ᐅ How can I assemble Ikea Hemnes furniture in a minimalist way suitable for rental apartments?

Hello everyone,

I am currently facing the challenge of assembling some Ikea Hemnes furniture in my rental apartment, but with the goal of being as unobtrusive as possible. Specifically, I mean that I want the furniture to blend well into the apartment without appearing too dominant, since the rooms are not very large and have a rather neutral design. Additionally, I want to assemble and arrange the furniture in a way that allows me to easily disassemble or move it without damage when I move out.

I am especially interested in how you assemble the Hemnes furniture to make it as space-saving, discreet, and functional as possible. Tips on color schemes, minor modifications during assembly—such as for wall mounting or careful drilling in rental apartments—as well as suggestions for using Hemnes pieces in different combinations would be very helpful.

Do you have any experience you can share? How do you create a cozy, homey look with this furniture without it looking like “standard Ikea”?

Thanks for your ideas and advice!

Great topic! Ikea Hemnes furniture is really versatile, and with a few tricks, it can look elegant and understated!

I would especially focus on the following:
- Use white or light-colored walls as a base so the furniture doesn’t feel too overwhelming.
- Avoid too many decorative items on and around the furniture – less is definitely more!
- Hemnes has a rather classic style, and if you lightly sand the pieces and finish them with a matte paint in light gray or beige, you can dramatically change the look.

Also, consider securing the furniture to the wall with discreet wall fixings to prevent tipping, especially for tall cabinets. Instead of drilling, special adhesive systems often work well for rental properties.

Keep at it, you can do it! 🙂

Fredlo schrieb:
Ikea Hemnes furniture is really versatile, and with a few tricks it can look very elegant and understated!

I agree with that and would like to add a brief guide on how to assemble Hemnes furniture in a subtle way, especially with rental apartments in mind:

1. Preparation:
- Measure the rooms and analyze the space requirements.
- Decide which pieces of furniture are truly needed to avoid blocking unnecessary space.

2. Color scheme:
- If possible, paint the furniture in a matte white or a light beige tone to soften the classic wood colors.
- Alternatively, lightly sand the surfaces and apply a wood oil finish that preserves the grain but makes the wood appear lighter.

3. Assembly:
- Use only the screws provided by the manufacturer to avoid damaging the furniture parts.
- If you want to secure the furniture to the wall, use tenant-friendly fixings:
- Tension rods
- Non-slip clamp protection strips
- Removable anchors with small diameter or clamp fasteners

4. Arrangement:
- Avoid placing tall furniture directly in the line of sight from the door; instead, position it to the side or in corners.
- Use the undersides and drawers for storage to reduce the need for additional shelving.

5. Disassembly:
- Keep a record of all screws and fasteners used.
- Store all small parts carefully to allow for damage-free disassembly when moving out.

Summary:
The goal is a discreet look with minimal impact on the apartment. Respecting the rental means no permanent drill holes and careful handling of the furniture material. This keeps everything flexible and maintains the resale value of the furniture.

saralo schrieb:
I am especially interested in how you assemble the Hemnes furniture to make it as space-saving, unobtrusive, and functional as possible.

From my experience, the best balance between functionality and subtlety with Hemnes furniture mainly comes down to choosing the right pieces and using them flexibly.

- Cabinets with glass doors appear less bulky than fully closed ones, which helps create a lighter feel in the room.
- Use dressers instead of wardrobes if space is really limited, as they are shallower and lower.
- Utilize wall shelves from the series; they occupy almost no floor space but still provide storage.

Regarding assembly: I recommend building the furniture only to the point that ensures stability and avoiding additional modifications that could cause problems if you need to disassemble them later. Use connectors and brackets exactly as instructed, but avoid permanent wall fastenings that require drilling.

Another important point: protect the furniture legs with furniture pads to prevent floor scratches—this is especially important in rental apartments.