This past weekend, some friends and I took a road trip to Atlanta to visit the magical land of IKEA. After hours in the car, some Zaxby's for fortification, and several more hours in the store, we headed home with my RAV-4 packed full of fun, budget-friendly pieces. The problem is, I'm not the only one who has discovered IKEA, which means you can easily end up having the same furniture as all your friends. Fortunately, it's not difficult to personalize your purchases -- even as you're putting them together.
I started with the Hemnes table, purchased for $59 and destined for guest bedroom. I wanted the gray finish, but they were out (one of the hazards of hitting IKEA on a busy Saturday). Instead, I opted for a dark-brown finish and started plotting how to add some gray.
Sunday morning, I ripped the package open and began assembling the table. When I got to the drawer, that's where I deviated from the directions.
Start by getting your supplies ready. You'll need:
- wrapping paper or wallpaper to cover the drawer front and bottom
- Spray Mount or a glue stick
- an X-acto knife or rotary cutter
- a ruler, straightedge or quilter's square
- a protective mat or piece of cardboard to protect your cutting surface
- a pen or pencil
I started by tracing the drawer bottom (it came with those cute yellow stripes already printed on it, but they didn't match my room) then cutting it to size.
I then sprayed the drawer bottom with a light coat of Spray Mount (get this at your local craft or art supply store). I did this outside and used the box the dresser came in to set it on because Spray Mount is messy. Line up your paper carefully and smooth it down. If you have a brayer or small roller, it can be helpful in getting out any small bubbles. Otherwise, smoothing with your hands is just fine.
For the drawer front, I decided to cover the front as well as the top and bottom edges. In retrospect, I should have probably covered all four sides, leaving just the edges exposed, but I didn't. Oh well. It happens. I creased the paper before adding the Spray Mount then carefully placed it and smoothed it.
At this point, it only took a few minutes to finish assembling the drawer. Here's what it looked like when it was finished. You could use some Mod Podge to add a little extra protection if you wanted. Also, I may change out the knob for something more fun.
And here's the inside of the drawer:
Here's a final shot of it in the guest bedroom. I'd like to take some time and celebrate my accomplishment, but there are more IKEA purchases waiting to be assembled!
