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Our New Bedside Tables…With A Thousand Possiblities (IKEA Rast Hack Ideas)

Well, my days of using a step ladder as my bedside table are over.  We sprung for two brand new bedside tables, and only the best would do for us.  😀  Yes, we spent and entire $75 (including tax) for our two new IKEA Rast three-drawer chests.

IKEA Rast 3-drawer bedside chest used as bedside tables

I have wanted these silly little things since the day we moved into our house.  The problem is that the closest IKEA is in Austin, which is 90 miles south of Waco, and I could just never find a convenient time to make the trip.

So when my sister told me that she and her hubs would be in Houston for a week, I asked if she would swing by the IKEA there and pick up two of these for me, and she kindly obliged (even in the pouring down rain…now if that isn’t sisterly love, I don’t know what is!!).

I am so stinking excited about the possibilities for these cheap little chests, and I’ve really been keeping an eye out for the perfect “Rast hack” idea for our bedroom.

Now just in case you’ve never seen the amazing things that people have done with these little chests, let me show you a few of my favorites.  Prepare to be amazed.

Ben from The House Of Lists turned his Rast into this Anthropologie-inspired chest with numbered drawers.

Anthropologie-inspired IKEA Rast hack from The House Of Lists

And then he turned another one into a more traditional style bedside table with brass bin pulls.

IKEA Rast hack from The House Of Lists - traditional style with brass bin pulls

Kimberly at Swoonworthy turned her Rast chest into a campaign style chest in a gorgeous blue with brass hardware.

IKEA Rast hack from Swoonworthy - campaign furniture inspired in blue with brass hardware

This Rast hack from The Abundant Abode is one of my favorites, with a beautiful nailhead trim design and a marble top.

IKEA Rast hack from The Abundant Abode - nailhead trim with a marble top

And then there’s this fancy chest from Crafty Sisters, where they used a wood cutout to create a design on the front.  Amazing!

IKEA Rast hack from Crafty Sisters - custom cut wood design on front of drawers

This Rast hack from Sarah M. Dorsey Designs really makes a bold statement covered in red and white fabric.  She covered the entire thing in fabric and then added cute little clear casters.

IKEA Rast hack from Sarah M. Dorsey - fabric-covered chest in red and white with clear casters

This is a similar idea from Simple Details, only Pam covered hers in faux ostrich vinyl and then added some amazing gold detailing on the edges.

IKEA Rast hack from Simple Details - covered in faux ostrich with gold details

This one from IKEA Hackers is pretty darn amazing, made to look like a vintage steel sideboard.

IKEA Rast hack from IKEA Hackers - metal sideboard

I could go on and on (and on and on), but you get the idea, right?  The possibilities are absolutely endless with this little wood chest.

I admit that I’ve become just a tad bit obsessed with finding the perfect inspiration for my own Rast chests (as well as another dresser and chest of drawers that I have and want to make over) that I’ve become a bit of a collector of ideas.  So much so that every morning when my Joss & Main email arrives in my inbox, I don’t head over to see if there’s anything I want to buy.  Nope.  I head over to see if there’s any inspiration for my IKEA Rast chests and the other dresser and chest of drawers I have.

And I always find inspiration.  (All of these are from Joss & Main.)

This has been one of my favorites for quite some time now.  I love the stained wood drawers combined with the white body.  And the drawer hardware and little turned bun feet are just perfect.

IKEA Rast hack inspiration from Joss & Main - stained drawers white body

And of course, y’all know I have a thing for stripes.  I can’t seem to get enough of them!

IKEA Rast hack inspiration from Joss & Main - stripes

While this one has doors, and the Rast chest has drawers, I still think it would be fun to create some sort of wood cutout like this to accent the drawers.

IKEA Rast hack inspiration from Joss & Main - wood cutout accent on front

And then this look would be very easy to do with just the perfect fabric.

IKEA Rast hack inspiration from Joss & Main

As you can see, the possibilities are endless.  Narrowing it down to the single, perfect idea for my bedroom is going to be quite a challenge, especially with my indecisiveness and second-guessing.  But I’m confident that I’ll decide on something soon, because I’m anxious to get started!

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33 Comments

  1. I know you’ll come up with something fantastic, but my favorites in this post are the stained drawers/painted chest, the nailhead trim, and the wood cutouts.

  2. I sure hope you have more luck that I did hacking that dresser. Mine is adorable, but sitting practically useless in my son’s room. The drawer slides are plastic and don’t line up correctly; therefore, they are a beast to slide in and out. We ended up just using it as a table to put stuff on instead of in until we can find a vintage piece to redo. Best of luck! I am anxious to see how it turns out and hope you have a much better outcome. 🙂

  3. Oh, I don’t know…I was getting pretty fond of your step ladder side tables. LOL These little dresser/night stands look good. I can’t wait to see what you decide to do to them.

  4. Don’t give up on the idea of using your Kilim for your headboard. The colors look like they would blend beautifully with the fabric you chose and mixing patterns can look very nice.

  5. I just found this site: http://www.overlays.com and they have (made in USA) overlays specifically for the ikea rask. I was looking for overlays for the risers on my stairs and came across the site. Hope you can use it for inspiration!

  6. What great ideas for bedside tables! My favorite is the one with the turned bun feet and stained drawer fronts. Can’t wait to see how it all comes together!

  7. As the room ‘grows’, I’m sure you’ll come up with the perfect design for the nightstands. Looking forward to seeing what you decide!

  8. Check out the overlays at myoverlays.com. They have some specifically for the Ikea Rast bedside tables. AND they are inexpensive. 🙂

  9. I love Joss & Main! The third dresser is one I’ve had my eye on (to use as nightstands). I’d replace the fabric with mirrors and add some gold and silve on the trim. The problem is they’re WAY to expensive to buy two. I’d never seen the Rast bedside tables, so…THANKS!

  10. Kristi, are you familiar with Danika over at GorgeousShinyThings blog? Go to her http://www.myoverlays.com/ site, she has designs like that wood cutout thingy that are specifically made for Ikea hacks. Tons of ideas, take a look at her gallery. She’s wonderful, and I’m sure you’ll find interesting things there!

    Best,

    Kimberly

    1. I just found that O’Verlay Decorative fretwork site as well and I am totally in love. I had a different source for this but they were much more expensive! Great that they are Ikea compatible! 🙂

      1. Veronica, O’verlays does have some amazing designs! Danika is great gal, she’s actually an interior designer in her “real life,” so she’s also really creative.

        Best,

        Kimberly

  11. I especially like the hacks that have found a way to get rid of that annoying recessed panel across the bottom or that have at least built it up to be flush with the drawer faces. It improves the whole look of the dresser so much!

  12. Kristi, another “Ikea hack” company I wanted to let you know about is Panyl. http://www.panyl.com/ They have some interesting things for hacking Ikea furniture, in the form of colored, wood grain, and metal finish “panels” that you stick on the front of the furniture. I can see the colored panels underneath O’Verlays painted a contrasting or complementary color. Endless ideas!

    Best,

    Kimberly