This IKEA KALLAX makeover has turned a minimalistic flatpack into a secret vintage speakeasy

There is a certain allure to a speakeasy that remains eternally timeless – from its stylishly scandalous nature to the crafted cocktails and jazz-infused playlists. But what if you could recreate this ambiance in your home – and what if you could do it with nothing but IKEA flatpacks?

Armed with KALLAX and BESTA units, designer Rebecca Anderson created a hidden bar in her Scottish Victorian cottage – and the result is among the most beautiful IKEA hacks we have witnessed to date. 

Here, Rebecca (@the.place.next.door) explains the design process because it is perhaps only inevitable that you will want to recreate this 20's-inspired sanctuary in your own interiors. This is everything you need to know.

IKEA KALLAX X BESTA hack – the design process  

Rebecca began with a fresh black BESTA for the bottom half of the bar and two KALLAX shelves to stand as the towers. She painted the units in Deep Blue Spruce by Valspar – but you can find out how to paint IKEA furniture in our dedicated guide. 

After painting, Rebecca added an MDF panel between the towers, then added wallpaper and the gold IKEA splashback. She also added optics to hold the bottles and cups from IKEA's Bargain Corner to ensure it looks like an exclusively bespoke unit. 

To make the frame, Rebecca used a wooden Dado Railing, before spray-painting chicken wire to create a golden mesh. She then added it to the back of the glass door.

For the KALLAX towers, Rebecca created large door frames by adding the gold chicken wire to the back of the glass door with a staple gun.

Once the KALLAX doors were finished, she added golden wardrobe rails to stand as extra-long gold handles. 'We couldn't get a gold handle long enough for a reasonable cost,' Rebecca explains. 

For the BESTA doors, she added BAGGANAS brass handles which are also from IKEA, along with zebra-print handles for a further nod to individuality. 

'I wanted it to be like a gentleman's club bar, and wanted it to look expensive and elegant,' she says. This indulgent aura was further achieved with the injection of glass pendant light fixtures and a gold table, with just enough room to enjoy the first aperitifs of the evening.

The finished result is the modern living room idea of our roaring 2020 dreams, and we're wholly inspired to mirror this glittering utopia in our interiors. We'll raise a glass to IKEA and Rebecca for filling our weekend with a Great Gatsby-approved makeover project.