Ikea Hack Storage Bench
After searching and searching for a perfect bench with storage for our entryway, I couldn’t find one long enough, modern enough, and inexpensive enough for my taste.
I had to make one!
I’m all about working smarter, not harder. So starting from scratch wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted to find something I could repurpose into what I needed.
Enter the Ikea Kallex Shelf unit in white!
It was perfect – four cubbies for baskets of shoes and it wouldn’t break the bank at only $46.99! Plus it is 57 inches long, perfect to fit right under our large window.
Some modifications were needed to make it look more like a bench and less like a shelf unit.
All I had to do was add some legs, easy peasy!
So, I used the legs from the Ikea Besta line.
While at Ikea, I came across inexpensive baskets in dark gray that would coordinate with my kitchen color scheme.
Materials Needed:
- Kallex Shelf unit ($46.99)
- 4 – Nannarp legs in Aluminum ($15 for 2)
- 1 – Besta Support leg ($10)
- 4 – Branas Baskets in Dark Gray ($12.99 ea.)
- Hammer
- Level
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Drill
- Drill Bits
- Pencil
- 4 – Screws
- 4 – Washers
Directions:
Follow the included instructions for assembling the Kallex Shelf unit.
Once the shelf unit is assembled, plan where to attach each leg on the bottom side. Making sure the leg does not stick out past the edge of the unit.
With a pencil, make the center hole where you are going to be drilling the pilot hole for the leg screws.
Drill where you marked the hole with a slightly smaller bit than the screw you are going to use instead of the one that came with the Nannarp leg.
Place the Nannarp leg over the hole. Set the washer and put the screw through the washer and the hole. Next, screw in the leg to attach each one to the bottom of the bench.
After, attach the Besta Support leg in the center using the included three screws.
Measure to find the middle of the bench or eyeball the middle coordinating with the center cube support shelf.
Place the support leg where you would like it to reside and mark the holes with a pencil.
Drill the holes with a smaller bit than the screws.
Screw in the support leg.
Turn over the bench so it is right side up and adjust the middle support leg so it is touching the ground by twisting the bottom.
Fill your baskets and place them in the cubbies and you are done!
By using some supplies we already had, the cost of the storage bench + baskets came out to $138.95 before tax.
