I turned a £30 IKEA Kallax unit into a kitchen island – it was so easy to make and saved me thousands
A DIY pro has revealed how she built a luxe-looking kitchen island out of a £30 IKEA Kallax unit – and people have been left stunned at how good it looks.
JIlly, known online as @jillyshumblehome, shared how she used the unit and some MDF to create the base, before painting it to match the rest of her kitchen.
Not only has it doubled her kitchen worktop space but also saved her from splashing thousands on a premade one.
For the base of her island, Jilly used the IKEA Kallax unit in the size 77 x 77cm, currently priced at £29.75.
She also picked up four of the GoodHome Caraway Black Plain Cabinet legs from B&Q, costing £5 for two.
Jilly also used the Valspar Eggshell Wood and Metal Paint, £29, and a sheet of MDF that set her back £82.68.
She started by measuring out the desired size of her island on her kitchen floor using frog tape, before building and placing the Kallax unit in the center.
The DIY pro then added holes to the base and fitted the adjustable legs, before building a frame out of wooden planks to put under the Kallax unit.
She screwed this to the base of the bargain IKEA unit, before trimming her MDF to the right size.
Jilly secured this in place with glue and then, once dried, secured it with tacks.
After covering the back, both sides, and the base in the MDF, she added the base of the worktop, also made from MDF.
In another video, the savvy mum shared how she finished off the DIY island.
She said: “Measure up to add the MDF to create a shaker-style look.
“Check it fits first, [then] glue the panels on.
“Secure the base to the top with brackets, but do this after you’ve added the shaker-style MDF.
“Secure the tabletop of the wall with a bracket.
“Caulk the MDF and remove excess with a damp cloth.”
Jillly also added some wood filler in the gap where the MDF and the Kallax box meet, before sanding down the IKEA unit.
Next, she applied two coats of primer to the entire unit, before covering it in three thin layers of eggshell paint.
She secured the island to the floor with more brackets and applied clear silicone around the base.
Finally, she had the MDF top professionally wrapped in a marble-printed vinyl.
TikTok fans loved the final result, with the video gaining more than 7,300 likes and 693,100 views.
In the comments, some shared their reactions – with many stunned at how expensive the DIY island looked.
One wrote: “Great innovation to make a cheap and practical island!! Solid work.
Another said: “Absolutely gorgeous.”
“It’s not even a bad idea to build your whole kitchen out of these. You brought me a great idea for the future,” commented a third.