Turn An IKEA BILLY Bookcase Into A Showstopping Bathroom Storage Solution

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Looking for a smart way to keep your bathroom organized? A new linen cabinet might be the perfect solution. It's a great place to keep things like towels, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies. However, this furnishing can be so much more than a practical storage space. With a neat, two-tone design, it can become an eye-catching centerpiece of your décor. 

Luckily, you don't have to spend a fortune to get such a fixture. You can refresh your linen closet on a budget using a BILLY bookcase and two OXBERG glass doors from IKEA. All you need to do is repaint the door trim and the bookcase side panels so that they contrast with the bookcase's wooden surfaces. One especially stunning example of this hack is from TikTok user thedoerandthedreamer, who adds on a few neat hardware pieces to make the project look more elegant.

To make your own version of this two-toned linen closet, you'll need to purchase paint, primer, masking liquid, and a pair of your preferred cabinet handles, in addition to the IKEA furnishings. Don't forget to break out your orbital sander if you have one — it'll save you a considerable amount of time. If you don't have one, you'll have to pick up some fine-grit sandpaper. The glass doors of your new linen cabinet, which help make your small bathroom seem bigger, make it easy to see if the cabinet is organized. To that end, some storage baskets or organizer cubes might also be helpful.

To begin, take the side panels of your bookcase and scuff sand them on all sides with your orbital sander or fine-grit sandpaper. Follow this up by priming and painting them with your preferred color. Once the paint has dried, assemble the rest of the bookcase's frame by following its original directions.

Now it's time to paint your OXBERG doors. Start by lightly sanding the wood portions down. Then, coat the glass window panes with two to three layers of masking liquid. This product will protect the glass by creating a film you can peel off once the paint dries. Plus, it lets you skip the painter's tape. After three to four hours, the masking liquid should be dry so you'll be able to paint your doors to match your bookcase panels. If you want to give your cabinet a semi-gloss finish and protect the surface of the wood, consider applying a protective topcoat before peeling up the masking liquid. This kind of product will prevent scratches and smudges from appearing on the furnishing and preserve the paint's original color. Minwax Clear Polycrylic Water-Based Protective Finish, for example, would work perfectly.

Next, install the shelves, attach the bookcase to the wall with the included brackets, and put on the doors. Lastly, screw on your hardware pieces to complete the look. Since you can customize the height of the shelves, decluttering and reorganizing your linen closet should now be easier than ever.

The two-tone design of this project allows you to select from a wide range of color and texture combinations during assembly. To find a stunning look that suits your bathroom, first review the variations of the BILLY bookcase that IKEA offers since you'll need to choose one of them for the base color of the cabinet. The oak effect furnishing has a relatively balanced appearance, and could pair nicely with neutral or natural colors such as black, ivory, or spruce green. If you'd like to add a more traditional, ornate touch, consider using burnished or antique brass hardware alongside these colors.

The dark oak and black oak BILLY bookcases have a slightly sleeker look than the normal oak, but you may need to brighten them up a bit with a lighter color, such as white or cream. This will create a neat contrast that's suitable for homes that utilize contemporary interior décor. IKEA's bookcase also comes in white and birch effect. If you like minimalist design, you might want to try pairing the birch with a light neutral color for the panels and doors and perhaps some small matte black or brushed nickel knobs. The white bookcase model, meanwhile, would be the perfect base for your cabinet if you'd like to give it a bolder accent color instead. A pink or rose tone would look chic with some elegant, gold hardware pieces. A sky or slate blue would also look eye-catching.