IKEA Kallax - how to make it into an art drawer piece?

[Eesha]

Hi all, ive been looking at IKEA Kallax units to put my kids arts stuff into and id like to get anyone's input on how i can do this better/cheaper

We only really have room for something narrow but could go tall. There are options to buy ikea shelves with doors but i want something with containers so they can open the door then pull a drawer out of pens etc

KALLAX cube storage unit, white, 42x147 cm - IKEA UK this in a 2 or 4 section

KALLAX insert with 2 drawers, wave shaped/light grey-blue, 33x33 cm - IKEA UK

Ive seen this on Etsy but its £40 with drawers

Kallax Insert for 3 Boxes / Compatible With IKEA Trofast / Storage for Toys, Lego, Playmobil / Sturdy Side Panels and Wooden Rails - Etsy UK

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/kallax-insert-with-4-shelves-white-40423719/

these are useful for notebooks/pads/paper

also boxes/the cupboard door addons are much cheaper than the drawers

@Andrasa but I guess I didnt want a deep box where there's a ton of pencils etc, I wanted it a bit neater. Are there boxes to fit in the drawers?

Personally I’d try to emulate the the trofast idea. Simply because the trofast is the perfect Marie Kondo style depth and easy access for kids.

I am a send teacher and we use a particular make of school furniture that has shallow drawers (has two other deeper ones). The trays are the perfect depth to go looking for things

I really don’t know why Ikea haven’t made something akin to the Etsy thing tbh

I wonder if there’s a way to use the trofast runners in the kallax?

This is the sort of thing we use.

being able to pull out the whole tray makes arty things a million times easier as you can plonk it on the table. Then they can tidy into it and it’s not too heavy to carry to put away

In fact I’m 100% going to do something similar with our kallax now I’ve seen it

sorry this : https://www.tts-group.co.uk/18-tray-storage-unit-with-trays/1016593.html

Some of the school furniture has doors. But it’s not aesthetically pleasing and tends to be wider.

Is this cheaper? https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1871817425/?ref=share_ios_native_control

This is much cheaper! https://amzn.eu/d/78esLDh

Would the ikea ‘Bladdra’ set of 3 drawers be any good?

Or the 2 drawer version if you can still get them. They’re no longer in stock in my local one but were selling off for £5.

What about the shelves? And add pullout boxes or trays? B&q have canvas drawers - 2 fit to each kallax cube

The problem is the kallax squares are small so once you add a rail, the leftover space is only going to get you a mini tray.

sounds like getting drawers is your answer but as you found, they’re pricey. Try second hand on Facebook marketplace?

Also I have the drawers in kallax and they don’t hold as much as I thought. A lot of the cube space is taken up by the external drawer/ runners.

I really like the metal trolleys that IKEA sell for kids art supplies - the type with three baskets. They are easy to keep tidy (I put the pens and pencils in metal flower pots that hang off the side) and can be pulled to the table, so you have everything you need handy.

I agree with pp who suggested Trofast. The different depth trays are perfect for art. We had two shallow ones for pens and paints, two medium for paper and craft/collage stuff and a deep one for ‘filing’.

Tall narrow billy might be cheaper. Add on the new canvass boxes which fit billy perfectly.

Kallax works out expensive with the add ons.

the trolleys are looking very appealing! Has anyone got both? My children are under 10 so I feel like i could repurpose the trolleys more than the kallax.

I love the advice here!

I’ve got the trolley. But use it in the kitchen
Dd got one to take to uni and uses it as a bedside. So it’s definitely versatile.

Kallax is a design abomination. Surely there must be better products out there…

I’m looking at mine now and I do like the principle. But the execution and options are expensive.

I have 8 cubes. 3 canvas boxes which hold loads but disorganised.
3 canvas drawers which is stiff.

The kallax drawers. These take A4 paper nicely. It annoys me though that there’s loads of wasted space as the drawers are shallow.

2 shelves with a box on each shelf. Not easy to use on a daily basis.
I wish I’d bough a tall set of drawers instead!