Building Media Centers Using IKEA Cabinets

Exploring Media Centers Designed for Style and Function

Today, the media center is probably the center of attention in your home.

From a designer’s perspective, it makes a lot of sense. After all — especially in these times of COVID-19 — people are spending more time together at home. Plus, you can incorporate an IKEA media center in spaces where you normally go to unwind or recharge (like the master bedroom).

Functionally, a media center with IKEA cabinets provides TV storage for a dynamic home theater and built-in IKEA storage options to keep things organized, for instance.

In this article, we’ll share how to achieve this. You’ll meet IKD customers Jay and Sally from Chicago who accomplished this in their bedroom using IKEA’s BESTA storage systems and customers Philip and Tanya from Decatur, who incorporated a media center with linen storage into their master bedroom project.

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Combining IKEA SEKTION Cabinets With Custom Doors

These projects, of course, begin with IKEA’s signature SEKTION cabinetry framework, which allows you to integrate IKEA cabinets into the media center layout. You can customize the look by using fronts from third-party custom door companies like Semihandmade and IKEA accessories and organizers, like we did in a recent full-house IKEA design project.

Remember, we’ve been recognized by The New York Times as a unique design solution for customers who are considering custom doors in their IKEA projects. So even if you’ve done research for examples of IKEA media centers on design websites like HOUZZ or Pinterest there’s more design inspiration to be had! An organized bedroom is possible using IKEA cabinets and proper professional design guidance.

That said, our designers would like to provide additional information for IKEA customers interested in using IKEA cabinets for built-ins or media center units. In these times, having an organized bedroom that combines style and function — along with an opportunity to have some peace of mind — is more important than ever.

Let’s see how to make that happen!

A Media Center Using IKEA BESTA Cabinets

For IKD customers Jay and Sally from Chicago, the key for their bedroom project was to keep their TV out of sight.

“Our bedroom is rather small, and we enjoy relaxing and watching our favorite shows. We just didn’t want the TV to become a focal point of the room,” Jay explains.

To accomplish this, we used floating IKEA BESTA cabinets to create a modern display area. Specifically, we suggested the TV section be built out and use IKEA’s BESTA cabinet doors as panels so the entire wall would look like a single paneled wall, giving the media center a modern, streamlined feel.

For Sally, this also meant a pleasant surprise for the overall efficiency of their bedroom.

“We didn’t expect all the extra hidden storage behind those wall panels. It’s great for storing our small electronics as well as extra bedding and other items,” she says.

To continue the modern look, the base cabinets were installed with no legs. The floating storage options give the impression of more overall room while still providing ample storage. We completed the high-end look with the countertop, which frames the open section between the tall and base cabinets of the media center.

“This IKEA media center was the ideal solution for our bedroom project and we couldn’t be happier,” Jay concludes.

Classic Media Center With IKEA SEKTION Cabinets

By contrast, IKD customers Philip and Tanya from Decatur, GA, opted for a more traditional design.

However, the classic-styled IKEA media center is anything but typical. For instance, it acts as a media center and also provides linen storage for the master bedroom — quite a combination!

We accomplished this by featuring IKEA’s SEKTION cabinet framework along with Semihandmade DIY fronts painted in SW Raging Sea and IKEA’s EDVALLA drop pulls in brass. These were integrated in different depths and heights which provide interest and frame the TV so that it is the focal point of the bedroom.

Tanya adds: “I love how this element gives us a unique wall feature that we never would have thought of on our own!”

For added storage options, we also used full-depth base cabinets with drawers and shallow-depth tall cabinets. These provide storage along with some internal rollout drawers. Lastly, we stacked shallow drawers on top of the base cabinets, perfect for storing smaller items like jewelry or scarves.

“This IKEA media center has made our bedroom so much more organized and relaxing,” Philip concludes.

Other Ways to Customize Your IKEA Media Center

The previous two examples really highlight how using IKEA’s BESTA and SEKTION cabinets can capture your IKEA media center needs.

However, there are other ways to accomplish this, too. For instance, you can customize your media center using custom doors, floating kitchen shelves, or additional panels.

Using our signature IKEA hacks, we can provide a design solution for almost anything you dream up with your media center! For instance, take the success we had creating an IKEA TV room with a study nook as part of a recent full house IKEA design.

The area features a desk with IKEA RINGHULT high gloss fronts paired with walnut countertops and walnut floating shelves.We created a built-in around the huge TV, combining SEKTION cabinet framework with IKEA BESTA cabinets. So, you could call it a real study in custom design!

There are always ways to customize your organization by using accessories or internal organizers, such as the Three-Tier Base Organizer Pull-out from Rev-A-Shelf to hold media products, or by using the IKEA VARIERA flatware tray as a spot for your jewelry, for instance.

Our team is here to inform you about design and product choices. Now that you’ve seen some of the possibilities with IKEA media centers, we hope that you’re sufficiently inspired to begin your next IKEA project!