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Hey Guys! So, I’ve been racking my brain about this sunroom update that I’ve been wanting to get underway. I mentioned taking on reupholstering the small cushioned sofa in the last post. I just ordered foam btw – progress – next up, ordering fabric.
This room isn’t just a regular old room, with regular old walls and a regular old floor. It doesn’t have any of those thing, it does however have a lot of challenges. First of all, it’s a sunroom, every wall (seriously all 4) have windows. The interior wall has two windows and a door to our bedroom. It was originally built as a porch, so the floor is slanted down a few inches from the interior wall out to the exterior wall to allow for water drainage – from back when it was open to the elements. Eventually, someone had the porch insulated, walls were built, windows were added, and now it a sunroom with vintage (and not in a cute way) slanted floors. Have you ever tried to place furniture on a slanted floor? It’s really hard, because unless you shim all your furniture it looks like everything is about to slide right off the floor, and nothing is even kind-of-close to square with the base of the windows. The best I have been able to manage is to butt the sofa up against the one straight wall and shim a few side tables with 2×4’s. Not such a super cool look.
It hit me the other day that I could do something awesome here, I could make a “fauxdenza”. Are you familiar with this concept? I’ve seen it happening more and more over the years, cause it’s a really good idea, obviously. I don’t know who invented it, but basically it is one of the greatest Ikea hacks of all time. The idea is to take Ikea kitchen cabinets, attach them to the wall right above a floor board with an easy-to-use Ikea suspension rail, and finish them off with a wooden top (to cover the screws of the box cabinets).
I always wished I had a place in my house that needed a fauxdenza, but none stood out to me. There were not a lot of long walls that could handle it. It hit me the other day when I was killing myself over what to do with this sunroom and it’s slanty floor situation, that I could just add a fauxdenza! It would allow me to have a piece of furniture under the window that I could use for storage and on top I could fill with plants. Best of all it would be level, dawgz! I’m even considering doing it on the opposite slanted wall because I think it will be that awesome.
I used the Ikea kitchen planner to price out the parts and see if a fauxdenza would actually work for the space – I did the same thing when I was planning the funny nook in the kitchen this fall. There is not enough room to do a full 30″ tall standard cabinet. The windows on the narrowest part of the wall only sit 23″ above the floor, I told you this room was not normal! I could however, do a set of 14″ tall (39″ long) horizontal wall cabinets under the windows. They are only 13″ deep (perfect) and I think it would solve a lot of problems for me. Plus the cabinets with door fronts would only set me back $200 – that’s without a wood top, but I do think I could build a nice top for very little money. I’m kinda loving this plan, you guys.
Have any of you guys built a fauxdenza? Do you love it?
I believe Ikea also sells legs that are adjustable, so you could build something traditional and then adjust out the slant with the legs. This would allow for easier reuse later if you change your mind on things, plus it eliminates concerns with properly mounting it to the wall.
Hey Aaron! Something to consider for sure. I only wonder if they have pretty adjustable legs, I know they have the plastic black ones, but pretty would be best. The other down side with the legs is that they only work with the base cabinets and base cabinets won’t fit the space height wise – I had that problem in the kitchen. Hmmm something to think about..
I don’t know that she is the first person to ever use Ikea kitchen cabinets this way, but Anna at Door Sixteen coined the term fauxdenza and popularized this application. http://www.doorsixteen.com/2010/11/08/fauxdenza/
Yup, I was just looking for that same post! And I really like the idea of putting a fauxdenza in your sunroom and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
That’s right, I remember that post! Thanks for the link.
I’m so excited for you to do this! I have been obsessed with these. Unfortunately, we are prepping our house to sell and then travel all over the country. So we are a few years from settling down but this is one of my “dream” things to do as well as having a sunroom- So jealous!
Holy cow Caroline! That sounds like an amazing adventure! Good luck to you, and I hope you get a Fauxdenza when you return ;)
I actually just did this in my little kitchen in my NYC apartment, only I used one pack of the plasticl Ikea Trones shoe cabinets, hung horizontally, instead of cabinets. I grabbed a piece of wood from the big orange store, cut the length to size, stained and sealed it, and I’m pretty much obsessed. They’re super light, and with the real wood top they don’t scream “stupid plastic bins” whatsoever. They’re also super narrow (7 & 1/4 inch deep), which is perfect in my narrow kitchen.
Hey Lauren! That sounds so cool, what a great idea. Plus you have the benefit of a narrow profile, which is what I need. I think I can probably swing it with the 12″ depth of these horizontal cabinets, but I love that you did this in your kitchen. Do you use them for shoe storage, or something kitcheny? We have the tall Ikea “shoe hider” and I love it. How did people live without shoe storage before Ikea?
We’re pretty much using it for random storage. The bins are actually relatively empty at the moment, which is a funny experience when living in a studio apartment. Somehow it feels luxurious to have unused storage? Such potential! And seriously, amidst my amazing trash picks, thrift finds, hand-me-downs from fancy parents and some of our own grown-up, from-a-retail-store purchases, the little hits of Ikea are still invaluable.
I’ve never built one and have no advice. But I have to say that I’m excited to watch this wicked awesome plan unfold!
I’m excited too, hopefully more elements will start to fall in line as I move forward!
Don’t have one, but I love them. Its definitely on my must have list for our next home….which will hopefully be soon:) I think one will look awesome in your sunroom. Perfectly in line with your other midcentury pieces.
Hey Shavonda! I think this solution will look great and function amazingly. I’ve even got the husband on board so we are a “go” for Fauxdenza’s over her. How exciting for you that a new home is soon to be on the horizon, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
I just did a fauxdenza in my house using above-refridgerator cabinets from ikea! keep an eye out in your ikea’s “As-Is” section too, I got both of the cabinet bases for ~$4 a piece and the doors for those cabinets are pretty cheap too!
Hey Christina! Good tip! I always stop by the as-is section but I never have a mission in mind. I will be on the lookout for cabinets for sure. It would be so awesome to get them for a steal!