media cabinet DIY below.

Disclaimer: Not all DIY projects are made equal and this one is on the advanced side, so don’t hesitate to consult your general contractor or handiest friend before getting started.

Steps

Step

1

Map out a plan to maximize your space. We used inexpensive painter’s tape to visualize, but you could also use Photoshop or paper and pencil.

IKEA media cabinet DIY process

Step

2

Assemble the IKEA BESTA media units according to the IKEA instructions.

IKEA media cabinet DIY process

Step

3

Attach suspension rails to the wall and mount the BESTA units following IKEA instructions.

IKEA media cabinet DIY process

Step

4

Add trim to the top and sides of cabinets to look flush with the walls and ceiling. You may also need to add trim at the floor level, but we installed carpet and didn’t need to do so. This gives it a more finished, custom look.

IKEA media cabinet DIY process

Step

5

Attach MDF panels to the top and bottom of the interior cavity.

IKEA media cabinet DIY process

Step

6

Attach tongue and groove paneling to the back wall using construction adhesive. This is optional but adds great visual interest to the space.

IKEA media cabinet DIY process

Step

7

Use plywood to build open shelves on each side.

IKEA media cabinet DIY process

Step

8

Caulk all seams and paint.

IKEA media cabinet DIY process

Step

9

Attach the hinges to the doors. Semihandmade doors come pre-drilled to fit IKEA hinges. Hang the doors and level as needed. Enjoy!

IKEA media cabinet DIY

Comments (1)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Renovation

We don’t believe that renovations should be daunting. The key is to arm yourself with the right knowledge, people, and products to achieve your goals. It also helps to ask the right questions: How much does it cost to renovate a kitchen? How do I find the right general contractor in my area? Where do I even start if I’ve never remodeled before? This is where we come in. Through hard-to-believe before and afters, first-person renovation accounts, and step-by-step DIY projects, we demystify every aspect of remodeling and give you a ton of full-house, bathroom, and kitchen renovation ideas. Semihandmade was built on a strong make-it-yourself spirit and we’re carrying that legacy beyond DIY kitchen cabinets (though we’ll certainly touch on those too) by bringing you a ton of weekend projects for novices (have you ever tried making your own planter?) and experts (try your hand at a full-wall media center). What do people really mean when they say a house has “good bones”? Before and after projects show first-hand what’s possible in a transformative remodel. How do you make the most of a narrow galley? Should you swap your upper cabinets for floating shelves? What would it look like if you opened up your small kitchen? Renovation ideas abound in our spotlighted projects. A lot goes into a kitchen renovation, but it’s usually hard to tell from a beautiful “after” shot. Our monthly series “Island Hopping” is about getting a behind-the-scenes account of what the process is like through honest conversations—you know, the kind that typically take place around a kitchen island. We’ll chat with designers, homeowners, and architects about their projects, hoping to peel back the curtain on picture-perfect spaces.