ᐅ Are there any upcycling guides for Ikea Hemnes furniture?

Are there any upcycling guides for the Ikea Hemnes? I am currently exploring the topic of furniture enhancement and sustainable living, and came across the Hemnes wardrobe from Ikea, which is known for its sturdy construction and classic design. I’m interested to know if there are any detailed guides or practical concepts available that show how to upgrade these pieces through upcycling—such as redesign, painting, material combinations, or functional modifications. I’m mainly looking for methods that can be done by hand without special professional tools and that give the furniture a new character or improved usability. Does anyone have experience with this or know of sources offering such ideas or step-by-step instructions?

So, if you ask me, the question is a bit unnecessary. Upcycling basically stands for creativity with existing materials – and an Ikea Hemnes is practically a perfect raw material base. You just have to want to do it. Whether a detailed "instruction" is needed is questionable, since so much individuality is lost that way.

Burkhard36 schrieb:
I would be interested to know if there are already detailed instructions or proven practical concepts for upcycling these pieces of furniture

Why not just develop your own design instead of relying on ready-made concepts? Maybe the real appeal is to create your own ideas starting from the basic shape, rather than following preset instructions. Ikea is almost the definition of mass-produced goods.

Yes, there are many upcycling ideas for Hemnes, such as new paint finishes, inserts with fabric or wallpaper, or converting them into open shelves. Instructions: sand the furniture, clean the surfaces, apply new paint or materials.

To return to the original question: Yes, there are definitely well-developed upcycling guides for Ikea Hemnes furniture. These usually follow these steps:

- Preparation: Completely disassemble the furniture, sort screws and fittings
- Sanding: It is recommended to do an intermediate sanding with 120-grit paper, followed by a fine sanding with 220-grit paper to achieve smooth surfaces
- Priming: Use primers specifically designed for wood to ensure better paint adhesion
- Painting: Water-based acrylic paints work well because they have low odor and dry quickly
- Optional: Attach new hardware, install inserts or lighting elements

It is important to prepare the surfaces thoroughly because the laminate surfaces of Hemnes do not always absorb paint optimally. There are also variations where Hemnes is converted into shoe racks or shoe benches.

Could you specify which painting techniques or styles interest you most? Shabby chic, industrial, modern?

Great topic! I recently upcycled my own Hemnes wardrobe and was really impressed by the possibilities! Just sanding it down, applying new paint, and that’s it? No, it’s much more exciting to experiment with wallpaper or fabric-covered interior panels, for example. That creates a really cool contrast. And hey, with a bit of creativity, a simple Ikea piece turns into a true one-of-a-kind! Give it a try, it’s a lot of fun! 🙂

For Hemnes: Sand, prime, and later paint. Replacing the handles makes a big difference. Adding strips of fabric or wood panels to the backboard also works well.