DIY IKEA Hack: Besta unit to Lowboard

Aug 11

I'm super excited to share my latest IKEA hack and first YouTube video! I took two IKEA BESTA units and turned them into a stunning custom lowboard. In this video, I'll show you how I added some chic trim details to the drawer fronts, painted everything a dreamy light blue, and finished it off with some fun, custom legs.

Overview

Materials

IKEA BESTA Units: 2 units
Plain Drawer Fronts: 4 pieces
Drawer Inserts: 4 pieces
Trim Pieces: 3 pieces from Home Depot
Heavy Duty Tape
Blue Paint - Sherwin Williams Sleepy Blue
Primer
Polyurethane
Custom Legs: 6 pieces from Pretty Pegs

Tools

Miter Box
Paint Brushes/Rollers
Drill

How To

Step 1

Assemble your Besta units. Prime everything to ensure the paint sticks well to the Ikea furniture.

Step 2

Cut your trim pieces. For the moulding, we'll cut 16 pieces of trim—2 long and 2 short per drawer (4 total). To join the corners, we'll make 45-degree cuts.

I found my measurements by making a rectangle in tape on the front of one of the drawers. I measured 1 inch in from the edges to make it easy. My long pieces were approximately 21 inches long (on the long outside edge) and the short pieces were 13 inches long (on the long outside edge).

Using a miter saw is easiest, but if you don't have one, you can use a miter box, which is the manual and much cheaper option. To make your life easier, secure the box by screwing it into a piece of wood and make sure the wood is clamped down so it’s not moving. I also clamped down the trim pieces to avoid movement and ensure even cuts.

This step is time-consuming, so take your time and avoid rushing. The goal is to get pairs of cuts that are as exact as possible to keep the frames square.

Step 3

Paint the units and trim and then cover in a layer of polyurethane to seal it and prevent chipping.

Step 4

Attach the trim with heavy duty mounting tape. Based on my measurements, I placed the trim about 1 inch in.

Step 5

Attach the new legs. I got mine from Pretty pegs. I needed two with universal hardware for the center legs and the four outer legs used the Besta hardware that you can select from Pretty pegs.