Start with a neutral foundation 🤍
- My appreciation for a neutral foundation. I adore neutral shades for walls, furniture, and other significant purchases. I'm constantly changing my mind, so having a neutral foundation enables me to introduce different colors throughout the year without clashing with my existing walls or furniture.
- I'm a practical person, but I also prefer things to be aesthetically pleasing. It's always my objective to create a space that's not only functional but also beautiful.
- Oh, and of course, my vision for this home was always to have a large white kitchen. I made that a reality, and it's still my favorite room in the house."
How to customize an IKEA BESTÅ cabinet 🛋️
Step-by-step:
- "First, I prepared the IKEA BESTÅ cabinet by sanding it, then priming it with a shellac-based primer, followed by a couple of coats of paint 🎨
- Then, I measured, cut, and installed the wood for the exterior of the cabinet. I also crafted new legs for the cabinet.
- For the doors, I decided on the reveal I wanted and did some calculations to figure out how big each door needed to be.
- Next, I cut the back panels for the doors and separate pieces that would serve as the stiles and rails.
- I trimmed the fabric slightly smaller than the main door board and stapled it onto the board ✂️
- Afterward, I was able to securely attach the stiles and rails to the door.
- To achieve a polished finish on the door edges, I used wood veneer banding.
- Once that was done, I installed the doors with soft-close hinges 🔧
- And finally, I secured my BECKER Pulls" ✨
Antique Brass FTW 🤎
IKEA Hacks for Everyone 🌎
"IKEA is great at designing functional pieces that are affordable and accessible to a wide range of people. Many of their furniture have a simple and minimalist appeal, which appeals to the masses.
Personally, I find it enjoyable and somewhat challenging to look at a straightforward piece and envision the possibilities it holds, transforming it into something perfect for my own home. It's cool knowing that even though the same pieces of furniture reside in so many homes across the world, my version of the piece is uniquely mine.
It's incredible to witness the creative ways in which people customize IKEA furniture. The potential is seriously endless."
Lena's "D.I.Why"
"I have a couple of D.I.Why's. First, I love the idea of upcycling furniture or breathing new life into something old. We tend to throw away so much, so it feels great to salvage a piece and give it a little makeover.
Secondly, I feel joy from being surrounded by things I've created. I love seeing the spaces I've envisioned and created, and stopping to think, 'Wow! I made that! I made the vision in my head come to life.'
It truly is a wonderful feeling."
Social media pros to follow ✨
"Instagram and Pinterest have been my go-to platforms for years. It all began with my love for visual content and eventually grew to be a source of interior design inspiration and DIY learning.
It's nearly impossible to recommend just three accounts to follow since there are countless creators doing amazing and inspiring things. So, here are four accounts that I'm really enjoying right now:"
Michelle of @blushingboho
Emma of @emmacourtneyhome
Brittany of @himberhome
Christina of @ellisandhale
A huge thank you to Lena for joining us for a TEA BREAK. Why not follow her DIY home journey over at @amberlanelife?