One more item crossed off the nursery to-do list: changing table, check!
Before Clara was born, a co-worker told me changing tables are unnecessary since parents often change a baby wherever is most convenient—on the floor or a nearby surface—rather than making a trip to the nursery. We had already refinished a dresser to serve as Clara’s changing table, so I worried I’d fallen into a first-time-parent trap. Surprisingly, though, we used that changing table religiously. When we were home, she was changed there. That habit stuck even after we moved to a larger single-level house.
With stairs in our current home, we decided to keep a few supplies downstairs for convenience, but in the nursery we still wanted a proper changing station. Early on we considered using my dad’s old dresser. It would have been meaningful—a 50-year-old dresser for our son—but once we installed built-in storage we realized that adding another big dresser would be overkill. Instead, we wanted something that offered both open and closed storage, a wide surface for a changing pad, and a width that would balance the long empty wall and the large art we planned to hang above.
We revisited a photo of our previous sunroom storage and had an A-ha moment: the Expedit would meet our needs. It offered the flat wide surface we needed, open cubbies for quick access, and the scale to fill that wall. It happened to be available in our office, so we moved it to the nursery to test how it would look and function.
At first it felt underwhelming—very bare and a little too blend-in with the walls and rug. To give it more presence and tie it into the room’s wood elements, we decided to wrap the outside of the Expedit with stained wood, echoing the white-and-wood changing table we liked and matching the built-in counters and frames elsewhere in the room. The transformation made the piece feel custom and cohesive.
We measured and determined that three 1×6 boards would cover each face with a slight overhang for the changing pad to rest on. We used affordable whitewood boards for a slightly rustic look, the same wood we used on another console project. After cutting the boards to size, I joined sets of three side-by-side with pocket holes made on a Kreg Jig, then sanded the seams and softened the edges.
Before staining, we applied a wood conditioner to ensure an even finish and richer color. The conditioner improved the stain’s absorption, creating a warmer, more consistent tone. We used a dark walnut stain for continuity with the other wood surfaces in the room and sealed everything with two coats of a low-VOC, non-toxic topcoat to lock in the finish.
To attach the wood panels to the Expedit, I roughed up the surface, added a generous amount of wood glue, and secured the panels with brad nails into the Expedit’s frame. I did the same on the sides to create a subtle waterfall edge and attached bottom pieces only at the ends where the center will remain hidden.
We considered adding casters and short legs for mobility, but the added height made the changing pad too tall and raised the art above it awkwardly. We ultimately removed the casters and kept the unit closer to the floor, which also prevents toys and dust from collecting underneath. After repositioning the piece, we rehung the art and arranged the shelves.
Update: For those curious about height, the Expedit is 31″ tall and our wood frame added a couple more inches. With the changing pad on top, the baby sits around 34″ from the floor—similar to what we used before and a comfortable working height for us.
The cubbies hold a mix of placeholder items now—bins and baskets will corral diapers and wipes more effectively—but the combination of concealed storage and open shelves works well for toys and books as the child grows. We reused a favorite dragon storage bin and discovered it fits the cubbies perfectly. A few more large baskets will help keep diapering supplies organized and out of sight.
To secure the changing pad, we transferred the oversized snaps from our previous dresser and screwed the receiving snaps into the back edge of the Expedit. For the art, we used heavy-duty adhesive strips in addition to the usual screws and anchors to keep the pieces mounted safely and firmly. The posterboard-style art should be easy to wipe clean if needed.
Overall, this inexpensive update—about $45 for the wood and conditioner—gave new life to an existing piece and created a functional, attractive changing area that should also transition into toy and book storage as our child grows. The once-empty wall now feels finished and cozy, and the nursery is closer to complete.
Have you repurposed furniture into a changing station or tried an Expedit hack of your own? We found this to be a flexible and budget-friendly solution that adds both storage and style to the room.