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February 24, 2014 30 Comments

IKEA furniture: Customizing a Kitchen Cart

Filed Under: furniture redo, home decor, organization, Paint, Upcycle 30 Comments

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 I have such a love/hate relationship with IKEA. I love IKEA furniture. I hate putting it together. I love their chocolate. I hate how much I love their chocolate. A few years ago, we bought a kitchen cart and I loved having the extra storage space but I hated how plain it was. After having the piece for over a year it just dawned on me a few weeks ago to actually paint it. Odd considering there aren’t many things that go unpainted around these parts.

customize ikea kitchen cart with paint

Customizing an IKEA furniture with paint.

forhoja-kitchen-cart__38532_PE130363_S4

Since we move a lot, I never know how much storage space I’ll have in the next house. Our house in Texas (two houses ago) had tons of kitchen cabinet space. Our last house seriously lacked in the storage area. We didn’t even have space to put our pots and pans. Insert IKEA furniture to the rescue. We got this kitchen cart to supplement some storage space for pots and pans and other kitchen gadgets. For years it sat naked (well maybe a little dust sometimes) until a few weeks ago.

blue buffet

First, I got the itch to stain the kitchen cart. I’ve been staining a bunch of stuff lately (see bathroom shelves, rustic shelves, chalkboard for proof) so I thought I better settle down or else I’m going to look around and see just a sea of stained wood.

How to spruce up basic IKEA furniture

I ended up compromising with myself and just stained the top. I loved the stained top because it’s really shows off the butcher block wood – so pretty. Then, I painted the rest a really beautiful shade of blue/gray (Behr Calligraphy).

Customize a basic IKEA Buffet

And because it appears that I’m monograming everything these days, I also added a white monogram to the top. I used the same techniques as I did on the monogram photo clipboard.

transform basic ikea buffet

The kitchen cart has a whole new look. It’s remarkable what a little paint can do to a piece of IKEA furniture. Between this and all the IKEA bed hacks from last week I’m not going to be able to stay out of IKEA.

Such a bummer with the yummy chocolate and all… ha who am I kidding??

I’m sharing this project at Savvy Southern Style and Best of the Nest

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About Chelsea

Chelsea Coulston is the resident decorator, baker, and pillow hoarder around these parts. A wife to an active duty Sailor and mom of two girls, Chelsea's got a knack for decorating even the most challenging spaces (just see her military base house!) She's inspired by cool beach tones and warm natural elements that remind you of a day at the beach. After living in a half dozen rentals, she's enjoyed spending the last few years in a cute ranch style home that she and her husband have almost completely renovated themselves. Chelsea lives in sunny Jacksonville, Florida with her husband and two daughters.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Denise says

    February 24, 2014 at 10:14 am

    OMG I have this cart — and why have I never thought to paint it? Thank you thank you! We WILL be painting ours!

    Reply
  2. Amy W says

    February 24, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    I really love this IKEA update. That color is so lovely and great idea to keep top stained wood with a cute monogram. It turned out perfectly. I’ll be pinning this now!

    Reply
  3. Marcia says

    February 24, 2014 at 2:42 pm

    You were right to share this thanks! You turned a ‘plain Jane’ (no offense to any Janes out there!) into to something so much more interesting. Nice job!! Color?

    Reply
  4. Krista @thehappyhousie says

    February 24, 2014 at 3:54 pm

    Very cute Chelsea- love the monogram!

    Reply
  5. Allison @ The Golden Sycamore says

    February 25, 2014 at 4:17 am

    I LOVE this cart makeover, Chelsea! It is so pretty! Love the monogram and that paint color is to die for! Well done, my friend! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Marie @ The Interior Frugalista says

    February 26, 2014 at 7:24 am

    Gotta love an IKEA Hack – well done Chelsea! Love the monogrammed detail too. Your cart caught my eye over at the Wow Us Wednesday Party.

    Reply
  7. Customize Furniture says

    February 26, 2014 at 10:32 pm

    Interior designing is very important while making furniture. I love your ideas.

    Reply
  8. Rhonda says

    February 27, 2014 at 3:28 am

    I’m so glad to see this makeover because I’ve been eyeing that cart for this very idea for a long time!! Now maybe I’ll actually do it!

    Visiting from Savvy Southern Style… Rhonda @ home.made.

    Reply
  9. Jen says

    February 27, 2014 at 7:25 pm

    love the color & staining the top was a great choice…
    as always I’m a sucker for monograms…love it!

    Reply
  10. Taryn @ Design, Dining + Diapers says

    March 1, 2014 at 12:25 pm

    I’m so glad you posted this because it’s stunning! I think you did the perfect makeover on it. Don’t underestimate yourself 😉

    Reply
  11. Lisa @ Shine Your Light says

    March 1, 2014 at 5:31 pm

    Chelsea, I will obviously be bringing home one of these carts from Ikea on my next trip! I lo.o.o.o.ve what you did with it – what a greak hack! The blue/grey you chose is so pretty as is the stained top. And the monogram just makes it!! Thanks for linking up to Best of the Nest!!

    Reply
  12. [email protected] says

    March 5, 2014 at 3:58 am

    I love this transformation! Amazing!Pinning:-)

    Reply
  13. Shannon [Our Home Notebook] says

    March 7, 2014 at 5:18 am

    Love what you did with this – it looks amazing.

    Reply
  14. Kris {Driven by Décor} says

    March 7, 2014 at 5:53 am

    How have I never seen this at IKEA before??!! Adore what you did with it! The combination of the stained top and painted bottom is perfect!

    Reply
  15. Cassie says

    August 20, 2014 at 5:10 pm

    Just wondering- What stain did you use for the top?

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      August 22, 2014 at 7:08 am

      Hi Cassie, I believe it was Minwax Special Walnut. It’s my very favorite – I use it on almost everything!

      Reply
      • Cassie says

        August 25, 2014 at 6:51 pm

        Thank you very much! I love the color of the stain. Your cart turned out beautiful-You inspired me!

        Reply
  16. Fran says

    May 16, 2015 at 7:03 pm

    Hi! Love this. I’ve been wanting to grab one of these for a long time and finally have the inspiration! Did you sand or prime before you painted and stained? How is it holding up? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      May 20, 2015 at 2:05 pm

      No sanding or priming before I painted it but looking back I think sanding it would have been smart. It looks great! There are a few chips in the paint where I keep the pots and pans just from wear and tear but overall it’s looking great!

      Reply
      • claudia says

        November 3, 2016 at 2:27 pm

        what is the name of this paint color ?

        Reply
        • Chelsea says

          November 3, 2016 at 10:32 pm

          Behr – Calligraphy

          Reply
  17. Patty says

    February 6, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    That looks great! I’ve had mine for five years all plain but now I’m finally gonna paint and stain it. Did you take it apart or did you paint it assembled?

    Reply
  18. Amelia says

    February 7, 2019 at 8:25 pm

    This turned out beautifully! What stain did you use for the top?

    Reply
  19. Lindsey says

    June 10, 2019 at 7:32 pm

    Did you put a clear lacquer on top to protect the paint? If so what did you use?

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      June 16, 2019 at 10:43 am

      We always just use clear wax. I think it’s a Minwax brand.

      Reply

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Hi! I’m Chelsea!

I'm Chelsea. Wife to Matt, and mama to P and Millie. I'm a fan of making and decorating things and everything blue + white. I believe that there is no such thing as too many throw pillows. Lover of iced coffee and cocktail Fridays. I'm glad you're here.

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75% of the country is snowed in and I’m wearing 75% of the country is snowed in and I’m wearing shorts about to take my kids to the park. I feel a little left out. No snow day in this desert. 😭
Anyone else craving a change? Idk if it’s becaus Anyone else craving a change? Idk if it’s because we’ve spent so much time at home or what but I just want all new things. 😬 I changed out the pillow covers and that’ll do for now. Do you know this feeling??? #coastalliving #howirent #decorating #homedecorblogger #kismetcheckoutmyhouse #layeredhome #howihome #abmathome #bhghome #liketoknowit #LTKhome @liketoknow.it.home With the @liketoknow.it app you can shop everything in this space #liketkit http://liketk.it/38qta
This guy and I met at 14. Married at 20 and I have This guy and I met at 14. Married at 20 and I have been following him around ever since. Valentine’s Day is whatever but I did want to give a permanent spot for this one because I really do love him.
Removable wallpaper is a game changer! A couple mo Removable wallpaper is a game changer! A couple months ago Matt and I spent an afternoon slapping this up on our bedroom wall and it completely transformed the space. It can be super hard to put your stamp on a rental but I’m pretty pleased with the way this room turned out! #rentalfriendly #bedroom #milspouse #diyprojects #removablewallpaper #coastaldecor 
Download the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app to shop this pic via screenshot http://liketk.it/36TCW #liketkit @liketoknow.it @liketoknow.it.home
#ad Homeschool/General parent “pro” tip - buy #ad Homeschool/General parent “pro” tip - buy a shower caddy and stuff it full of art supplies to keep your kids from having their markers and crayons all over the place. For real though, this was a game changer. Previously, I had one hard and heavy caddy for all of our supplies that I would plop on the table during our school day but I found my kids constantly getting up to grab a pink crayon or the blue marker. Or at the end of the day things weren’t getting put away properly and the next day we couldn’t find the glue or the scissors. Now, they each have a caddy that they are responsible for. I’ve partnered with @walmart to share this simple organizing solution. The girls keep their supplies together and carry the caddy around to wherever they choose to school that day/minute. I used my Walmart+ membership again to pull this off. I was able to order all the art caddy necessities online using the W+ free shipping, no order minimum (excludes oversized/freight & Marketplace items) benefit so I can limit my time in stores. #walmartplus
Sitting here thinking about everything that’s go Sitting here thinking about everything that’s gotten me through this last year.
1. My family - having my girls home has been everything I never knew I needed. 
1a. My mom - in those early pandemic days, when we didn’t leave the house, she would meet me halfway between here and Vegas. We would sit in the middle of the desert with our masks on and just visit. I needed that so much and I know she did too.
2. My friends - it’s hard to imagine making it through this year without the friendships I have. They’ve carried me. A small group of neighbors here that would meet at the park for some outdoor fellowship and our weekly dinners made life feel a little more normal. Having regular calls with my best friend in FL was gold especially since we can’t see each other. And regular chats with @bykaithanson got me through especially in those early days.
3. Regular therapy - if I wasn’t already going before all this happened I surely would need to now. This all is very heavy stuff and having someone that is outside your circle to talk to is so important. This saves me again and again.
4. Making bread. I started making last year so when it blew up during that first quarantine I was so excited that we all were baking together. Whenever I’m feeling anxious making dough helps.
5. Exercise - this was the year I finally made exercise a priority. I love how much better I feel when I move my body each day. I’m less anxious and I’m more at peace.
6. All the technology that connects us. Marco Polo, FaceTime, texting, FB Messenger, all of it. Being able to reach all of my loved ones with the tips of my fingers has made it a lot easier when I can’t see them.
7. Television - how many shows have we binged this year? I don’t even know but I remember tackling Friday Night Lights in the beginning of the pandemic and being so sad it was over. 
8. This community. One thing I wanted in 2020 was to CONNECT with you all here and that has happened and its been wonderful getting to know each of you!
💙
We’ve been through a lot this year what has carried you? Tag a friend that’s gotten you through. 
Hoping and praying for a truly happy new year. 💙💙

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