Welcome back to our latest home improvement journey! Today, we’re thrilled to share an exciting nursery update, revolving around two significant new purchases that are transforming the space for our newest family member. After considerable deliberation following our initial nursery planning and brainstorming session, we envisioned crafting custom built-ins to elegantly flank the crib. However, before diving headfirst into construction, we quickly realized the need for crucial design decisions. Would they be base cabinets with traditional doors and a bookcase top? Perhaps lower cabinets featuring deep, practical drawers? Or even repurposed dressers crowned with custom shelving and molding? The possibilities seemed endless, and each option presented its own set of aesthetic and functional considerations.
Our quest for the perfect nursery storage solution led us down a rabbit hole of inspiration rooms, endless browsing of furniture websites, and meticulous comparison of measurements and product specifications. We were determined to find a design that offered exceptional functionality and durability for the long haul, envisioning a system that would seamlessly grow with our child. Ultimately, we settled on a robust design: strong, sturdy wood drawers serving as the foundational base, topped with custom-built, bookcase-style shelving that will extend gracefully to the ceiling, framed with elegant molding. This approach promises both ample storage and a sophisticated, integrated look. To kickstart this ambitious DIY nursery project, we recently acquired two premium drawer units, which we’ve already assembled. The nursery is now beginning to take shape, looking something like this:
While the current state is merely the beginning, our ultimate vision for these integrated units is far more refined. We imagine them looking something akin to the following rendering, albeit with a much more polished, less “photoshopped” finish in real life. This concept illustrates the potential and the direction we’re heading in for a truly custom nursery experience.
Before delving deeper into the specifics of this DIY build, I want to take a moment to discuss a more personal aspect of this journey. Lately, I’ve found myself grappling with a wave of insecurities about becoming a second-time father. It might seem strange, but the very act of assembling these dressers offered an unexpected catharsis, helping me process some of these emotions. Please forgive this brief moment of sentimentality; perhaps I can attribute it to the powerful influence of pregnancy hormones!
I must preface this by admitting I am my own harshest critic when it comes to parenting. Generally, I believe I do a commendable job, but there’s always an underlying desire to improve. I yearn to be more patient with Clara, to embark on more spontaneous adventures with her, and, most importantly, to dedicate more of my undivided attention. It’s this last aspiration that feels particularly daunting with the imminent arrival of a second child. The question constantly echoes in my mind: how can I possibly provide sufficient attention to two children when I sometimes feel as though I’m falling short with just one?
Life also felt undeniably simpler when we were expecting Clara. Her arrival coincided precisely with my departure from my advertising career to join Sherry in full-time blogging. Consequently, Clara entered a household where time seemed almost leisurely. While the blog was certainly active in 2010, the sudden shift to having two full-time employees meant we had abundant hours to fully immerse ourselves in the experience of our new baby. Our project pace was more relaxed, allowing us to indulge in a diverse mix of content, from multiple mood boards and reader redesigns to house crashings, email answers, and window shopping posts. We even found time for lighter fare like budget blooms, amusing anecdotes about mushrooms, or sharing our quirky dreams. It was a period of joyful discovery and unhurried dedication.
The reality for our second child, whom we affectionately refer to as “Barnacle,” will be markedly different. His arrival is anticipated amidst a flurry of activity: we’ll be scrambling to finalize our showhouse, preparing for significant photography sessions for our second book, and finally unveiling a long-awaited secret project. This intense period of professional commitments casts a shadow of worry. I fear that this wonderful little boy will encounter a busier, more distracted version of us. A sense of guilt sometimes washes over me, feeling as though I owe him an apology for not being able to offer the same unhurried, focused experience that his big sister enjoyed back in 2010. The comparison, though perhaps unfair, is a constant companion in my thoughts.
However, the simple act of building these IKEA dressers provided a much-needed jolt out of my worry-fest. The epiphany struck me when, after a long day, feeling tired and less than enthusiastic about the task at hand, I opened the first IKEA box. Just then, Clara walked in and, with genuine eagerness, asked if she could help. In that moment, a profound realization dawned upon me: yes, this baby’s experience will indeed be different, but in countless positive ways. He will have the joy of participating in random, everyday activities like assembling furniture or other house-related projects, just as Clara now delights in sharing these moments with us. More significantly, he will have a doting, playful big sister—a built-in companion to play with, watch over, and shower with love. This is a gift Clara never had, and it will be an exciting, uniquely his own experience that enriches his childhood in ways we can only begin to imagine.
As has become our custom, Clara and I found immense joy in building things together. Sometimes, her contributions were simply her playful presence, singing or imagining nearby. Yet, the more cherished memories will be of her active participation in the build. She became my enthusiastic little assistant, helping me meticulously sort out pieces from the bag (“I need six wood pieces that look like this, can you find them for me?”), and she even took charge of inserting the wooden dowels into their designated holes with impressive precision for her age. It was a truly collaborative effort, solidifying her role in this special project.
She was truly a remarkable little helper, and this experience brought home a profound and heartwarming realization: this baby’s room won’t just be a creation of his parents’ design and labor, but his big sister will have literally lent a hand in shaping it. This unique bond, forged through shared effort, makes the space even more meaningful and filled with love. While I haven’t entirely vanquished every single one of my insecurities about fatherhood 2.0 (the thought “do I even remember how to hold a baby?” occasionally still surfaces), I’ve certainly gained a valuable perspective. I understand now that I need to stop comparing the two parenting experiences and cease beating myself up over what will inevitably be different. Differences aren’t inherently negative; they simply are. But enough about my introspective musings. {insert a subtle, manly throat clearing here} Let’s shift our focus back to the exciting details of these built-ins and the practical steps ahead.
In our extensive research for built-in projects online, we observed two prevalent approaches. Many designs utilized base cabinets sourced from home improvement stores. While functional, a significant number of these appeared a little too “kitchen-esque” for a nursery setting, and often came with a price tag that felt steep for non-solid wood construction. The other popular route involved repurposing IKEA items, such as the versatile BILLY bookcase (examples like this one are common), or elements from the BESTA storage system (as seen in this clever adaptation). Some even ingeniously combined both systems, like this inspiring project. However, our specific needs for the nursery called for something a bit different. We desired a deeper storage solution (the BILLY bookcase, at 11 inches, was too shallow, and even the BESTA, at 16 inches, didn’t quite hit the mark). Crucially, we wanted the bottom sections of our built-ins to function as deep, easily accessible dresser drawers, rather than traditional cabinet doors, to maximize practical storage for baby essentials. Our search finally bore fruit when we discovered the IKEA FJELL dressers online. With an impressive depth of 21 inches, they seemed to perfectly fit our criteria. Upon inspecting them in person, their quality and aesthetic appeal surpassed our expectations – they looked and felt even better than we had hoped.
At $299 each, the FJELL dressers are admittedly a little pricier than typical IKEA dresser options. However, this increased investment is justified by their superior construction: they are crafted from solid wood, completely free of particle board. This ensures exceptional durability and longevity, crucial for a piece of furniture intended to withstand years of active use in a child’s room. We were also particularly drawn to some of their refined details, such as the appealing wood grain texture visible on both the top surface and the drawer fronts. This natural beauty has inspired our plan to stain the tops, allowing the inherent character of the wood to shine through. We firmly believe that if we’re dedicating significant time and effort, not to mention financial resources, to integrate these dressers into a custom built-in system, it makes sound financial sense to invest in a more substantial product. Our goal is to create a timeless, robust solution that will hold up admirably for the long term, ensuring we won’t need to consider replacing them anytime soon.
Our current plan involves painting almost everything except the dresser tops, which we intend to stain. This strategic choice ensures that whatever wood we select for the custom bookcase tops will seamlessly match the stained base, creating a cohesive and polished look. As you can observe from our design rendering, we’re actively exploring color options beyond a simple white. We’re considering either a sophisticated medium gray or a serene, very muted green, aiming for a palette that brings warmth and character to the nursery. In terms of hardware, we’re holding off on attaching the permanent pulls until all the building and painting phases are complete. There’s no point in putting them on only to remove them for painting! For now, we’re utilizing some temporary string handles, which are surprisingly functional. However, it’s worth noting that the hardware that comes standard with the FJELL dressers is actually quite stylish and robust, and we look forward to installing them at the final stage.
Another key factor in our decision to choose these particular dressers was their ideal width. I know the picture below might suggest we could have gone a little wider (please ignore the slightly off-centered crib for a moment, it’s just a placeholder!), but we had a very specific long-term vision in mind. We wanted to ensure that the space meticulously measured between the two built-ins would eventually accommodate a twin-sized bed lengthwise, or even a full or queen-sized bed widthwise, as the room transitions from a nursery into a child’s or even a teen’s bedroom. Simply articulating this vision feels like we might be jumping the gun, but our overarching philosophy for this project is longevity. We are designing these built-ins to evolve gracefully with the room, ensuring they remain functional and aesthetically pleasing far beyond its relatively short-lived nursery phase, truly making them a lasting investment in our home.
As much as I’m optimistically hoping my next update on these built-ins will be of the “yay, they’re completely done!” variety, I’m trying to maintain a realistic perspective. This project involves a considerable amount of intricate building, which will then be meticulously followed by several crucial finishing steps: caulking, priming, painting, and staining. Furthermore, somewhere amidst these tasks, we’ll likely be installing crown molding around the entire room, ensuring it perfectly matches the crown molding that will adorn the built-ins themselves, creating a seamless and sophisticated look. So, if there’s a slight pause before you hear more about this specific project, rest assured that we’re actively engaged in these labor-intensive stages. However, I remain hopeful that I can enlist my enthusiastic little building assistant, Clara, to help expedite the process and move things along efficiently!
After all, she has developed quite a proficient handle on dowels and Allen wrenches, making her an invaluable member of our DIY team!