It’s been a busy, productive week in the nursery built-in project, so this post covers a lot of ground. Grab some upbeat music, settle in, and I’ll walk you through how we transformed two free-standing Ikea dressers into a built-in dresser and bookshelf combination. (The rendering shown on the right is just a mockup, not the finished result.)
We chose two FJELL dressers because their size and solid wood construction were perfect for what we wanted. They did need several adjustments to look like built-ins, though:
- The dresser’s indented side profile meant it wouldn’t sit flush against the wall, leaving a noticeable gap.
- Existing baseboards on the side and back prevented the dresser from hugging the wall.
- The bottom drawer sat too low for the wrap-around baseboard we planned to add, so the dresser needed to be built up slightly.
None of these problems were impossible, but each required attention before we moved on to trim and paint. First up was removing the existing baseboard. This is a common challenge when turning furniture into built-ins, and the fix was straightforward: cut out the sections of baseboard where the dressers would sit. I marked the cuts before removing anything, remembering that once the baseboard sections were removed the dressers would shift slightly into the corner.
I used a Dremel Multimax to make the cuts and set a metal grate down to protect the floor. After cutting all the way through I scored the seam between wall and baseboard with a utility knife to prevent paint from peeling, then pried off the quarter-round and baseboard pieces.
Once the back and side baseboards were removed, I pushed the dresser into place and ran into a new issue: the dresser top overhung the body enough to keep it from sitting completely flush. Since the FJELL top is removable, we marked a small amount to trim and cut the ends on the table saw. Using solid wood made this an easy, clean cut — another reason we liked the solid-wood FJELL over particle board.
After reattaching the trimmed top the dresser fit nicely against the back wall, but the indented side still left a 3/4″ gap. That turned out to be an easy fix: I cut a 1×2 scrap to length, slid it into the gap, and shot a couple of nails through the dresser into the filler piece for security.
To address the drawer clearance issue we built a simple platform out of 2x4s to raise the dresser about 3.5″. The platform is hidden from view so framing lumber was an inexpensive and sturdy choice. I cut the pieces, assembled them with a Kreg jig and heavy-duty screws, and sat the dresser on top. I didn’t screw the dresser to the platform at this point, because I wanted to make sure everything lined up perfectly before final fastening.
Securing the whole assembly to the wall was critical for safety and stability. Using a stud finder I located solid wood behind the dresser sides and back and fastened through them into studs. That not only held the dressers rock solid and flush with the walls, it also addressed tip-over concerns — especially important in a nursery.
All of this careful measuring and cutting took about a full day of work — and then I repeated the process for the second dresser. Once both bases were built and secured, we paused construction to tackle staining and painting while pieces were still disassembled. Working while things were apart reduced taping and edging, and resulted in a cleaner final look.
We decided to stain the tops to highlight the wood grain and create contrast with the painted bases. After comparing samples we chose Dark Walnut, which matched other wood elements we planned to use in the room. Each top received two coats of stain and two coats of Acrylacq sealer; drying time stretched this step over several days.
Because the dresser wood had many knots, we took precautions to prevent bleed-through under the paint. We applied wood putty over prominent knots, sanded lightly, then brushed a thin coat of wood glue over those areas as an extra seal. We could have used a shellac-based primer, but we prefer low-VOC products in the nursery and used Kilz Premium primer instead. With the putty and glue as added insurance, the primer held and we haven’t seen any bleed-through so far.
For paint we used Benjamin Moore Advance in Senora Gray, a durable, low-VOC option made for furniture and cabinetry. The first coat looked lighter than we expected, but it dried darker and closer to our vision. Although the finished color is softer than our initial mockup, that lighter tone helps the stained wood tops and hardware stand out — and we balanced our preferences with the fact that this is a nursery with limited natural light.
After two coats of paint we reassembled the dressers, reinstalled the stained tops and hardware, and began attaching baseboard and shoe molding. We’ll paint the molding the same color as the built-ins so the entire piece reads as one integrated unit from floor to ceiling.
Update: Some readers asked about filling the indentation along the inner edge of each dresser for symmetry. Personally, we like that architectural detail — and with the crib planned between the dressers it will read as an intentional design feature. We may revisit that choice later, but for now we’re leaving it.
Assuming things stay on schedule, we expect the built-ins to be finished, painted, and attached to the ceiling within a few days. With the biggest piece of this nursery to-do list nearly complete, we’re excited to move on to the fun finishing touches: bedding, a mobile, artwork, curtains, sconces, and a bold closet door.
More Built-In Storage Projects
We’ve completed several built-in cabinet projects in other rooms. If you want more ideas or inspiration for built-ins, check out some of our related posts below:
- Ikea Besta Hack Into Built-In Cabinets
- Built-In Playroom Storage Using Ikea Cabinets
- Built-In Bookshelves Using Stock Cabinets
- Turning Ikea Dressers Into Bookshelf Bases
- Built-In Dresser From An Ikea Malm
- How to Make Ikea Pax Wardrobes Look Built-In