Ikea Hack Dressing Table

My bathroom is under construction so I need a place to get ready and do my makeup while its being worked on. I only have a small space so I thought the Brimnes vanity from Ikea would be a good idea since it’s narrow and small and it has a built in mirror and drawers. And now, let’s begin on this DIY- the Ikea hack dressing table.

ikea hack dressing table

Let’s start with the video tutorial so you get an overview on what I did. Then, I’ll dive in with more details below:

If the video doesn’t work here, you can watch it on YouTube here. It’d mean so much if you’d watch the video! I’m trying to get better at my video skills so I can grow my YouTube channel. If you have a few minutes to watch this and/or subscribe, I’d so appreciate it.

inspiration

I love the look of grasscloth covered furniture! It has a coastal vibe and the grasscloth adds so much texture and nice visual interest. Most pieces of grasscloth furniture have clean simple lines- which makes it perfect for this project! Although it’s a great look, it’s usually pretty expensive. Let’s get that look for less!

Even though high end furniture is covered in real grasscloth, I’m using a faux grasscloth. Why? To save money and for ease of use. Plus it’s peel and stick which means it won’t ruin the finish on the vanity and can be adjusted if I don’t apply it perfectly the first time. I’m using the sage color, but it comes in a variety of colors (including pink!)

SUPPLIES

Ikea Brimnes Vanity
Faux Grasscloth Wallpaper (in Sage- 1 roll)
Gold Drawer Pulls
Wallpaper Smoother
Exacto Knife
T Square 24″
Scissors
Fabric tape measure

step 1- prep

Start by building the vanity according the instructions from Ikea. I’m happy because it fits perfectly in my room! The drawer and storage under the mirror hold my makeup and hair brush. Note that a normal dining room chair is too tall to use with this and still see in the mirror (at least for me). So using a stool is better.

Next, clean the surface of the furniture thoroughly to remove any dust or debris. This ensures a smooth application of the wallpaper.

step 5- create holes for the pulls

Before adding the wallpaper, drill the holes for the hardware. It’s good to do this before the decorative wallpaper is added so that if there’s a mistake, the wallpaper won’t have to be redone.

Even though only one side has a drawer, I’m adding a Gold Drawer Pull to both sides so they look balanced.

Adding hardware to a drawer is a relatively straightforward process. Here’s a general guide on how to do it:

Choose the Hardware: First, select the hardware you want to add to your drawer. This could be handles, knobs, pulls, or any other decorative or functional hardware.
Measure: Measure where you want the hardware to go. I’m centering the pulls on the drawer so I’m going 2-1/8″ up and 6-13/16″ over.
Mark the Placement: Using a pencil or a marker, mark the positions where you want to place the hardware on the drawer front.
Drill Holes: Use a drill with a bit appropriate for the type of hardware you’re installing. Make sure to drill straight and clean holes according to your markings.

step 2- cut the wallpaper

Now it’s time to wallpaper the dressing table. I’m using faux grasscloth wallpaper because I like the texture it’ll add. It’s vinyl so it should last a long time too.

Here is a picture of what the faux grasscloth wallpaper looks like up close. Even though this isn’t real grasscloth (which is actual grass that is woven together), there is still a texture from the raised ink. This really adds to the overall look. It is wider than the sections I need to cover which means I won’t have to piece pieces side to side together.

On the back is a paper backing that will be peeled off, similar to a sticker. It is removable without damaging the surface. It can be adjusted as much as is needed. This means that if you ever tire of this look, you can remove it and the vanity will be good as new!

To begin, measure the dimensions of the surface you want to cover on the furniture. I’m starting with the longest piece which will be 45″ long

Note- I not trimming down the wallpaper for the pieces that’ll go on the sides/legs so they will be wider than they need to be so they can wrap over and cover the front of the leg and the top.

Cut the grasscloth wallpaper with scissors to the appropriate size, leaving a little extra around the edges to trim later.

Cuts I made-

top left and leg 44.5″
right leg 30″
inside right leg, inside left leg 26″ long x 16″ wide (x2)
back panel 27″ x12″ (optional- I didn’t put on here)
top right (front section that hinges with the mirror) 15″ x 13.5″
top right (back section) 14″ long x 4″ wide (use a leftover piece from the inside leg pieces)
drawer fronts 15″ x 5.5″ (x2)

step 3- apply the wallpaper

Carefully position the wallpaper onto the surface of the furniture, starting from one edge. I like to have extra wallpaper on the front and back of the table so I can trim it and it’ll be perfectly straight. It’s almost impossible to apply the paper so it lines up with the edge of the vanity so planning to trim is a smarter idea.

Pull 2″ of the backing paper off and smooth it out with the Wallpaper Smoother as you go to avoid air bubbles and wrinkles. If you get a bubble, pull up the wallpaper and start that section again.

Note, the print of the grasscloth wallpaper is very forgiving of any imperfections. But by going slow and working on a small section at a time, there should be minimal bubbles.

When going over the edge of the dressing table, push with your fingers to get a good clean fold. Then continue slowly taking off the backing paper a few inches at a time and smoothing down the wallpaper.

Wrap the excess paper around the front of the legs and cut the corners on an angle to create a mitered look. To do this, fold over the grasscloth to the front of the leg. Use a speed square and a pencil to mark a 45 degree line. Then cut on the line.

Use two more pieces to cover the inside of the legs up to where the drawers are.

For the drawer corners, I push the corners to create a V. Then I run my craft knife inside the angled section and cut off one half of the wrapping paper. Then I wrap the other half of the angled cut over.

A great part of this project is that if you need to use remnant pieces of grasscloth wallpaper, the texture from the paper hides the cut lines so the patches really blend in. The seams won’t be obvious which makes this a beginner friendly project. You can see a patch in the above picture. It’s easy to see from this up close angle, but in person it’s not noticeable.

Note, when cutting always pay attention to which way the fibers/lines on the lay. They should all go in the same direction. I cut a piece wrong and was able to re-use it for the drawers, but it was still annoying.

step 4- trim

Once the wallpaper is fully applied and smoothed out, use a utility knife to trim any excess material from the edges. I found it a little hard to get it started, but once I got the blade in, I could push it against the edge of the vanity and it was pretty fast getting a smooth cut.

Take your time and make sure to cut along the edges of the furniture neatly for a clean finish.

step 5- finish work

Finally, the last thing to do is to use the craft knife to punch a hole in the wallpaper where the hole for the hardware was previously drilled. Align the hardware with the holes and use the supplied screws to attach it securely to the drawer front.

Use a screwdriver or a drill to tighten the screws.

after

And here is the finished Ikea hack dressing table!

This was a one day project that took a few hours. And I thing it gives a lot of punch for a quick, beginner level DIY!

I love the texture and personality the piece has now. The minty green is so fun!

If I had more time and some help, I’d have added a board to make the legs a little thicker. I think that’d help with the proportions. But I was determined to make this a simple project since we have a massive renovation going, so I just worked with the bones of the vanity.

And I have to say this little vanity is so great for small spaces! The design is nice and I feel pampered even though it wasn’t a splurge.

price breakdown

For this project I spent $100 on the Ikea Brimnes Vanity. Have you noticed that Ikea has been lowering their prices? This used to be $150- I love that the price is dropped! I spent $37 on the Faux Grasscloth Wallpaper. Last, the Gold Drawer Pulls cost $10.

Total- $147 ($100 on the furniture and $47 on supplies)

So there is my Ikea hack dressing table! What do you think? I’ll keep this post updated on how the grasscloth wallpaper wears. I will be very careful to not put any hot tools (like a curling iron or straightener) on it as that’d melt the wallpaper. I love how it looks and am excited that I have this cute spot to get ready.

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