IKEA hacks, they’re everywhere! I actually heard that IKEA doesn’t like all of these sites showing people how to “improve” their products through their own DIY determination. But then again, they can’t sell me something that is plain pine and then leave me to my own devices without expecting me to life hack the heck out of it. Today’s hack? An IKEA kitchen cart makeover I actually did.
via Pop Sugar
There are so many colorful and awesome hacks for these same IKEA carts. Some of them are even more complicated with faux marble contact paper, drawer pulls, and installed towel racks. While I do admire the ingenuity of these hacks, I’m focusing on those of us like myself who want instant gratification and have 2 hours to spare.
As I’ve probably ranted before, I have 8 inches of counter space in my kitchen, so I need carts in the multiples. The cheapest place to get a kitchen cart? You guessed it–IKEA. When we moved 5 years ago, we brought our large kitchen cart and then the former owners of the new apartment kindly sold us theirs for like $20. So now, I have a large kitchen island and a small microwave cart. Perfect for a tiny apartment.
via House Beautiful
My IKEA Kitchen Cart Makeover
For this IKEA kitchen cart makeover, I went to Sherwin Williams for some dark gray paint in the shade Peppercorn, then I stopped by the hardware store for the smallest can of wood stain in the shade walnut. Obviously you should seal the stain with a food safe seal…I did not do this and now if I drop food on my cart I cannot eat it, even if it is chocolate. I sealed mine with polyurethane which works for me because my food is never in direct contact…unless, you know, I drops da’ chocolate.
So then I just painted the carts with 2 coats of Peppercorn. I didn’t prime and it worked fine, but if you’re painting over another color and not just raw wood, then I would use Bulls Eye 123 primer because it’s the best, and then I used an old wash rag to stain the wood.
DO NOT STAIN WITH A BRUSH. YOU WILL KICK YOURSELF WHEN YOU HAVE TO CLEAN SAID BRUSH BY HAND.
*after 3 years of wear and cleaning*
Make sure you’re in a well ventilated area, especially when you’re staining. THE FUMES, YOU GUYS, THE FUMES. Do 2 coats of paint and 1-2 coats of stain, depending on how dark of a stain you want. If you use a walnut stain like I did, it will keep getting darker with every coat. The paint will dry quickly and you should be able to paint a second layer as soon as you’re done with the first. With stains and seals, I would let it dry for 24 hours. And that’s all, folks! An IKEA kitchen cart makeover in under 2 hours.
Happy Weekend Warrior-ing!
-Kristen
- Large Kitchen Cart 2. Small Kitchen Cart 3. Paint 4. Walnut Stain 5. Polyurethane 6. Clear Glaze
- I do not recommend buying Polyurethane or your glazes online. It will be much cheaper to buy at your local hardware store.
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