DIY Mud Room

Materials: Hemnes Bookcase and Hemnes TV console

Description: Having three small kids I really needed a mudroom, but the cost of an addition was impossible. We had a neat little alcove in our dining room that seemed like the perfect place for a DIY mudroom. Ever the IKEA addict, I scoured their website looking for a solution, but was left disappointed with my options and their prices. I decided to take the hour long trek to my IKEA to scope out the AS-IS section. I found the HEMNES bookcase and TV console in a ugly sort of brownish color for a total of $80.00. I figured the TV stand could be a bench for my kiddos to sit and tie shoes and the drawers would be perfect for storing a couple of pairs of shoes for each kiddo and maybe their lunch boxes. I wanted to place the bookcase next to the TV console to close it up somewhat and make it a cozy little nook, however, side by side they wouldn't fit in the alcove. At that point I didn't care. For $80.00 I wasn't leaving them there!

Here was my solution: The legs on the console were sawed off to make the unit bench height. Working within the confines of the alcove, the bookcase needed to be cut down by about 18" and stacked on top of the console. (Don't worry, it's anchored!) I installed a closet pole for coats and such inside the bookcase. I wanted a door for it, but the HEMNES door was glass, which I couldn't cut down. I wound up in the AS-IS section AGAIN scrounging for doors. I found a simple panel door to overlay the bookcase. (Since the HEMNES bookcase has the hinges inside I had to use regular old hinges on the outside.) I cut the door down to cover just the bottom part of the bookcase so that I could have baskets in the top two shelves.

I painted the entire thing white, which took several coats. I grabbed some wainscotting from my local home improvement store (approx $15) and also a bit of crown moulding (approx $8) and a bit of trim to create a shelf (approx $3) I painted that white as well. All in all I'm very happy with the result. I have no delusions that it will solve the "coats on the kitchen floor" problem, but at least they have a home!

See more of the DIY mud room.

~ Jillian Pimental, Ma, USA