It’s been a minute (or months) since I mentioned switching up our old, toy-filled TV stand with something more grown-up. The new stand is finally built and really elevates the look and feel of our entire family room. A few finishing pieces are being installed now to complete the space, so before revealing the before and after, here's a look at where our original stand began and the DIY updates I made to transform and repurpose it for another place in our home.
Our basic $60 IKEA Besta unit -- no doors, no legs, and in the no longer available cherry-wood-look-brown.
a fresh coat of lighter paint
When we bought our first TV stand, we were on a budget. (Prior to the IKEA BESTA we used this remnant from our cross-continent move. Seriously!) We're still on a budget so when we ponder purchases, big or small, we fully vet that we need the item and don’t already have something on-hand to fulfill the role.
The BESTA has supported our TV since 2014 and has just a few move-related gouges and scratches only we see. But after staring at our kids' stuff in it for eight years and subsequently being the source for toy-havoc in our family room, we not only needed an upgrade, we deserved one, too.
Because BESTA was still in decent condition, I thought it would be great to continue as a toy storage unit for our girls in their own play space. They are super into LEGO right now, so BESTA would be perfect to both display their creations and contain all the bricks and various building pieces together.
I sourced a few DIYers that had transformed similar IKEA units (this how-to post by @poshpennies was particularly informative) and decided to lighten it up with tinted chalk paint was the way to go. Here's how it went:
Step 1. Remove shelves and wipe down all surfaces to be primed. Place unit over drop cloth (I used a plastic drop cloth and an old bedsheet).
Step 2. Prime all surfaces to be painted and follow the manufacturer's instructions for drying time and a second coat of primer. (Per the manufacturer's label, no sanding is required, but for future DIY I will definitely be sanding before priming to get better paint adhesion.)
Step 3. Paint 2-3 coats of chalk paint per manufacturer's instructions.
Step 4. After the chalk paint has fully dried (24 hours), apply a top coat to help protect the new finish (I used Minwax Water-Based Polycrylic Protective Finish in Clear Matte).
Painting was a really relaxing process and watching the transformation unfold was fun. The hardest part was waiting in between coats, but as you'll see in the end it was worth it!
leveling up with legs
The BESTA unit has come a long way since we bought it and with good reason. Better colorways, concealed storage, and fun accessories make BESTA a budget-friendly versatile piece that can serve many functions in any home. Since the goal of this DIY was to be a low-cost-minimal-effort project, the most impactful upgrades I could make were to, first, change the color (check!) and second, add legs.
Because our basic BESTA stood low to the ground in a medium-wood tone, it always appeared heavy. Lifting it off the ground with these fun 7-sided oak legs made the unit feel lighter and more playful than its original state. I was originally looking for a simple, tapered foot at a lower price point, but trying to find one that had the same hanger bolt size to fit into the existing socket in the BESTA was going to be more of a search effort than was worth spending. Going with legs designed for BESTA was a tiny splurge, but worth the time (and headache) saved.
With a bit of paint and added legs, our tired TV stand looks fresh in its new role of storing and displaying LEGO.
do you have a DIY you’re curious to try?
Or have you recently completed one? I'd love to read about both in the Comments below.
I can't wait to reveal our family room before and after, so be sure to look for the post in a couple of weeks! Until then, I hope Spring is blossoming wherever you are, and that you take some time to enjoy the warm days and nights ahead.
Always,
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