When Interior Designer Hannah Drakeford decided to give her living room a fresh look, she didn’t just think outside the box – she painted it orange! This clever DIYer transformed four IVAR cabinets into a stunning statement piece that’s as functional as it is eye-catching.
Tired of dusting open shelves and craving a cleaner aesthetic, Hannah set her sights on creating a focal point behind her sofa. With limited space and budget constraints, she turned to the trusty IVAR cabinets.
“I designed the piece in Sketchup,” Hannah explains, “and decided four IVAR cabinets would be the best items to make it from, as the space behind my sofa is quite limited and the IVAR cabs are only 30cm (11 3/4″) deep.”
Buying Pre-owned To Keep Costs Down
The month-long weekend project cost around £200, including the secondhand cabinets and supplies. But the real investment was in creativity and elbow grease. Hannah’s favorite feature? The unexpected stripy interiors – a happy accident born from running out of orange paint. “I used a leftover roll of wallpaper from my bathroom and applied it to the shelves and back panels with PVA glue,” she says. “I love that unexpected detail when you open the doors!”
Hannah’s attention to detail extended to every aspect of the project. She crafted custom handles from MDF, priming and spraying them orange before attaching them with grab adhesive and screws. The sleek door handles, spanning the full height of both upper and lower cabinets, create a seamless look and allow each pair to open as a single unit, elevating the design from plain storage to bespoke furniture.
The basic screw-on legs got a citrusy makeover too, wrapped in orange vinyl before being fixed to the cabinet. The DIY arched tops added a crowning touch to the cabinets, adding height and scale to the piece.
An Indoor Spray Booth
Of course, no hack is complete without its challenges. For Hannah, the biggest hurdle was transforming her one-bedroom flat into a makeshift workshop. “I was desperate for the cabinet not to look hand-painted,” she explains, “so I got creative with my limited space.”
Undeterred by the lack of an outdoor area, Hannah went full Dexter and improvised a spray booth using polythene dust sheets in her kitchen, while her hallway became a drying zone for the doors. “I definitely underestimated the setup time,” she admits with a laugh. “And the clear-up at the end of the project was epic!”
But Hannah’s determination paid off. “Sprayed emulsion paint covers way more evenly than brushes or rollers,” she notes, “so the finish looks super professional.” Despite the hassle, the flawless, striking orange finish proved well worth the effort.
The bright orange Hannah wanted was impossible to get off the shelf, so she mixed 500ml of red acrylic paint with Valencia emulsion paint from B&Q for maximum color saturation. But she knew this formula would mark and scuff easily. To ensure durability, she sealed the painted surfaces with Rocktop Clear Coat by Smith and Rodger. “A lot of clear varnishes yellow over time,” she notes, “but this one remains perfectly clear and helps boost the color of the paint.”
One-of-a-kind DIY Arched Cabinet
Looking back, Hannah wouldn’t change a thing about her zesty creation. “I’m absolutely in love with my bright orange cabinet!” she gushes. And who can blame her? This IVAR hack is a juicy reminder that with a solid vision, a lot of orange paint, and a healthy dose of derring-do, you can turn even the most ordinary IKEA cabinet into something extraordinary.
So, IKEA hackers, are you feeling inspired to add a splash of color to your space? Take a good look at these photos – they might just be the sign you need to ditch those safe neutrals.
Follow the DIY arched cabinet built process on her IG account @hannah_drakeford_design.