Cupboard Makeover – an Easy Ikea Hack

Give a plain and boring cupboard a makeover with fabric and chicken wire. This easy cupboard makeover can be applied to most old cupboards and gives them a perfect country-style look.

white painted cupboard with cut out panels covered with chicken wire and pink fabric behind it.

I have been working diligently on projects for my craft/ sewing room / home office, and with so many functions in one room, I knew that proper storage was essential.
We had a very old, very plain, and very boring Ikea cupboard stashed in the basement, and I decided that it was the perfect size for my craft room.

Except that I hated the yellowy finish, the ugliness of it, and all the scratches in the finish.

So a proper cupboard makeover was what was needed.

This old IKEA cupboard, was the perfect opportunity to flex my DIY muscles. With a little bit of creativity and some elbow grease, I was able to transform this plain and boring piece of furniture into a charming farmhouse-style cupboard that is super functional and fits in perfectly with the style I am going for in my new craft room.

And the best part? It was incredibly easy to do! In this tutorial, I will walk you through the steps I took to give my old IKEA cupboard a country-style makeover. I hope that it will help you and inspire you to take a second look at your old cupboards too.

If you like Ikea Furniture Hacks check this out: Ikea TV Stand Farmhouse Makeover

plain and boring white cupboard with two doors
Boring cupboard before picture

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Read my full disclosure policy.

The cupboard I am working with is at least 10 years old and really not very exciting. You can’t see it in the image, but the finish is very yellow and super scratched. It is solid MDF with this plasticky finish that used to be white but has turned into this pale yellow.

It is sturdy, though, and has lots of room for stashing away craft materials.

It also happens to be exactly the right size to be the bottom of a library cupboard that I recently scored. But it was so ugly and one of the first things you would see when you came into my craft room.

I seriously doubted if this cupboard was worth the effort of a makeover project.

And then inspiration hit me. It came in the form of this book.

Cover of the book Homemade Vintage

It is the book Home-Made Vintage by Christina Strutt. Christina Strutt has written several beautiful books on country style, and vintage living, but this particular one contains mainly easy sewing projects. I was hooked the minute I saw it, I mean, come on, vintage, sewing, and easy all in one book? How could I not buy it? And I was not disappointed.

There was one image in the book that gave me some major inspirational goosebumps.

Do you like this as much as I do?

Inside page of home decor book picturing a country style cupboard with shelves.

When I saw it, the wheels in my head started turning. What if I could make my cupboard look a bit more country? What if I could add some color? Could I make it look a bit like this picture?

And so the project began. I’ll show you exactly what I have done because it was actually quite easy and this kind of makeover lends itself to many cupboards. So I guess you might call this my first tutorial.

How to Give a Boring Cupboard a New Look

Step 1. Plan the project

Because this cupboard had long doors I first had to figure out how big my ‘windows’ in the doors should be. So I drew the doors to scale on graph paper and fiddled with the design until I thought it looked ok.

graph paper with a sketch of a cupboard makeover and some pens on top.

If your cupboard has paneled doors, this would be much easier because then you would just remove the panels.

Step 2. Prepare a Workspace and Gather your Materials

Materials and Tools You’ll Need

For this project, I used some basic tools and materials.

To saw out the center panels, I used a jig saw, but not before I clamped the doors to two tables with four strong wood clamps. To finish the cutouts, I used an electric staple gun to attach the chicken wire.

Preparing the doors for sawing out the front panels

As you can see, I constructed a sort of workmate table for myself. I set up two tables a little apart and then used clamps to make sure the door wouldn’t move. Don’t you think the Christmas lights add a nice touch?

As far as materials are concerned, I used the following:

  • paint
  • fabric
  • chickenwire
  • wood glue

Step 3. Cut Out the Panels in the Doors

If you start sawing a window into the middle of something, you have to be able to get the saw blade in there.

So after I had drawn the lines on the door, I drilled a hole in all four corners with a cordless drill.

Drill holes in the corners to make room for the miter saw blade

I Made sure the hole was big enough for the saw blade of my miter saw to fit through.

Because the finish on my cupboard was very smooth, I punched a small hole first with an awl so that my drill wouldn’t slip.

I sawed until the panel fell on the floor, and it looked like this.

Cut out the center panels with a miter saw

And then the fun part started. Making the cupboard beautiful again.

Step 4. Add decorative moulding to Finish the Look of the Cupboard

I used decorative moulding to finish the raw edge of the cutouts.

I looked and found moulding that had a bit of an overhang so that the saw cut would be hidden.

Add decorative moulding to hide the saw cuts.

The next step is to saw mitered corners in the moulding and attach it to the frame with strong wood glue and small nails.

Related Reading: How to Remove Decorative Trim from Furniture

Step 5. Decorate Your Cupboard to Finish the Makeover

Now all the hard work is done and the real fun can begin.

Paint the cupboard in your color of choice. Because of the smooth finish on the doors, I used a ‘sticks to everything primer’, and I chose white as my color (of course).

Then I used a staple gun to attach chicken wire behind the frame. The finish on these doors was so hard that our staple gun couldn’t get any staples in, so I had to staple my chicken wire to the inside saw cut. But if your doors would be regular wooden ones, you could just staple it to the back.

Staple chickenwire behind the cutouts

Here in this detailed image, you can just make out how I (badly) stapled the wire to the sides. But you can also see how the overhang of the trim nicely covers that up.

Next, get out the sewing machine (and yes, ladies, that is a power tool too!) and sew a panel that is big enough to cover the hole and the edge of the chicken wire. Easy peasy, you only have to turn the edges in and stitch in a straight line.

I attached the panels with sticky Velcro.

Use velcro to attach fabric behind the chickenwire cutout

Update from the future:

This cupboard has served me well. So well that in fact, I reused it when I gave my craft room and office space a whole new makeover.

With a fresh coat of paint and a different kind of fabric behind the chicken wire, the later cupboard makeover had a more rustic look.

You can see the full reveal of my attic craft room here.

And finally, get yourself some nice pulls. They really finish it off!

This was my first ever power tool involving DIY makeover project, and I am so proud of myself.

I have a feeling this might be the first of many…

Now don’t you agree that this is a fun and fairly easy project!?

Believe me, ladies, if I can do it, so can you!

Songbird | Website | + posts

Marianne Songbird is the founder of Songbird, where she hopes to inspire everyone to create a home they love, one DIY project at a time. She shares anything from craft ideas to home decor inspiration and from DIY projects to decorating hacks. Originally from the Netherlands Marianne and her husband Lex are currently renovating a 250-year-old farmhouse in Germany.

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50 Comments

  1. Nu, zoveel smeekbeden om commentaar kan ik maar lastig weerstaan :-D! Zeker als je zo'n mooi project hebt gemaakt. Ik vind het echt leuk geworden. Geweldig resultaat als je voor de eerste keer met het grote jongens gereedschap mag werken, petje af! Je uitleg is heel duidelijk. Niet te lang en niet te kort. Wat wilde je nog meer weten? MIjn pincode is ****, dat zie ik tenminste staan ;-)!

  2. It looks so good now! What a great way to fix up a piece of furniture. The tutorial was perfect!

  3. Looks darling!! I HEART your door pulls!! Never fear, you are still high on the list via the comments @ Kimba's DIY day! Great tutorial too.

  4. Jennifer Juniper says:

    The wire! The cute knobs! The framing! I'm swooning and in awe of your DIY – love love love it!

  5. Dawn-Hydrangea Home says:

    Beautiful job on that cabinet! I love projects like these.

  6. kirstin & jordan says:

    oh my goodness- this is fantastic! I love the idea of remaking ikea cabinets and making them into these fabulous gems…
    and I love it that you used powertools… usually I have my husband do that part. 🙂

  7. Shanty2Chic says:

    So crafty! That's a complete transformation! Great job! ~Ashley~ shanty2chic

  8. Laurel @ Ducks in a Row says:

    It is amazing what power tools can do – good for you!

  9. You are so cute and amazing! I found you because of your interesting comment on Thrifty Decor Chic.

    Thank you for sharing! (I LOVE people like YOU that make people like ME feel like maybe I can try decorating 😉

  10. What a great idea! I'm visiting from Kimba's. (BTW–you were number one even if it wasn't on Mr. Linky right?) I'm new to your blog and love it. Do you typically just bust out in German on each post? Love that too!

  11. Pam @ This Humble House says:

    Very cute! Makes me want to try that myself!

  12. Jeetje Marianne!
    Super goed gedaan, écht een vrouwelijk kastje by the way…
    lekker feministisch zelluf doen en dan afstylen met roze en porcelein, hihi

    Dit soort berichten geven o zo veel inspiratie, dus kom maar op!
    Groetjes Freekje

  13. It looks amazing! Great job!

  14. I love this, and it makes me totally want to chicken wire my cupboards! What a great idea! And great job too!

  15. I am SO impressed – this is ridiculously beautiful 😀

  16. How LOVELY! I don't use that word much, but it fit here. My favorite part is the knobs you chose…very unique!

  17. Lavender hearts says:

    wow, you are a makeover queen! 🙂

  18. Nou hij is werkelijk opgepimpt zeg.
    Wat een verandering is dit. Ik had zo'n gerimpeld sierlijstje nog nooit gezien. Die zijn echt top. Geeft meteen een wat oude look.
    Dusse…..als er nog meer daar opgepimpt wordt…..ik houd me aanbevolen….
    Fijne dag

  19. Princess Of Pink says:

    G E W E L D I G !!!!!!! Echt waar geweldig gedaan. En wij vrouwen kunnen prima omgaan met die "mannen" powertools toch?????
    Wat heb je dat goed gedaan, moet ff kijken of ook ik niet ergens een lelijk kassie heb staan wat opgepimpd moet worden, lol. EN bedankt voor die boekenlink! Weer een addiction erbij, alsof ik al niet genoeg heb, lol.

    Bravo!!

  20. What an amazing transformation! Great job on both the cabinet and the tutorial. Thanks so much!!

  21. Very awesome! I love the change and the tutorial!

    Becky k.
    Hospitality Lane

  22. Wow. Pretty incredible transformation! Wonderful job.

  23. Beautiful! Wonderful tutorial, too. Thanks for sharing!

  24. Amy {The Red Chair Blog} says:

    Wow; I'm so impressed! What a transformation!

  25. Wow, I just love this!! Thank you so much for doing a tutorial.

  26. Wow, I just love this!! Thank you so much for doing a tutorial.

  27. Jij durft wel, zeg! Maar het eindresultaat is ontzettend leuk.
    De uitleg is heel erg duidelijk en niet te lang.

  28. holy cow… that must have taken quite some time and a LOT of work… but totally worth it. the pay-off is incredible. nice job! 🙂

  29. You did such a good job! Looks so cute! Chicken wire is so country/vintage and I love it. Stopping over from ASPTL!

  30. the queen says:

    awesome! your tutorial was just perfect. takes the fear out of cutting up some old (but perfectly practical) cupboards

  31. Gina @ The Shabby Chic Cottage says:

    Gorgeous tutorial! Thanks so much for joining me, and YAY you were #1!

  32. alicia@thrifty and chic motif says:

    That is so super cute! I applaud your DIY muscles 🙂

  33. Wow! This is my fave makeover of the day. Great job and fascinating tutorial.

  34. Kristen, The Pajama Mama says:

    no way did you cut into the doors-how brave and vision forward you are!

  35. jeetje wat een origineel kastje heb jij ervan gemaakt. echt super leuk. wat een ander gezicht is dit zeg. die knopjes en dat opengewerkte met gaas dat doet het hem. creatief bedacht!

  36. anythinggoeshere says:

    I am impressed ~ power tools. And it really turned out great! Good joy and congratulations.

  37. gail@myrepurposedlife says:

    oh my! I love this! You did an awesome job!
    I particularly love the knobs. I'm going to have to file this one away in my ole' brain, for sure!

  38. This is a great makeover project and the instructions are easy to understand. Love the cute door pulls.
    Thanks for Sharing
    Sharon

  39. Irene ~ RE~VINTAGED says:

    Looove your cupboard now, much nicer. Good job!!
    Irene x

  40. Wow! I'm totally impressed!!! Great work!!!
    I just found your blog and will have to explore it a bit more in the coming days,
    Sending you best wishes from Boxwood Cottage in Germany
    Carola

  41. Great job! Tutorial was easy to read with just enough details and pics.

    Thanks, Marnita

  42. Wow! What a transformation!? Have you submitted this to the Ikea Hack website bet they would love it!
    Kimba

  43. FrenchGardenHouse says:

    How great, I LOVE that!! I have a few cabinets I would love to do that with. thanks so much for sharing this with us.
    xo Lidy

  44. vosges paris says:

    zooo dat heb je mooi gedaan! leuk zo'n recycle project. Dankeje wel voor de link trouwens , die ga ik echt eens goed bekijken.

  45. Arvind Devalia says:

    Great stuff Marianne!

    Maybe IKEA will copy you and start offerig your design:-)

    Good luck with the blogging!

    Love and best wishes

    Arvind Devalia

  46. I am so impressed! That was a great tutorial! It turned out adorable! I am going to start hunting for a cabinet to transform!
    :)Heidi

  47. Jeannette says:

    Ik heb net je blog ontdekt en val met mijn neus in de boter. Wat een geweldige verandering! En chapeau…ik zou er niet opgekomen zijn en al helemaaaal niet kunnen. Maar met zo´n tutorial word ik al wat moediger. Prachtige lijst trouwens.
    Ik ga meteen even de rest van je blog lezen..ik ben reuze nieuwsgierig nu ik deze post gezien heb. 😉
    ♥ Jeannette

  48. fitty's pinky rose cottage says:

    job well done! love the makeover! look so cottagey indeed!

  49. Marianne, I love your work – I just can say WOW and THANK YOU!
    Nicole

  50. debbie ierano says:

    loved it 🙂 great work :))))

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