We’ve all had those days where a little change makes all the difference — a new outfit, a fresh haircut, and suddenly you feel like a whole new person.
Well, Berlin-based lifestyle and travel creator Georgia (@gigipalamas) had the same idea, except her transformation project involved an IKEA HEMNES dresser, some paintable wallpaper, and a seriously impressive eye for design.
At its core, Georgia’s HEMNES makeover is refreshingly straightforward but yields an amazing, high-end result. Several IKEA HEMNES hacks involve giving the simple, practical piece a glow-up, and I think this is one of my favorites.
I love the added texture and the subtle elegance of this look. How about you? Would this revamped HEMNES fit into your home design plans?
What You’ll Need
- IKEA HEMNES 8-drawer dresser
- Paintable wallpaper (similar on Amazon)
- Straight rule
- Mat knife
- Wood trim
- Wood glue
- Adhesive
- Sander/sanding blocks
- Paint and primer
- 8 Drawer pulls
- Basics — Tape measure, saw, pencil, drill, screwdriver
The Wallpaper Hack That Transforms an IKEA Dresser
Georgia started with an assembled IKEA HEMNES 8-drawer dresser. The first order of business was marking out new hardware holes for her long drawer pulls, using the existing knob holes as a center guide and a ruler to keep everything perfectly even before drilling.
Next came the wallpaper. The embossed motif is the real secret weapon here, adding that layer of depth and tactile richness that makes the finished piece look so far removed from its flat-pack origins.
She used the drawer fronts themselves as templates, tracing and cutting each piece before adhering them directly onto the drawers. From there, she measured and mitered wood trim to frame each drawer front, securing everything with wood glue and letting it dry fully.
A pro tip she swears by: running a bead of paintable caulk along the trim before painting gives everything a seamlessly built-in look — like the trim was always meant to be there.
Once the paint dried, installing the new antique brass handles was as easy as spotting the drill holes through the inside of each drawer. To get through the wallpaper cleanly, a quick poke with an ice pick does the trick without tearing.
How Many Ways Can You Hack the HEMNES?
The answer to this question is probably something like, “As many ways as your imagination allows!” I mean, there are so many ways you can pull off this particular hack.
You can choose a different HEMNES piece to begin with, use a different wallpaper, or change the hardware style. However, there are also pretty much countless ways to use the HEMNES range in projects.
Some hackers even create something entirely new, like using the HEMNES in a kitchen or turning it into a bathroom vanity.
Do you already have a HEMNES project or other clever IKEA HEMNES hack hanging out in your home? Share it with us! Your DIY masterpiece might be one of the next ones we feature, inspiring others to imagine, create, and, of course, hack.