I hope you all had a lovely time over Christmas and New Year!
Our days were filled with rollicking children, too much food, lazy mornings, too much champagne, and lots of laughter with friends and family.
Getting back into the swing of things today by posting details of this simple IKEA hack I recently shared as part of my little boy’s bedroom makeover.
Such a quick, easy and effective little project!
This is the MOPPE drawer unit. It comes in a few different sizes and configurations.
I first hacked a set of these around six years ago and was fortunate to have that project go a bit viral!
At the time I bought a second set, with plans to make it over in a similar fashion, though never quite got around to it.
Fast forward over half a decade and I finally had the perfect excuse!
These are awesome in my son’s bedroom for housing all of his mini figurines, though the original blonde wood and modern finger pulls (not to mention abstract toddler artwork!), didn’t quite suit the vintage lodge vibe I was going for in his space.
Luckily, I knew there was an easy fix…
First, I removed the drawers and stained the carcass using Feast Watson Prooftint in Brown Japan.
Don’t mind the fact I’m wearing gardening gloves. We were out of latex ones.
I simply applied it with a rag before rubbing it off again, always working in the direction of the grain.
Because this timber is quite porous you could use a wood conditioner prior to staining though it’s not necessary.
Next I stained the rear of each drawer.
Yep, the reverse side of the drawers are solid slabs with no finger pulls which is perfect if you plan to attach handles like I did.
Once dry I applied two coats of Feast Watson Scandinavian Oil.
As you can see, I wasn’t super neat with my stain. I just made sure I covered any visible areas. Of course, if this was an item I planned to sell or gift I would have been more fussy.
I love the ease of Scandinavian Oil as a sealer, and the way it gently enriches the stain.
Generally, Scandinavian Oil is worked into the timber using a scouring pad or fine steel wool though I often simply apply it topically with a brush.
When everything was dry I pieced the unit back together again before scavenging through my hardware stash for some handles.
My original plan was to use label holders and little knobs (similar to my original hack) though I happened to come across some brass latches I bought years ago off eBay (unfortunately the seller no longer stocks them though you should be able to find similar. You can even get really lovely ornate ones).
“Hmmm, I’ve never seen these latches used on drawers before. I wonder if they could work?”
Apparently yes!
Given these drawers are only little and light the turn and catch can operate as pulls though I wouldn’t recommend them for larger drawers.
I love how unexpected they are, and the way they offer that antique campaign furniture sorta feel.
On a different note, I wanted to take the time to extend a huge THANK YOU for your readership throughout 2018. Without you this little slice of my life would be lonesome indeed, so I am grateful beyond words for having you here with me.
Thank you.
I love it! Thanks for all your inspirational work. I normally don’t comment, but you are one of the few bloggers I still follow. Have a happy, inspired 2019! Greetings from IKEA’s homeland Sweden.
Thanks so much Monnah :)
What a great way to use these latches! i bought a couple myself recently (Home Depot in Canada sells them) just because I love the look of them but haven’t been able to find a use until now! Thank you for sharing your ideas – this is absolutely my favorite blog and I always feel inspired by your creativity. Happy New Year!
Thank you so much Leslie. That was exactly me. I bought some because I love the look of them though then they sat in a drawer for five years because I didn’t have a use for them!
I so appreciate your kind words about my blog. Thank you.
Yes, I love getting the notice in my emails that you’ve made a recent post! I follow about 2 bloggers these days.. yours being one of them, and I always enjoy it immemsely. Thank you for taking the time to share your corner of the world with us! You’ve got that knack, and I love that you’re budget minded like myself! That green in your boy’s room…. delicious! I love every inch of his room. Happiest New Year from East TN, USA!
Thanks so, so much Victoria. I’m so lucky to be able to share what I love doing via this little bloggy platform with people all over the world. I really appreciate your sweet words.
Looking good! The contrast between the gold and dark wood is perfect – definitely has the campaign furniture feel. Happy 2019 to you and your fam. Looking forward to what you have in store for us. :)
Thank you as always Deb :)
Fantastic job Kristine!! Love it. : )
Happy New Year to you and your family!!!
Love seeing your projects, and I like when you say “timber” instead of wood.
Ha, ha. Thanks Julie.
Happy New Year Kristine. Love your creativity and hard work and I can’t wait to see what inspires you this year.
Thank you so much Carol :)
This is a great idea, really love the finished drawers. One thing I’ve used recently on my projects is brass corner protectors. You can get them in a range of styles and they’re really inexpensive. Lovely little project, well done.
Yep, I love corner protectors and have used them on a few projects. Would definitely add to the campaign feel here though they are hard to get in Australia. Especially small ones with a brass finish.
Thanks for your comment Rene :)
I am a newbie to your blog …. am amazed what you have created from those Ikea drawer. Can see me spend a lot of time on here to get inspiration.
I am here for the first time. Nice to see this hack. Will definitely use these hacks in my new project. Thanks for sharing.
Oh my god when I saw the before and after I was speechless….mind-blowing! Great hack well done!