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Apartment Therapy reports that Costen King-Cortes and his husband, Forrest, adapted an IKEA LÅDMAKARE storage unit for their Brooklyn apartment with blue ceramic knobs and a matching wooden wine rack. The changes helped personalize a ready-made unit as the couple sought both concealed and display storage after downsizing.
Apartment Therapy reports that Costen King-Cortes and his husband, Forrest, customized an IKEA LÅDMAKARE storage unit for their Brooklyn apartment by replacing its hardware with blue ceramic knobs and adding a wooden wine rack. The changes addressed the couple’s need for more concealed storage after moving from a three-bedroom house, while giving the off-the-shelf piece details that fit their home.
The couple moved from a three-bedroom house in Birmingham, Alabama, to a two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, according to Apartment Therapy. Costen told the publication that losing the storage built into their former house was difficult. The apartment did not have the designated “junk closet” they had relied on for items such as cleaning supplies, tools and cat food.
Their previous IKEA BILLY bookcases had worked in earlier homes, but the couple wanted a mix of open and closed storage in the apartment. Open shelves could hold collectibles and mementos; closed sections could keep everyday supplies out of sight. The report describes LÅDMAKARE as a system with both types of storage and components that can be arranged or expanded as needs change.
Costen said he and his husband often try to make IKEA furniture feel personal. For this unit, he added bright blue ceramic knobs and a wooden wine rack with a finish that matched the unit’s warm oak-look appearance. He told Apartment Therapy that the knobs were chosen to coordinate with other elements in the dining area. The article says both additions were found on Amazon, but does not provide their prices or identify specific product models.
A Personal Touch Without Built-Ins
The project offers a practical example of how renters or other small-space residents can adapt ready-made furniture without taking on a major carpentry project. In this case, the hardware change and added wine rack altered the look and use of a standard storage unit while leaving its basic structure intact.
The couple’s needs also show why storage choices involve more than capacity. They wanted to hide household supplies but keep meaningful objects visible, and they needed a piece that could suit a smaller home now and potentially change with them later. The LÅDMAKARE’s mix of open and closed sections, plus the possibility of adding components, fit those stated priorities. The article presents the result as a personal home example, not as a tested comparison of storage systems or a guarantee that the same modifications will suit every room.
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From BILLY to LÅDMAKARE
Costen told Apartment Therapy that the couple had used IKEA’s BILLY bookcases in their first apartment in Chicago and later built them into the foyer of their Birmingham house. That earlier setup helped establish IKEA as a familiar option, but the move to Brooklyn brought different space and storage constraints. The couple also did not want to repeat a large built-in project in the new apartment.
According to the report, the warm oak-look finish and sliding doors helped make LÅDMAKARE appealing. Costen also liked the open area at the bottom, which he described as about six inches high and useful for sliding small items underneath. The report does not give the unit’s dimensions, total price, or a full inventory of the couple’s configuration, so readers cannot directly assess whether it will fit a particular room or budget.
““We were very sad to lose all of the storage that comes with living in a house.””
— Costen King-Cortes, speaking to Apartment Therapy
Costs and Product Details Missing
The report does not state the price of the LÅDMAKARE unit, the cost of the knobs or wine rack, or the exact models and dimensions involved. It also does not identify how the wine rack was attached or whether the modification required any special installation. Apartment Therapy’s account is based on one household’s experience; it does not establish how durable the additions are or whether the same arrangement will work with every LÅDMAKARE configuration.
The publication notes that it independently selects products and may earn a commission if readers buy through its links. Its article does not provide a formal review, long-term performance assessment or comparison with competing storage furniture. The couple’s satisfaction and description of the result are attributable personal accounts, not independent product testing.
How the Setup May Change
Costen said the modular system could be adapted if the couple’s storage needs change, including by adding pieces if they move to a larger home. The report does not say that they have plans to move or expand the unit. For now, the next step described is simply using the customized setup in their apartment; no further project, product test or follow-up has been announced.
Readers considering a similar approach would need to check the unit’s current dimensions, configuration and price, then confirm that any replacement hardware or added rack is compatible with their specific piece. Those details are not supplied in the article, and product availability and pricing may change.
Key Questions
What did the couple change on the IKEA unit?
Costen added blue ceramic knobs and a wooden wine rack whose finish matched the unit’s warm oak-look appearance, according to Apartment Therapy.
Why did they choose the LÅDMAKARE?
The couple wanted a combination of open shelving for keepsakes and closed storage for household supplies after losing a storage closet in their move to a Brooklyn apartment.
How much did the modifications cost?
The article does not give prices for the knobs, wine rack or storage unit. It says the couple found the two added items on Amazon, but provides no product links or cost breakdown in the supplied report.
Is this a formal IKEA product review?
No formal testing or product comparison is described. The piece is an account of one couple’s experience, as reported by Apartment Therapy.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
