Design a personalized media center by getting creative with IKEA product customization

Make your media center unique and attractive by mixing door styles, colors, and IKEA products.

TV has become America’s favored pastime. With popular series coming out a season at a time instead of an episode at a time, it’s no wonder that 22% of Americans watch more than 4 hours every day.

It’s also no wonder that more and more people are seeking media centers that they visually enjoy. The straight-out-of-the-box look is out, and the warm, cozy furniture look is in. The only problem is that these attractive designs can cost upwards of $5,000—and they still aren’t customized.

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This homeowner needed to figure out how to get the upscale look she wanted without spending a fortune.

“We found an entertainment center at a furniture store we really liked for $1,600. That was the sale price. However, the maximum size it accommodated was 55”, and we have a 65” TV. It also had barn-style cabinet doors, which I’m not a huge fan of. That’s the problem with these ready-made systems. There is always something that isn’t quite what you want, but you settle for it, anyway. I was determined not to do that this time.”–Rebecca, IKD customer

Rebecca found IKD after she tried creating her own custom design.

“I was trying to stay within that $1,600 budget, but I wanted it to fit our living room, TV, and aesthetic perfectly. I knew I could probably build a system in my price range by looking at the IKEA catalog. That got overwhelming fast. I looked online and couldn’t wrap my head around it, so I went in person. When I tried talking to the IKEA designers about it, they explained that their design software doesn’t allow for cutting cabinets, which I’d need to do to get the sizes I wanted. I found myself getting more and more frustrated, but I found Inspired Kitchen Design while doing some late-night research. I saw the opportunity to get the help I needed while still staying close to my $1,600 budget.” –Rebecca, IKD customer

We designed a media center with the storage she needed and the look she wanted.

Rebecca asked for a media center with room for her books and her girlfriend’s gaming systems. They even have a small collection of DVDs and VHSs, so she asked for additional storage. She wanted the perfect size frame for their 65” TV with shelves to display her Funko Pop collection and light colors to offset the hardwood floors of her home. Last, she requested wood accents to make it look cohesive with the space.

“We used a variety of IKEA door styles and colors to give Rebecca the customized furniture look she wanted. We framed the center with two 80” BILLY bookcases, giving Rebecca her book storage. We attached four LACK floating shelves, two on each side, to create the frame for the 65” TV and a Funko Pop display area. Using AXSTAD matte white cabinet fronts in the entertainment center helped tie the look together and make it look like a single unit.”–Javier, IKD Designer

Javier added wood elements to tie in with Rebecca’s hardwood floors. These included two VADHOLMA drawers in brown stained ash and the EKBAKEN brown walnut effect laminate countertop.

“We also suggested that Rebecca consider wood paneling on the wall behind the TV, and she liked the idea. I think that accent pulls the whole design together.” –Javier, IKD Designer

Cutting cabinets wasn’t so intimidating, thanks to a well-drafted design.

The design required reducing 30″ H SEKTION cabinets, for the two end bases, to 10″ H to create the two bottom drawers. Then leaving the side panels at full height to cover the sides of the VADHOLMA wood drawers. Javier used a similar technique for the two center drawer bases. In this case, two 30″ H SEKTION cabinets were reduced to 25″H. Each housing two 10″H and one 5″H drawers.

“Because Javier was able to explain everything so clearly in the design, trimming cabinets didn’t intimidate us,” Rebecca says. “My dad’s mid-life crisis was woodworking, so I knew he had the saws and the skills to handle that part for me as long as he had a clear drawing and measurements. That was something IKEA couldn’t give me.”

This homeowner’s custom media center came in below budget—but looks like it cost twice as much.

“I found a similar unit online for $4,000. I spent $1,535 at IKEA and got exactly the look I wanted. I feel really good about that.” –Rebecca, IKD customer

Rebecca spent $1,100 on IKEA cabinets and hardware and $435 on shelving and VADHOLMA drawers. She also opted to use wood paneling by Semihandmade to add the accent wall behind her TV. With her dad’s help, she built and installed the unit herself.

Key Takeaway

Out-of-the-box media centers are difficult to build and only ever look “okay.” For the same price (or cheaper), you can have a custom, upscale media center designed for your needs and aesthetic—all using IKEA products.