The IKEA Staple You Need To Try DIY Stained Glass On

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Using stained glass for home windows or decor is a great addition for a house because it adds refinement and individuality, with its colorful design and light-enhancing properties. Aside from windows or sidelights, stained glass can also be found in fixtures and furniture like a glass display cabinet. Stained glass on cabinet doors looks aesthetically better than plain glass, but it is normally expensive. One great alternative to buying one is to create a DIY version using a low-cost cabinet from IKEA called the BAGGEBO, which retails for $39.99.

The IKEA BAGGEBO looks stylish, is simple to assemble, and sturdy. Several consumer reviews gave it a high rating, citing it is a versatile piece of furniture and an ideal showcase cabinet for toys, collectibles, and memorabilia. The BAGGEBO cabinet is great for an upgrade project using stained glass because its large panels can feature big, bold designs, while its grated sides can allow more light to come in to illuminate the glass painting. In addition, because it comes disassembled, each panel can be worked on separately, making the frame and glass painting a lot easier.

There are several options to create the design for stained glass. Aside from using a pattern, alternative methods include brush painting or sponge painting, which focus on coverage and continuous application. Sponge painting is a technique that utilizes paint-dipped sponges on glass surfaces to create a textured appearance. Brush painting, on the other hand, uses even strokes of paint in a single direction to get a smooth finish. For paints, a neat alternative is acrylic paint mixed with glue that leaves a similar finish to stained glass paint when dried.

The materials needed for this project are painter's tape, primer and topcoat spray paint, a pack of stained glass paint, like Gallery Glass Paint Set, and a stained glass pattern design. To begin, remove the IKEA cabinet from its packaging and reuse its box to serve as a mat while painting. Place and spray one metal section at a time on the laid-out box with the primer, and let it dry. Next, spray the top coat, adding multiple layers. Once done, allow the topcoat to dry and set it aside.

To start on the stained glass, place the glass panel sections on top of the pattern design and trace the outlines using the black glass paint by carefully squeezing the bottle and lining it up with the pattern. Complete the outline and proceed to paint all the empty spaces of the outline using your preferred colors. Other techniques and materials, aside from using prefabricated patterns, can be used to create designs on the glass. These include using brushes, sponges, scrapers, or even implements like toothpicks and paperclips to add texture. Apart from new furniture, this stained glass DIY is also an amazing way to upcycle glass jars into unique home decor.

The versatility and creative potential of stained glass crafting make it an excellent DIY project. It can create simple and complex designs with light and color interacting together, resulting in beautiful pieces for decoration or furnishings. This stained glass DIY using the IKEA cabinet adds a personalized look not found in retail products, and is one of the many awesome stained glass DIY projects to try at home.