Before purchasing this nightstand, I had never visited an IKEA store. As a former small-town resident, I didn’t have a store nearby until I moved to the Twin Cities a year and a half ago. Since my move, I’d been reluctant to visit IKEA due to my love for cute home decor and the likelihood of impulsive purchases. However, I finally made the trip and discovered that IKEA is an amazing, albeit massive, place. I fell in love with the TARVA nightstand for its hackable qualities and its predominantly wooden structure, which makes it a great canvas for creativity through staining, painting, or leaving it in its natural state.
I particularly wanted to make this nightstand tech-friendly from the beginning, as I spend a lot of time with my phone on the nightstand. In order to hide unsightly wires, I utilized a hook and some Command strips inside the deep drawer. Below, I’ll explain how this was done.
Materials
- IKEA nightstand, TARVA (available on Amazon with Prime shipping)
- Flat-sided extension cord (ideally with a flat plug for a streamlined look against the wall)
- White paint
- Wood stain
- Polyurethane clear coat
- Paint brushes
- Small rubber-tipped cup hook
- Cabinet knob
- Two-piece velcro Command strips (not pictured)
Step
Follow the assembly instructions, but omit the steps involving a panel that is attached to the back of the nightstand. Skipping these steps will allow enough space for an extension cord to pass through the back and into the drawer. Additionally, if you want to use a different knob, bypass the knob installation step as well.
Step
Take the IKEA nightstand to a well-ventilated area. Stain the nightstand, excluding the drawer. I applied a single coat due to the dark color of the stain. After applying the stain in the direction of the wood grain, let it sit on the wood for 15-20 minutes before wiping it off with a paper towel or rag. Once the stain dries (after a few hours), add a layer of polyurethane and let it dry overnight.
Step
Paint the drawer with white paint and attach a new cabinet pull through the front hole of the drawer once it’s dry.
Step
Once the nightstand is dry, reattach the drawer. On the back of the IKEA nightstand, measure the midpoint on the board above the drawer. Screw a rubber-coated cup hook underneath this board, which will hold the extension cord in place.