Tuesday 19 February 2013

Get the Best-a from some Billys


Materials: n°1 Billy bookcase cm 40x28x202, n°1 Billy height extension unit cm 40x28x35, n°2 Billy bookcase 40x28x106, n°1 Billy shelf cm 120x28x35, n°1 Besta cm 120x40x64, n°2 Besta Tombo doors cm 60x64, n°3 white knobs, connector caps, drill/screw gun, wall plugs

Description: The partition wall between the bedrooms and the entrance room in our flat was still empty and we needed a bookcase/storage unit.

Our problem was not to interfere with the sliding door frame in the wall (on the right) and with the opening space of the closet door (on the left). So, we carefully measured everything and came out with an error-proof-CAD drawing, which was useful to choose the best combination of Ikea units.

In the end we bought what I wrote, but I told you our motivation because, if you don't have any restriction, you can choose a wider combination.



1. First, we assembled all the units (if you don't have enough room to store them once assembled, start from the Besta) and place them in the desired pattern (I wanted to obtain a sort of Tetris effect and my husband dreamt of a bookcase that went over the door).
2. After some measurement to be sure, we drilled the holes in the wall and fixed the Billy shelf with some plugs over the sliding door, checking that everything was OK with the bubble level.
3. Following our drawing, we put in position the Besta unit and the taller Billy bookcase on it, on the right side, so that it reached the height of the Billy shelf. We fixed some connector caps to link them (if the provided holes don't fit, just drill some new ones).
4. We proceeded putting one of the smallest Billy bookcases in the middle position, adding on its top the height extension unit, and next to it the last Billy, to get the "zig zag" effect. The Billy units were carefully linked together with some connector caps.
5. We placed the shelves and the two Tombo doors, deciding at last to insert two pieces of Stockolm Blad fabric, and to complete the base of Billys with three wooden and white knobs, taking inspiration from this hack.

I hope our experience will be useful to someone, as we got some precious advice from the others here!

~ Federica & Luca, Italy

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