IKEA PAX and BESTA Built-In Wardrobe in an 11 by 12 ft Bedroom

A built-in wardrobe in an 11 by 12 ft guest bedroom office cost $1,500, according to its builder, who says hiring a professional would have cost thousands. It wraps around a sleeper sofa on a wall that was 12 ft wide, using two IKEA PAX wardrobes on the sides and three BESTA TV units across the top to form an alcove.

Planning the alcove

The wall behind the sofa had no character or storage. The plan was to create an alcove around the sofa to maximize storage without losing much floor space. A mood board was based on a Pinterest image and similar inspiration pictures.

Prep and platform

For a flush built-in look, baseboards or flooring must come out first. The caulk was scored with a utility knife and the baseboard pried off with a trim puller.

The 93 in. tall PAX units suit 8 ft ceilings, but this room has 9 ft ceilings. To fill the gap, a box was built from 2×6 pine boards, kept to the wardrobe depth of 22 7/8 in. A couple of inches were added to the width for door clearance so knobs don't hit the walls. The base was wobbly at first, so plastic shims leveled it before it was screwed to the studs.

Assembly and mounting

IKEA screws look like Phillips but are a European style with extra crosses offset at 45 degrees. A Phillips driver can strip them. Mounting the wall-mounted BESTA cabinets took two people: one drilling and screwing, the other holding the suspension rail level. The advice is to hit as many studs as possible and use drywall anchors otherwise.

Closing the gaps

Interior walls are rarely square, and one corner measured more than 90 degrees. A 1×3 filler was scribed to the wall using scrap wood as a guide, cut with a jigsaw, and nailed to the side of the PAX wardrobe. The builder calls this method a hack that worked but is not very precise. A nail that stuck out should not be pulled, she warns, as it can turn into a mess.

Across the top, 2×2 furring strips run the full length of the cabinets to hold the cover panels. At the bottom, ripped 1x10s are nailed into the PAX legs.

The flush-or-recessed decision

Her one piece of advice is to decide early whether cover panels sit flush with the cabinet box or with the door, since it sets baseboard cuts, platform size and furring strip position. She started with plywood flush with the box, disliked the recessed look once the doors were on, and glued another layer on top. The 1x10s match the thickness of the PAX doors. Primed boards were used for filler pieces and cover panels because they paint more easily and finish more smoothly than plywood or MDF, though they cost a bit more.

Finishing touches

Seams and nail holes were filled and touched up. Sherwin Williams Pure White was the closest match to the white IKEA doors after trial and error. Shellac-based primer is recommended for trim and doors if painting the front a different color. The center got shiplap painted in a white oak look, and half-inch-wide trim from Lowe's and brass knobs were added to the doors. A year later, the room fits two desks and the sleeper sofa still extends for guests.