Idea for IKEA: Inexpensive Ways to Upgrade Flat-Pack

I have an interesting quirk when it comes to buying clothes. Where others shy away from a dress that requires lengthening or alterations, I'm the opposite. For me it's an opportunity to be creative in finding the right or contrasting material, resulting in a garment uniquely mine, like no one else's on the planet.

That same quirkiness drives me to buy standard IKEA items and upgrade them so they look bespoke — in settings from standard to high-end projects.

Here's the age-old saying with a kneitch: a little bit of colour, a little bit of paint, makes an IKEA piece look what it ain't.

Have a look and see whether you'd have guessed these came from IKEA.

The Vikhammer nightstand

This simple white nightstand didn't know what hit it when it found itself with painted gold legs, standing prestigiously in one of the most elegant bedrooms in Jerusalem Estate. It could never have imagined this in its wildest dreams.

Out-of-the-box thinking plus a small can of spray equals tremendous results.

The Micke desk

Usually a functional home office desk, this one got an upgrade — its gold legs now coordinated to an elegant gold and wenge closet in a master bedroom.

The crib

For a grey and ochre bedroom I really wanted a grey crib. (Yes, I'm waiting for the world to wake up and realise nursery furniture can be a colour other than white.) In the meantime I got to work on it myself.

I liked this cute arched crib — maybe because I saw its potential. We had it painted grey, the same colour as the room and closet. When ordering the upholstered high-riser grey beds, I simply ordered two extra upholstered rectangles to install on either side of the crib, and that gave the custom, coordinated look I was after.

It's all about those small details. And another cool aspect: I transformed the large bottom drawer into a trundle for a young child to sleep on.

The Billy bookcase

IKEA's most famous item. With some imagination and input, a Billy can look a whole lot better with custom work around it.

Do you see how this looks built-in? The spaces between the Billy bookcases got built up, as did the area above the closet, taking it right up to the ceiling for a seamless look. Continuing the base and crown moulding also lends that purposeful, custom feel.

Disclaimer: it might look great, but at the end of the day you get what you pay for, so I can't vouch for the quality. IKEA is like ice cream — enjoy it while it lasts.