I’ve been tinkering with my favorite Ikea cabinet again. I thought the two Rast cabinets fit so nicely into into my TV nook, but the style and color were all wrong. So I bought a new set. Crazy? Maybe, but at $30 a pop, I can afford to get my hack on.
Obviously my version is less ornate than my inspiration cabinet. I decided I wanted it cleaner with just a hint of decorative brassy bling. I’m pumped about them in my nook- they are interesting but not over the top. Plus, the black lacquer is the perfect base for a space that used to seem top-heavy.
Of course my favorite part is the hardware. The Asian pulls symbolize “long and wealthy life.” That’s pretty cool plus I think they are stylin’. And I like how the corner brackets finish off the drawers with an exclamation point!
The Deets:
- 2 Rast cabinets, Ikea
- 1 quart black high gloss paint- I used Valspar Gloss Black
- 6 packets of corner brackets (they come 4/set), Hardware World
- 6 pairs of pulls, Chinese Brass Hardware
(Thanks to Susie for sharing the hardware source with me!)
The Steps:
- prime un-assembled Rast cabinets
- sand
- 1st coat paint
- sand again
- 2nd coat paint
- sand some more (the trick to lacquered pieces is the wood grain should show through as little as possible)
- 3rd coat paint
- assemble cabinets (don’t add drawers)
- add hardware. I glued my corner brackets instead of screwing them in. The screws stopped the drawers from closing.
- install Drawers
- Pat yourself on the back.
UPDATE- FALL 2011
How I use it now…
A television console
yeah! love it..
Okay, they look amazing! Can’t wait to see them in your space!
that shit is blowing my mind right now.
Damn these turned out great! The original piece is too ornate for my taste I like your toned down version better.
These are fabulous-amazingness! SO GOOD!
You and Bri are going to write a hack book, right?
WOW! You go girl, those look amazing- and unique. I just did a post about ikea dressers for my budget bathroom vanity and have some pictures of the RAST on there as inspiration, but I haven’t come across anything like yours. Cool hardware too. Thanks for sharing.
http://thecubaninmycoffee.blogspot.com/
XOXO, Whitney (the cuban in my coffee)
Ok the entire time I was looking at the ones you did I thought they were another less ornate pair you found on the internet. they are unbelievable. I am so so so impressed. Wow. Seriously, you could start a business selling those for hundreds of dollars. This might be the best hack I’ve seen.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
These turned out super duper amazing. Instant internet fame awaits you.
You guys are too sweet!
Alex- Unfortunately I would NEED to sell them for hundreds considering all the time it took to make them. Sanding and painting is laborious!
What Jenny said.
p.s.-I could just hug you right now.
Okay, this is inspired! Yes, you and Bri should start your own biz. Wow. I’m going to send this to my husband who is trying to re-do some chests I got from an online auction (not Rasts but somewhat similar). Loving the hardware!!! Great job, Naomi!!
Naomi!!!! My mind is officially blown! I’m so inspired to copy. =)
Thanks for sharing your fabulous hack ninja skills!
Sexy! I need some black lacquer in my life.
xx,
Chedva
Wow, after you left your comment on my blog I had to come over and see your piece. My jaw hit the floor! You have skills lady. What a great job. I love the hardware you chose. I saved the hardware website for future projects. Well done!
Heather
Wow, that’s a great job Naomi! Who knew IKEA could be so glamorous!
I have a little good luck to send your way….something that you might like! Drop me your e-mail.
pve at pve design dot com.
pve
I’m so jealous! Send me one please! I hacked the same piece much like you did before. I love mine too (link below). But now I wanna do it again! My husband’s gonna kill me.
http://swoonobsessed.blogspot.com/2011/04/see-my-lovely-new-nightstand-i-actually.html
You totally nailed this one, Naomi! Love, love, love… can’t wait to see them in the nook.
Amazing! I love everything about them! I like yours even better than the inspiration piece!
Um yeah…these make me fall over dead on the spot- AMAZING!!!!!
HOLY SMOKES!!! This is no doubt the best hack I’ve seen with these, you’re my hero.
I have to checkout that site for the hardware, I couldn’t find corner pieces like that anywhere!
Simply gorgeous…great job!
Okay now that, my friend, is a most impressive hack!
Cheers, Alcira
nerochronicles.com
Wow… love me a rast hack including my own, but this is awesome. And yes it is all about the hardware. I’m contemplating some brass lion head pulls and this is making the decision for me.
Wow this turned out amazing! I had to do a double take to make sure it was the ikea piece and not the inspiration. I am going to have to feature this tomorrow on my Friday Favorites.
Whoa!! These are amazing!! Good job. You inspire us all
Wow…utterly fabulous!
hack nothing! these are works of art!!
you, my friend, are rockin’ it.
You never cease to amaze, my friend…this is pretty epic. My math would go something like this:
Black laquer + gorgeous gold asian inspired hardware = ADORATION & AWE
And perhaps some hacking of my own (c: I’m still jaw-agape about how different the corner hardware makes that thing look. Bravo my dear, it’s a homerun! (c: Can’t wait to see them all styled up in the nook! Happy FRIDAY!
Fabulous!
Speech….less! You rocked those dressers….I expect to see this hack all over the dang place
Hey girl…just wanted to tell you that I am featuring your dresser on my bloggy today in a post about the rad things in the blogosphere this week…hope that is okay! (c: Happy Weekend!
Amazing! I love a good Rast hack. I am going to have to add it to my Rask hack file {since I made one myself, not quite as fab as yours though}
that’s really impressive, definitely a successful makeover!
that is a great hackster. ..seriously LOVE this SO much.
WOW so impressed! I’d never know they were IKEA. Awesome.
Hi Naomi! I loved this hack so much, and I hope you don’t mind, I am featuring it on my blog today
keep up the fabulous work!!
Nancy xo
These look so FAB. Great job!
this transformation is unbelieveable! i have walked by that dresser a million times thinking there has to be something i can do with that….well, you’ve inspired me! thank you.
Thank you so so so so much
I’ve been looking for almost the exact hardware for a while and haven’t been able to find a good source! I’m redoing my bathroom vanities in a similar style and can’t wait to order the hardware!
Your project turned out Beautiful, thanks for the wonderful inspirations!!!
Those look amazing…really love the two together. And never would have guessed they were ikea !
xxLily
goldandgray.com
They are gorgeous! I’m swooning – absolutely fantastic. I’m so inspired – I gotta go… off to Ikea!
Wow, now that is a Rast hack!
No kidding I when I first saw this pic I hadnt read anything. I saw them and thought those are so nice I bet I could make something similar out of ikea rast chests. And…..then I read that they are. Awesome job! very impressive. They are a far cry from their original state!
How creative!! I love it!
OMG – you KILLED it! Can’t even tell you how impressed I am, and will most likely try to emulate
love this. i am going to try something similar myself! thanks!
been meaning to tell you– my little rasts have been painted high gloss black and are now awaiting the hardware, the same exaact as yours. ooops.
Is that paint or gold leaf on the newly-updated bases? It looks AMAZING!
Can you give a little info on how you made the top shelf able to support your TV?
Hi Naomi, these are amazing!!!! They were exactly what we needed in our new master bedroom that’s in progress so I re-did the ones I had before. I posted the results today and gave you the shout out you deserve. Really nice job, and I am a big fan of your blog. Go to mine and take a look;)
XOXO,
Whitney
Naomi, I see where someone left you a comment on this post in January (just last month) asking you about how you made the top that supports the TV and has the DVR underneath it…THAT is MY QUESTION to you! Today is the first time I have seen your job on these chests and they are HOT!!! I am about to subscribe to your blog. But PLEASE respond and let me know how you did that added top piece in your last update! Many thanks!
my email is: vlanewalker@aol.com
Vickie Hurst
Hi Everyone,
Thanks again for all the love!
As i mentioned in this post…
http://designmanifest.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-living-room-tour.html
… my carpenter, Angelo, built me the component topper out of plywood. It’s essentially 5 pieces- a top and bottom, two edges and a middle divider. I painted it and added hardware to match my rasts.
Amazing! How much did you end up spending on this whole project?
Wow that is quitw a makeover! BTW, I think my grandma had that same oil lamp with the statue, where’d you did that up?
flippin love this! where is the mini shelf you added to house the dvd from? our prob is that we have severallll gaming consoles – think old school ninento – and i want to find a media center where we can have all of those set up, but neatly hidden behind drawers or cabinets.
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