Try Out An Innovative IKEA HEMNES Cabinet Hack For Chic Shoe Storage

Is there anything you can't do with IKEA furniture? Time and time again, these minimalist designs have delivered maximum inspiration to avid DIYers, transforming into uniquely beautiful and ultra-functional pieces. And some products are seemingly made for crafty creators. With a quick search, you'll find countless ways to overhaul popular IKEA items, from LACK shelves to BILLY bookcases and, if you're a shoe lover, HEMNES cabinets. Upgrade your sneaker storage with stylish hacks to turn this low-key unit into a fashionable centerpiece you'll love to show off. One of the coolest ways to give your cabinet a more dramatic presence is the simple addition of flexible plywood and trim.

Rounded outer features are upscale additions that don't have to demand much of your time or patience. You might have checked out retro designs like this impressive fluted HEMNES project and seen how surprisingly straightforward they can be. After making a custom table top and updated drawer fronts, nobody will be able to tell you pulled such a chic, high-end look from a budget build.

Bendable plywood is a thin sheet of wood that flexes easily parallel to the grain direction. You can order panels online or stop by a home improvement store to test the flexibility of different plywoods first-hand. To attach them to your HEMNES unit, screw wood boards to the cabinet's back edges. Install one to each side so they extend several inches past the ends of the cabinet. Next, cut flexible plywood to span the height of the cabinet above the leg. Connect the piece from the front edge above the leg to the outer edge of the wing you attached to the back of the cabinet. Make the plywood piece wide enough to elegantly curve in a quarter circle. Run a strip of half-round molding up the leg to the top of the cabinet, gluing it over the edge of the plywood. Drive brads through the molding to bind everything together.

With the side panels secured, add a wood top with rounded corners to fit neatly over them. Finish up by painting the surfaces your desired colors and getting creative with how you design the details. For example, you can install basket weave fronts, hiding the construction behind a quarter round frame. You could also cover the sides and drawer fronts in fabrics or use a contact paper hack, adding Bohemian designs or natural textures for rustic, refined, and vintage aesthetics.