Couple save £5000 by creating incredible DIY walk-in wardrobe using an IKEA hack
A DIY-savvy couple have revealed how they saved £5,000 by building their own walk-in wardrobe using simple IKEA units.
Megan Righelato, 25, an accountant and Chris Forshaw, 27, an electrician, from Stansted moved into their home in October 2020 and began renovating the four-bed property straight away.
Righelato had always dreamed of having a walk-in wardrobe but initially gave up on the idea after online quotes revealed it could cost up to £6,000.
But having decided to do the work themselves using IKEA units the couple were able to create an incredible walk-in wardrobe for less than £1,000.
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The impressive walk-in wardrobe, which consists of hanging space, drawers, a full length mirror, vanity desk and plenty of storage space, took 12 weeks to complete, but has given the couple an incredible area to store their clothes.
"The house was built in 1990 so a lot of the decor was outdated," Righelato explains.
"We knew we wanted to renovate the property and one of the first things we started on was the walk-in wardrobe as it was always a dream of mine.
"I noticed the master bedroom was a good size and mentioned a walk-in wardrobe to Chris but when we moved in our furniture, that's when we really saw potential for one as there was plenty of space."
To begin the project Forshaw built a stud wall, adding plasterboard to make the wardrobe space into a proper room.
"We then painted it and added all the interiors like the IKEA units and rails," Righelato continues.
The walk-in wardrobe measures at 46.4 square foot and cost the couple £1,000 to build, thanks to their DIY, cost-saving hack.
"The IKEA units cost us £600 and the rest of the painting and building materials was around £400 so we managed to save a lot of money by doing it ourselves.
"I never thought I would have a walk-in wardrobe so it's an absolute dream for me."
Watch: YouTuber demonstrates three incredibly handy DIY hacks
For anyone wanting to take on a similar walk-in wardrobe project, Righelato recommends working out the layout before getting started and shopping around for the best deals.
"Work out how you want to prioritise space and take your time with it," she adds.
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Whilst she and her boyfriend had no experience in creating a bespoke wardrobe space, she claims that YouTube was her biggest help.
“The coving was a bit of a nightmare to get our heads around but with the help of YouTube, we ended up mastering it," Righelato told MattressNextDay.
"By the end, I realised that it’s important to not be afraid to make mistakes and realise that it always gets worse before it gets better.
"We got to a point where it felt like it was never-ending, but we are so pleased with the result.”
Another way that couple saved money is buying purchasing cheaper (but good quality) wardrobes and finding ways to make them look more bespoke.
“We purchased the PAX wardrobe units from IKEA but decided to add beading to the drawer units to match the more traditional style of our bedroom, such as the panelling," Righelato continues.
"We then painted them in Crown’s ‘Satin White’ to change IKEA’s classic white colour. Finally, we added cup-shaped handles to the wardrobes to make them look more expensive.”
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The couple aren't the only ones who have used a clever IKEA hack to update their home.
Last year Jennifer Earle, 39, from London revealed a genius trick to use £40 IKEA blinds to create a designated coffee area in her kitchen.
Having spotted a set-up in another home where she'd once house sat, which used a narrow garage door to hide the kitchen paraphernalia, Earle set about trying to source something similar, turning to the blinds for a cheaper version of the look.
Meanwhile another savvy DIY-er managed to save £600 transforming her bland bathroom using Stacey Solomon's 79p IKEA hack.
In January 2021, Solomon shared a DIY hack on her Instagram account which involved her creating a giant mirror out of frames and mirrors from IKEA, for a fraction of the cost of a similar designer mirror.
Taking inspiration from the Loose Woman presenter, Paula Atkins, 48 from Liverpool was able to create the crittall-style mirror of dreams to finish off her bathroom makeover.
Additional reporting Caters.
