Transforming a spare room or a bedroom with no integrated storage can be a daunting challenge, especially when moving from a home with a luxurious walk-in closet. Our recent move presented us with exactly this scenario: a bedroom that, in its previous life as a living space, offered absolutely zero built-in storage. This felt like a significant downgrade from the expansive, custom-designed walk-in closet we enjoyed in our previous residence. However, through clever planning and a popular, budget-friendly solution, we successfully engineered a storage system that not only rivals our old closet in capacity but also seamlessly blends into the room, appearing as if it were always meant to be there. Join us as we reveal how we created custom-looking, floor-to-ceiling Ikea Pax wardrobes, maximizing storage and elevating our bedroom’s design.
To put this transformation into perspective, our previous home boasted a dedicated walk-in closet spanning a generous 8′ x 6′ room. This space was meticulously designed with functionality in mind, featuring a robust configuration of two 29″ wardrobes flanked by two 19″ wardrobes on each side. This arrangement provided an impressive 67 inches of linear closet space along each wall, culminating in a total of 134 inches of highly organized storage. It was a dream setup, offering ample room for all our essentials.
In our current home, despite the absence of a designated walk-in closet, we managed to replicate and even slightly exceed that storage capacity. We strategically deployed the exact same versatile Pax systems from Ikea, aligning them along a single wall in our bedroom. This efficient configuration consists of three spacious 39″ wardrobes complemented by one narrower 19″ wardrobe positioned at the end. The result? A remarkable 136 linear inches of storage, which, by a technicality, offers 2 inches more than our previous, much larger walk-in setup. This seemingly small gain underscores a powerful realization: you don’t always need more space; you just need smarter storage solutions.
It truly is astounding to consider that our previous home dedicated a substantial 48-square-foot room solely to accommodate this volume of storage. Yet, in our current, more compact and closet-less bedroom, we achieved an equivalent or even greater amount of storage by simply integrating these wardrobes along a single wall. This transformation is a testament to clever design and efficient space planning. It’s an incredible experience to feel like we’re living large and enjoying abundant storage, even after downsizing our overall living space. This article aims to guide you through the process of how we masterfully integrated all this storage into our smaller bedroom, alongside the largest bed we’ve ever owned, while ensuring they achieve that coveted, seamless built-in appearance.
Why Choose Ikea Pax Closets for Your Bedroom Storage?
Ikea Pax wardrobes stand out as an exceptionally budget-friendly and versatile closet solution, renowned for their extensive customization and organization capabilities. Our affinity for these modular systems began over 15 years ago when we first leveraged them to not only add essential clothing storage but also to ingeniously create a cozy sleeping nook in our very first home. The Pax system offers an unparalleled array of configuration options, interior fittings, and door styles, allowing you to tailor every aspect to your precise needs. Whether you require more hanging space, a multitude of drawers, specialized shoe racks, or customizable shelves, Pax delivers. This adaptability and cost-effectiveness are precisely why we have returned to them time and again, including for our most elaborate closet makeover in our previous house. They truly embody the ideal balance of functionality, aesthetics, and affordability, making them a top choice for anyone looking to optimize their bedroom storage.
For those eager to dive deeper into our previous Pax projects, we encourage you to explore that comprehensive closet reveal post. It details everything from the overall cost and dramatic before & after comparisons to our specific organization strategies and even includes a full video tour. Additionally, if you’re seeking inspiration for maximizing your current space, you can discover how we meticulously organized our present closets to achieve optimal storage efficiency. These resources provide a wealth of information, illustrating the versatility and transformative potential of the Ikea Pax system for any home.
For an even more in-depth look at our organization, the accompanying post includes a fascinating drawer-by-drawer video tour. This visual guide offers a detailed glimpse into how we’ve customized each section to perfectly suit our belongings, showcasing the myriad possibilities within the Pax system.
The Evolution of Our Bedroom: Why We Expanded Our Pax Closets
Our home improvement journey is often one of evolving plans and adapting to new needs. When we initially installed the Pax wardrobes in our current bedroom back in 2021, we deliberately left a strategic gap at one end. This space was reserved for a future doorway relocation, a project we envisioned undertaking eventually (the existing doorway is currently just around the corner of that wall, as you can see in some of the older photos). However, as often happens with long-term plans, we decided to table that particular change. This shift in priorities presented an exciting opportunity: that formerly reserved blank wall could now be transformed into invaluable additional storage.
We briefly experimented with placing a dresser and a mirror in that available space, considering it as an alternative functional area. While it served its purpose, the overall aesthetic felt somewhat incomplete and disjointed. Ultimately, the decision to seamlessly integrate one more Pax closet proved to be the superior choice, giving the entire wall a much more cohesive and deliberate appearance, truly making it feel like a unified built-in unit.
During the planning phase, we deliberated over using thicker filler pieces on each end of the closet run to make them perfectly flush with the adjacent wall. This approach is common for a truly wall-to-wall built-in look. However, after careful consideration, we collectively decided that the aesthetic without bulky end pieces flanking the closets was more appealing for our specific space. This choice allowed for a slightly lighter feel and integrated better with the existing architecture of the room, demonstrating that sometimes, less is indeed more in custom design.
Before we delve into the intricate details of the construction process, I’ll be sharing additional photographs towards the end of this post. These images will provide a comprehensive view of how the various elements of the space harmoniously converge, highlighting the finished, integrated look. But for now, let’s immerse ourselves in the step-by-step building process that brought this vision to life.
Achieving the Custom Look: Making an Ikea Pax Closet Appear Built-In
The beauty of Ikea Pax wardrobes lies not just in their affordability and functionality, but also in their remarkable potential for customization, commonly known as “Ikea hacks.” If your ultimate goal is to transform these modular pieces into a sophisticated, custom built-in closet, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s one of the more straightforward Ikea transformations to achieve. The primary secret to this high-end, integrated aesthetic is the strategic application of trim or molding. These elements are crucial for bridging the gaps between the wardrobe units, the walls, and the ceiling, thereby creating a seamless, floor-to-ceiling appearance that mimics bespoke cabinetry.
The Pax system offers two standard heights: 79″ and 93″. For homes with standard 8-foot ceilings (which typically measure 96″), this presents a perfect opportunity. You’ll find yourself needing to fill a relatively small gap of approximately 3 inches. This modest space is ideal for trim work. Furthermore, if your design calls for the wardrobes to extend from wall-to-wall, you may also need to implement some gap-filling on the sides, a technique we previously employed with great success. The methodology for integrating side trim is largely consistent with the ceiling trim process we are about to detail in this guide, making it a highly adaptable solution for various configurations.
To provide a comprehensive understanding of this transformation, we meticulously documented the entire process, from the initial unboxing of the Pax components to the final touches of paint. This detailed journey has been condensed into an engaging timelapse video, available for you to watch below. For those who prefer a more in-depth, written guide, we have also prepared a step-by-step tutorial that follows the video, ensuring every aspect of this DIY project is clearly explained.
Building-In A Pax Wardrobe: Timelapse Video Guide
Witnessing a project unfold in real-time can be incredibly insightful. We’ve distilled the entire intricate process of building in our Pax wardrobe into a concise, easy-to-digest 5-minute timelapse video. While the video makes it look quick, the actual work spanned approximately four dedicated afternoons. The initial two afternoons were intensely labor-intensive, focusing on the assembly and structural integration of the closet units. The subsequent two afternoons were primarily dedicated to the less active but equally crucial stages of waiting for caulk and paint to dry, ensuring a flawless finish. This breakdown illustrates that while patience is key, the majority of this project can realistically be completed within a single weekend, making it an accessible DIY endeavor for many homeowners.
Note: For alternative viewing, you can also access this video directly on YouTube.
Essential Tools & Materials for Your Pax Built-In Project
Beyond the core Pax wardrobe components – including the essential wardrobe box, chosen doors, hinges, and any desired interior fittings – having the right tools and additional materials is paramount for a successful built-in installation. Preparing these items beforehand will streamline your workflow and ensure a professional finish. Here’s a comprehensive list of what you’ll need:
- Miter saw: Crucial for making precise, angled cuts for your trim and molding.
- Nail gun: Essential for quickly and securely attaching trim pieces with minimal visible fasteners.
- Power drill/driver: For assembling the Pax units and securing them to the wall.
- Clamps: Invaluable for holding pieces in place while you measure, drill, or nail, ensuring stability and accuracy.
- Measuring tape: A fundamental tool for all accurate measurements.
- 1×3″ scrap wood: This will serve as your crucial “backer piece” for attaching the trim.
- 1×2″ or 1×3″ primed trim boards: Select based on the gap between your Pax unit and the ceiling. Primed boards save painting time.
- Quarter round molding: Often used to subtly fill smaller gaps and create a finished edge.
- Caulk & caulk gun: For sealing seams, filling nail holes, and creating a seamless transition between surfaces.
- Paint & painting supplies: To match your trim to the wardrobes or surrounding walls.
- Stepstool or small ladder: For safe and easy access to the top of the wardrobes and ceiling.
- Table saw or circular saw (optional): While we didn’t require these for this specific project, they are excellent for ripping larger pieces of wood to custom sizes if your gap doesn’t perfectly match standard trim dimensions.
For the purposes of this guide, we will bypass the initial wardrobe assembly and installation steps. Ikea’s provided instructions are remarkably thorough and clear for these stages. However, if you’re a visual learner, feel free to refer to our timelapse video above, where you can observe these initial steps in action. We’ve also included some helpful annotations in the video, such as how we precisely cut an outlet hole for seamless integration. This tutorial will pick up precisely at the point where your Pax wardrobe is fully assembled, securely positioned, and anchored to the wall, ready for its custom built-in transformation.
Step 1: Meticulously Plan Your Trim Installation
The core philosophy behind making a standard Ikea Pax unit appear custom-built lies in one crucial detail: effectively bridging the gap between the top of the wardrobe and the ceiling. Think of this process much like installing crown molding around your closet; it elevates the piece from a freestanding furniture item to an architectural feature. However, a unique challenge arises with Pax units: their doors extend fully to the very top edge of the wardrobe box, leaving no exposed surface on the front to directly nail your decorative molding into. To overcome this, you must first install a “backer piece.” This hidden support acts as a crucial anchor for your visible trim. Below, you’ll find an overhead diagram illustrating this solution. The piece you see being nailed in the photograph directly above is the one labeled “trim” in the detailed diagram below, positioned carefully for a flush, integrated look.
This essential “backer piece” doesn’t need to be anything elaborate; in our case, it was simply some leftover 1×3″ scrap wood. Its primary function is structural support, so its specific material is less critical than its placement and stability. It will be securely attached flat against the top surface of the closet unit, typically nailed upwards from underneath. Once the backer is in place, your chosen visible trim can then be firmly nailed into the 1-inch side of this backer. Rest assured, this concept will become much clearer and more intuitive as we advance through the subsequent steps of the installation process.
Step 2: Precisely Align and Secure Your Backer Piece
The initial hands-on step involves preparing and positioning the backer pieces. Using your miter saw, accurately cut your 1×3″ backer pieces to the required length – ensuring one piece for each section where trim will be applied. The truly critical part of this step is achieving the perfect placement of the backer. If, like us, your aim is for the final trim to sit perfectly flush with your wardrobe doors, you must resist the natural inclination to install this backer piece flush with the front edge of the wardrobe box itself. This approach would only work if your chosen trim had the exact same thickness as the closet door, which is rarely the case.
To guarantee precise placement, we’ve always found it necessary to create a mock-up. This is where a simple, yet ingenious trick comes into play:
As illustrated, we secured a couple of small pieces of scrap trim – specifically, the same 1×2″ molding destined to be our final, visible trim – to the front edge of our backer piece using tape. This clever hack allowed us to hold the backer in position and visually confirm that our final trim would align exactly as desired. In our situation, this meant ensuring it was flush with both our existing wardrobe trim (as we were extending an existing setup) and, crucially, flush with the closed doors of the new Pax unit. This dry-fitting technique removes all guesswork and ensures a professional finish.
Once the backer was held firmly in its perfect alignment with my hand, I quickly secured it into place with a couple of strategically placed nails using my trusty nail gun. This step is also clearly demonstrated in the timelapse video above, providing a visual reference for the technique. The efficiency of the nail gun minimizes movement during attachment, further contributing to accuracy.
Here’s an additional perspective of this precise process, mirroring how it was executed on the opposite end of the closet run. The critical role of the scrap trim piece becomes evident here; it served as an invaluable guide, ensuring the backer piece was affixed in the exact desired position. On this particular side, our goal was for the trim to be perfectly flush with the exterior side of the Pax box, creating a clean, integrated edge. You can observe in the diagram above that the trim on the front of the closet was already attached. Notice how it subtly overhangs the wardrobe box in this open view? However, as you’ll soon see in subsequent images, once the door is closed, this trim piece aligns perfectly flush, creating that desirable built-in illusion.
Step 3: Cut and Attach Your Visible Trim Pieces
With your backer piece now securely nailed into its precise position, you’re ready for the exciting step of cutting and attaching your main trim pieces – the molding that will truly define the built-in aesthetic of your closet. Since our installation included an exposed corner, we opted for meticulously mitered cuts. Cutting the trim at an angle ensures a professional, seamless joint where the pieces meet, elevating the overall polished appearance of the project. This attention to detail is what transforms a simple wardrobe into a custom feature.
Once your trim pieces are perfectly cut, the next step is to nail them firmly into the previously installed backer. As you can observe in the image below, the backer provides a solid surface for secure attachment. Don’t be concerned about the small nail holes at this stage; these imperfections are easily remedied. They can be effectively filled later with either caulk or wood filler, preparing the surface for a smooth, flawless paint finish.
Step 4: Incorporating Quarter Round for a Flawless Finish
Upon installing our 1×2″ molding, we observed that while it significantly closed the gap to the ceiling, it wasn’t quite tall enough to eliminate it entirely (a 1×3″ would have been too large for the remaining space). This is a common scenario in DIY projects where standard lumber dimensions don’t perfectly align with custom needs. Fortunately, the addition of a simple piece of quarter round molding proved to be the ideal solution for gracefully closing the remaining, smaller gap. Depending on the specifics of your ceiling height and the initial gap, you may need to get creative with your molding choices, possibly combining different profiles or even using a table saw or circular saw to precisely rip a larger piece of wood to your exact required size. The key is adaptability to achieve a perfect fit.
In the photograph displayed above, you’re actually seeing the completed result, post-painting. This visual foresight brings us to the crucial final step, which seamlessly integrates all the elements into a polished, custom-looking unit.
Step 5: The Finishing Touches – Caulk & Paint
Once all the structural and trim elements are firmly in place, the transformation from a collection of pieces to a cohesive built-in unit hinges on this final, critical step: caulking and painting. Begin by using a high-quality paintable caulk to meticulously fill every nail hole, minor gap, and seam. Pay particular attention to where your moldings meet the wall, the ceiling, and each other. This process is surprisingly impactful, as it creates an illusion of seamless, continuous surfaces, effectively hiding all evidence of the construction process.
After the caulk has fully dried and cured, you can proceed with painting your newly installed trim to match your desired aesthetic. We acknowledge that achieving a perfect match to Ikea’s factory white finish can be challenging, primarily because different Ikea products sometimes feature slightly varying shades of white. However, we’ve discovered that our existing wall and ceiling color – Sherwin-Williams Pure White – provides a remarkably close match. Opting for a paint color that perfectly matches the adjacent surfaces, be it the wall or ceiling, ensures visual continuity and a truly integrated look, making any subtle discrepancies in the white tones far less noticeable and contributing to a sophisticated, custom-built appearance.
The Completed Built-In Closet: A Seamless Storage Solution
We completed this rewarding project a couple of months ago, and the impact of this “bonus” storage has been nothing short of fantastic. Beyond the obvious practical benefits, there’s an immense sense of satisfaction knowing that this wall no longer feels unfinished or “in limbo.” It now contributes actively to the room’s functionality and aesthetic, making the bedroom feel more deliberate and complete. This additional wardrobe seamlessly integrates, enhancing the overall flow and harmony of the space.
Looking ahead, we are actively developing a dedicated closet organization post. We know from experience that many of you are eager to see the specific interior components of the Pax wardrobes and understand how we’ve chosen to store various items within ours. This process has been an evolving journey of optimization, but it’s high on our to-do list to share our best strategies. Sherry is even considering producing a full video tour to provide an in-depth look at every drawer, shelf, and hanging solution. Stay tuned for a peek inside our perfectly organized built-ins!
The most profound takeaway from our many-years-long closet evolution is the astonishing realization that we didn’t actually have to compromise significantly when we transitioned to a house half the size of our previous one. Back when we made the decision to downsize, we naturally assumed that we would be perpetually making sacrifices and constantly cutting corners on space. Therefore, the fact that our current bedroom now boasts just as much closet space as our previous home – which famously featured a sprawling 48-square-foot walk-in closet! – truly continues to shock us. And to now be luxuriating in the comfort of the largest bed we’ve ever owned within this same footprint… that was an unexpected and delightful bonus we certainly didn’t anticipate. It underscores how effective, creative storage solutions can redefine your living experience.
We also often chuckle recalling how, in our old walk-in closet, we seriously debated sacrificing precious wall space to install a window, solely to introduce some much-desired natural light into that enclosed area. Fast forward to our current setup: even though our closet solution is a bit less traditional – essentially wardrobes running along a bedroom wall rather than a dedicated, separate room – we are now absolutely drenched in sunlight! This unexpected bonus highlights the advantages of integrating storage directly into a bright, airy space, providing ample natural illumination for getting ready each day without any design compromises.
Now that you’ve witnessed the full journey of how we successfully expanded and seamlessly integrated our built-in closets, our next step is to provide you with a comprehensive tour of their interior organization. This aspect has been a continuous process of refinement and optimization, but we are committed to sharing our latest and most effective strategies. In the interim, we invite you to explore the other side of our bedroom, where you can discover the other Ikea storage solutions we’ve customized. You can also revisit our last house’s closet, which was brimming with our favorite Pax components, for more inspiration on maximizing your home’s potential!
Explore More Ikea Customization Projects
Are you eager to discover additional ways to transform affordable Ikea furniture into custom, high-end pieces? The versatility of Ikea products makes them perfect candidates for creative hacks that can elevate any space. Here are a few of our most popular and beloved customization projects, showcasing the incredible potential for personalization and design enhancement:
- A wood-wrapped Expedit bookcase: Elevating a simple storage unit with custom woodworking.
- Painting Ikea kitchen cabinets a custom color: A cost-effective way to achieve a bespoke kitchen aesthetic.
- Creating built-in cabinets with a charming window seat: Adding both storage and a cozy reading nook.
- Adding brass & marble to a Vittsjo shelf: Transforming a basic shelf into a luxurious statement piece.
- Building a Malm dresser into a custom nook: Maximizing space and creating a seamless, integrated look.
- Crafting a sleeping nook with versatile Pax wardrobes: Ingeniously combining storage with a comfortable sleeping area.
- Converting Fjell dressers into impressive floor-to-ceiling bookcases: A clever way to create library-style storage.
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