Ikea Moody Office Hack

Revamped Ikea Office: A Moody Makeover

Over two decades, our home’s dynamics underwent notable changes. At first, we used the space as a formal dining room. Then, as our family grew, it became our daughter’s bedroom. Later on, we transformed it into a guest room. However, with the rise of remote work in 2020, I decided to turn it into a makeshift office. Now, with an available space upstairs for the guest room, I’m gearing up for its final transformation into my ideal office!

Design Vision for the Moody Ikea Office

Striving for a unified monochrome aesthetic, I chose the color Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore for the walls, matching the shade already present on the wainscoting. I just needed to paint the walls, ceiling, trim, built-in desk, and cabinets. Initially, I chose Sherwin Williams’ Cashmere line of paint in Medium Lustre for most of the area. However, for the desk area’s built-ins, I opted for the SW Emerald line Urethane Enamel.

Initially, due to a minor oversight in measurements, I faced an unplanned expenditure of $322. Rather than admitting my mistake, I promptly moved the desk to the wall with the shiplap and then decided to order another cabinet. Silver linings, right?

I had to order the glass cabinet on the far right as an additional one. What you see on the glass doors is Masking Liquid. Firstly, the Masking Liquid not only serves as a primer on wood but also lets you paint around glass without the need for taping. You start by applying it with a paintbrush. After waiting for it to dry, you then paint over it. Finally, once everything is set, you can simply peel it off.

The Ikea Blueprint: Walls, Ceiling & Trim

Despite years of aspiring for an Ikea-integrated office, I was wary of the execution. Thankfully, Ikea’s online visualizer made it easier.

I incorporated the Ikea desk and file cabinets I already had and invested in:

Two Pax Single Wardrobes with Bergsbo doors 93″ ($440 total)
Two Billy Bookshelves 79″ ($98 total)
One Billy Bookcase with height extension and glass doors 93″ ($322)

Crafting the Office: Assembling & Painting
Having not built cabinets for a while, I had some relearning to do. The first Pax Wardrobe took me 45 minutes, but by the last Billy Bookshelf, I felt like a pro. Post-assembly, two coats of BIN Primer (red label) were applied, followed by four coats of SW Emerald Urethane Enamel, ensuring durability and finish. I let them cure for two weeks before moving into place. If you are impatient and do not let them cure they will not pass the scratch test!

To fit my design, some adjustments were needed: the Billy Bookshelves that sit on top of the desktop were sized down to complement the height of the Pax cabinet (they were too tall). I cut from the top of the bookshelf and used an additional shelf as the top since I was not using all the shelves it came with.

A Butcher Block Finishing Touch
For the desktop, I opted for a pre-stained allen + roth Espresso Stained Acacia from Lowe’s. To ensure longevity, it was sealed with Watco Butcher Block as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. I would NOT recommend using this for a kitchen countertop as it’s a softer wood and can dent easily. Luckily the instructions said that it can be touched up with Minwax Espresso Stain.

Customizing the Office Space
To amplify the built-in feel:

Drawer Sets: After perusing numerous options, I found the perfect drawer set on Amazon, which snugly fit the Billy Bookcase. I removed the hardware, filled the holes, and added Antique 1″ knobs. These are high-quality heavy knobs.

Trimming: This involved adding 5.5″ trim ripped to 5″ to the base of the bookshelves, and decorative molding for a finished, elegant look. My adventures with crown molding, courtesy of some handy TikTok tutorials, added a contemporary touch.

Initially, I cut down the Ikea Billy, and then I utilized the scrap from the bookshelf to elevate it. This adjustment ensured its height matched the cabinet on the right, as evidenced by the black pieces you see. This modification became necessary due to an error on my part: I had previously cut the bookshelves too short.

5.5″ MDF stripped to 5″ to trim it out

Decorative molding to give it a finished look. I painted the finish trim before installing it.

Drawer and Base Accents: Flat drawer fronts were jazzed up with hemlock trim, while the base received some MDF detailing.

Filling the Gaps: Initially, I encountered a challenge with a 4.5-inch gap between the wardrobe cabinet and the glass cabinet. However, by employing some creative thinking, I positioned two rolling kitchen pantries on top of each other. Then, I added a wallpapered backing, crafting a distinctive storage solution for my picture frames. I purchased a brown panel from Lowes, cut it to size, and added wallpaper.

Initially, I bought 5.5″ MDF and tailored it to the desired size to align with the front of the pantries. Following that, I incorporated thin MDF as a border to give it a framed appearance.

Artwork for the Moody Ikea Office

Firstly, I knew I wanted a large-scale framed print for the wall you see when you look into the office. I purchased a digital download on Etsy from North Prints and had it framed by Frame it Easy. By shopping through this link you can save 10%. Having Frame it Easy print and frame was affordable for the size, however, I will be completely transparent with you, shipping for all four framed prints was around $200. My only other option was to have this framed at a local shop and it would have been triple the cost.

Frame with Print

Art Size: 52″ x 39″
Outside Frame Size: 52 3/16″ x 39 3/16″
Style: Ashford, in Satin Gold
Cover: Non-Glare Acrylic
Print Paper: Art
Backing: Standard Foamcore
Printed Artwork: Custom

Secondly, for the opposing wall, I also used Frame it Easy. The bird print is from Juniper Printshop. I have several pieces of artwork in my home from them. I purchased the digital print, but you can have them print it for you on high-quality paper or canvas and even frame it. Here are the details on the framed size

Frame with Print

Art Size: 24″ x 36″
Outside Frame Size: 24 3/16″ x 36 3/16″
Style: Ashford, in Satin Gold
Cover: Non-Glare Acrylic
Print Paper: Art
Backing: Standard Foamcore
Printed Artwork: Custom

The two horizontal prints I also purchased on Etsy in a Gallery set of 300 digital downloads from 7ArtPrints. I chose a Cappuccino Matte to match the pillow on the chair

Frame with Print x 2

Art Size: 13″ x 10″
Outside Frame Size: 20 3/16″ x 17 3/16″
Style: Ashford, in Satin Gold
Matting: 3 1/2″ Cappuccino (White Core)
Cover: Non-Glare Acrylic
Print Paper: Art
Backing: Standard Foamcore
Printed Artwork: Custom

Computer Monitor Moody Ikea Office

Let’s discuss the sheer magnitude of this computer monitor – it’s enormous! Before, I relied on a dual monitor setup linked to a docking station. I was convinced a more efficient solution existed that would offer me multiple screens without the need for two monitors. Based on several YouTube reviews, I chose this 43″ Samsung monitor, which conveniently also functions as a TV for streaming your favorite apps. The monitor is mounted to the wall using this mount. The background is part of the 300 Vintage prints I ordered from Etsy.

This side table is from TJ Maxx $60. It came in this dark wood and a lighter wood. I checked their website and it is not listed. The vase is from Temu, size small. I first spray-painted it black, added Joint Compound, lightly sanded, added wet dirt, lightly sanded, and then spray-painted again. Four bundles of wild oat tree branches.

These Stefana Sieber Polyester Linen 75% blackout drapes from Twopages Curtains in White/Beige Windowpane are everything! I custom ordered in size 102″ H x 96″ W.