Storage unit and acoustic panel with world map wall

Wabi-sabi

🖼️

The project:

our biggest challenge was a total lack of storage and a rapidly growing mountain of kids toys, games, and accumulated clutter. We needed a clever way to hide the daily chaos without sacrificing style. By installing seamless flat pack base cabinets and open shelving against VJ paneling, we created the ultimate secret weapon for quick cleanups. Now all the kids mess is instantly hidden behind closed doors, leaving us with a sophisticated, modern feature wall. It looks like a high end luxury lounge room, but it’s secretly just our genius survival strategy for family life.

- Materials:

Best Invention ever https://www.bunnings.com.au/builders-edge-altamonte-mitre-template-plaster-tool_p0730322

Flat Pack Base Cabinets

Open Shelving Units

Acoustic Wall Paneling Sheetshttps://www.bunnings.com.au/specrite-2700-x-600-x-21mm-black-oak-timber-acoustic-panel_p0455961

Table Top https://www.bunnings.com.au/specrite-1200-x-600-x-18mm-timber-multi-use-pine-panel_p0419619

Timber Mouldings

Wood Trim

Gyprock Cornice https://www.bunnings.com.au/gyprock-csr-90mm-x-3600mm-cove-plaster-cornice_p0731300

Cornice Adhesive https://www.bunnings.com.au/gyprock-csr-20kg-cornice-cement-60_p0731164

Cabinet Door handleshttps://www.bunnings.com.au/taskmaster-96mm-matte-black-1-2-round-handle-10-pack-96mm_p0132785

Best primer ever https://www.bunnings.com.au/zinsser-b-i-n-primer-sealer-stain-blocker-white-3-78l-3-78l_p1565677

Paint https://www.bunnings.com.au/dulux-2l-renovation-range-cabinet-doors-satin-white_p0116477

Selleys Liquid Nailshttps://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?page=1&q=selleys+liquid+nails&sort=BoostOrder

Wood Fillerhttps://www.bunnings.com.au/timbermate-250g-white-wood-filler_p1560677

- Tools:

Cordless Drill

Circular Saw

Hand Saw

Jigsaw

Spirit Level

Tape Measure

Sandpaper/sander

Sanding Block

Caulking Gun

Paint Brushes

Paint Roller

Paint Roller Tray

Drop Sheets

Gyprock Screws

Plasterboard Screws

Wood Screws

- Step 1:

Isn't this how every DIY starts? Most start with a sketch on paper but...we started with a sketch on the wall

Because apparently the logical order of a DIY projectiss to buy the TV first...then panic and design around it. 😂 The TV came home before the vision was fully formed, but it quickly became the inspiration for creating something custom and practical

Assembled the flat pack base cabinets and set them in position along the lower section of the wall.

Every DIYer knows this moment…when the room is a disaster, tools are everywhere and you question your life choices. But this is also the stage where the magic starts happening.

Installed timber spacing blocks between the base cabinets, screwed them together, and used wood filler to seamless the gaps so they appeared as one solid unit.

Double layered the horizontal shelves using liquid nails

positioned open upper shelving units on top of the base benchtop, and securely screwed them into the wall studs. Added marble contact over the table top

Cut and fitted custom timber filler pieces down the outer sides of the shelving units to flush them completely to the side walls, filling any gaps with wood filler.

Used wood filler to blank out all the pre drilled adjustable shelf peg holes inside the cabinet carcasses for a clean custom look.

Sanded down all of the dried wood filler, joints, and timber surfaces across the entire unit to prepare them for finishing.

Cut and installed the cornice along the top of the upper cabinets to give it an inbuilt look.

Primed all the cabinetry surfaces with an undercoat, applied the final coats of paint, installed the acoustic feature paneling sheets, and mounted the decorative world map. The hardest bit was the door handles 😄 🤣

If youre wondering about the order of this build or the instructions Ive posted… so am I. 😂

Thanks to ADHD, this project didn’t exactly follow a traditional step by step process. I skipped ahead, came back to unfinished parts, started three jobs before finishing one, and probably spent more time searching for the “perfect” tool than actually using it.

Organisation wasnt always part of the plan… and honestly, neither was having a plan at the beginning.

But thats the beauty of DIY .. creativity doesn’t always happen in a straight line. Sometimes it’s a bit messy, a bit unpredictable, and full of problem solving along the way.

The moral of the story: you don’t need a perfectly organised workshop to build something amazing. You need a vision, a bit of questionable confidence, a Bunnings sausage for fuel, and the determination to eventually find the tool you were convinced someone stole. 😂

EricL

Hello @Wabi-sabi

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your storage transformation project.

What an amazing and clever transformation! You've created a beautiful custom storage solution that blends seamlessly into the room while keeping everything neatly tucked away behind closed doors. The combination of the built-in cabinetry, VJ panelling and thoughtful styling gives the space a polished, high-end feel, it's a smart design that proves practical can be absolutely stunning.

Again, thank you for sharing this wonderful project.

Eric