B&A: Breakfast Nook Goes Blue (And Gets an IKEA Hack)
BEFORE & AFTER
VIA JANA DONOHOE
For her spring ‘23 ORC project, Jana Donohoe gave her builder-basic white box kitchen and breakfast nook a dose of character and charm.
VIA JANA DONOHOE
As with most builder-basic kitchens, Jana’s kitchen had a great foundation and only needed a few superficial changes to make it feel more unique and special. The main element Jana was unhappy with was the sheetrock island, which she hired a professional to trim out and paint. Other changes included adding a tile backsplash, adding that amazing light fixture over the island, swapping out the cabinet hardware, and bringing in some barstools.
Just those few changes make a world of difference—the finished kitchen looks so charming and elevated.
VIA JANA DONOHOE
The showstopper of the space, though, is undoubtedly the wall of gorgeous blue built-ins in the breakfast nook, which were a completely DIY IKEA hack. She made the base of the built-in with IKEA Sektion cabinets, with space left on the right for a beverage fridge.
She made the countertop by gluing two sheets of MDF together and alternating the seams to make it strong. So that the paint would stick to the IKEA laminate, she primed the cabinet fronts with B-I-N primer and sealer. Believe it or not, Jana doesn’t own a paint sprayer, and achieved that gorgeously smooth paint job with a roller and patience.
To make the upper shelves, Jana had her local Home Depot cut 8’ MDF sheets to the sizes she needed, assembled them at home with her brad nailer and wood glue, and secured them to the studs.
Last but not least, she added trim that would match what was already in her kitchen. You can read more about how she made the built-ins here.
VIA JANA DONOHOE
The blue color she chose is absolutely spectacular, especially paired with the sisal rug and rattan blinds. The pops of color in the art and the chairs are wonderful as well.
Jana certainly succeeded in bringing personality into this space—it is brimming with cheer and charm!
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