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Built-In IKEA Pax Wardrobe

If you've been hanging around here for a while, you know that I love a good IKEA hack. IKEA gets a bad rep, but I'm telling y'all, you can do some major transformations to IKEA furniture. My favorite IKEA furniture of all time is the PAX. When I say I am obsessed with it, I am not kidding. I have installed it in 3 houses so far, and I will probably use it in every house I live in from now on. It can do no wrong in my eyes.


I love the PAX Wardrobe so much because:

  • It can be used as a built in or as a stand alone

  • It is so customizable and has options for shelves and drawers

  • There are several different ways you can store shoes in an the Pax

  • It has jewelry storage. I repeat jewelry storage. For a serial earring collector like me, this is huge.

  • It can fit and be customized in almost any space


Honestly, I could keep going with this list but, I will spare you.


I had terrible walk-in closet with terrible storage. So I demoed the whole thing and replaced the floor. This left with me with a blank space to update the walk-in closet, and the IKEA Pax was the perfect fit.



So I went to the IKEA Pax planner online, and mocked up the storage I needed for the space. This left me with 5 29" wide IKEA Pax wardrobes with shelves, drawers, and jewelry organizers. Exactly what I needed.



Then I got to work building the IKEA Pax wardrobes and making this IKEA Pax look built in. This is how I did it!


How to "Built-In" IKEA Pax


1. Build all the IKEA Pax Wardrobes and place them where you want them in the closet


2. Space out the IKEA Pax Wardrobes. Using wood spacers (I used 2x4's and 1x4's for the spaces need in my closet) attach the spacers to the studs and the IKEA Pax using Spax screws and an Impact Driver.

3. Cover the spaces with 1/4" thick poplar board. Attach with a brad nailer.

4. Attach shelves to any gaps at the top of the wardrobes with a brad nailer.

5. Attach trim to the top of the wardrobe using a brad nailer. I used 1.5" wide trim.

6. Caulk and fill in all the holes with wood filler.


7. Prime and paint all the trim.


8. Decorate with your favorite wallpaper and paint.

9. Add all the organization.


And you've got yourself a built-in closet using the IKEA Pax Wardrobe.




What do you guys think? Pretty awesome, right?


So many people have commented on how great this closet is. I am telling you - if you need to makeover your closet, do it with IKEA Pax. You will not regret it. I will tell you this project isn't cheap. The IKEA Pax and organization itself cost me around $1,100, but you are still saving thousands doing it this way instead of the custom closet route.


You can see the full process of how I did this on my Instagram Story Highlight "Closet Makeover" or with the Instagram Reel I created.


Have you used IKEA Pax in your closet? Send it my way so we can feature it on the blog.


Caroline



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