Sleeper Sofa Struggles: A Personal Journey

My wife and I took the plunge and purchased a secondhand West Elm sleeper sofa, thinking we had finally found our luxury sleep oasis. Little did we know, the mattress would sag so much in the middle that it would practically swallow us whole. It was as bad as every sofa bed I had ever known – the one my cousin slept on at my grandmother’s house, the one my college roommates and I dragged from apartment to apartment, the ones I’d crashed on in various basements, grateful it was too dark to see the details.

As the Wirecutter article describes, the decrepitude of sleeper sofa mattresses is a universal problem. These once-plush sleep surfaces have either been beaten to hell in the back of a U-Haul or parked so permanently on the carpet that no one can remember when they first arrived. And even the “nearly new, unaffordable sleeper of dreams” that we had purchased showed all the same issues.

Determined to find a solution, my wife and I embarked on an odyssey of upgrades. We started with the mattress, thinking that would be the only thing we needed to change. After scouring user reviews, we settled on the Milliard 45-Inch Memory Foam Replacement Mattress. While it was a vast improvement over the original, the bed still dipped across the middle. The classic remedy of a half-sheet of plywood only provided temporary relief before it too started to bow.

Hacking the IKEA Pax

Undeterred, we pressed on, exploring the world of sleeper sofa support boards. The Meliusly Sleeper Sofa Support Board struck gold – it stiffened the sagging mattress and folded flat for storage. With the mattress issue resolved, we turned our attention to the overall aesthetic.

Inspired by the custom cabinetry of designer Jenny Wolf, we set our sights on hacking the IKEA Pax system to achieve a high-end, built-in look. As Erin Kestenbaum’s blog post details, we added baseboards, crown molding, and shoe molding, recessed puck lights for in-cabinet lighting, refaced the fronts and sides with wood strips, and added custom wood drawer fronts.

Customizing the Closet

The first step was planning out the space using the IKEA Pax Planning tool. We cataloged our clothing storage needs by category and chose the appropriate combination of hanging rods, drawers, and shelves. To achieve our desired aesthetic, we opted for the deeper 23-inch Pax units on one side and the shallower 13-inch units on the other, creating a wide walkway between them.

With the layout sorted, we began the transformation. We shimmed the units to ensure they were level, then installed the baseboards, crown molding, and shoe molding for a truly built-in look. Next, we added the wood trim, recessing the puck lights into the shelves for a seamless integration.

Masking the Seams

One of the telltale signs of an IKEA Pax is the unsightly seam that runs down the back wall of the wardrobe units. To conceal this, we turned to paintable faux grasscloth wallpaper, which completely hid the seam when painted.

We also made use of IKEA’s handy Komplement plugs to cover the countless holes left by the adjustable shelving system. These small details made a world of difference in achieving our high-end vision.

Painting for Perfection

Painting the IKEA laminate finish was a crucial step. We started by priming with a shellac-based primer, which created the perfect base for our paint of choice – Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue in a modern eggshell finish. To achieve a professional-looking result, we used a spray gun, taking care to mask off the areas we didn’t want painted and sanding between coats.

The drawer fronts were painted separately in our garage, where we set up a makeshift spray booth to contain the mess. The final result was a seamless, high-end look that blended perfectly with the custom trim and molding.

Drawer Diligence

Attaching the custom wood drawer fronts was a delicate process. We carefully measured and cut the Poplar boards to size, then secured them to the existing IKEA drawers using screws. To ensure the fronts were flush with the trim, we used washers to bump them out slightly.

For the hardware, we collaborated with Emtek to source some stunning, heavy-duty unlacquered brass cup pulls. Aligning them perfectly across both sides of the closet was a meticulous task, but the end result was a cohesive, high-end aesthetic.

Lighting Up the Space

Recessed puck lights were a game-changer in our custom closet. We hardwired them into electrical boxes and ran the cords through the top shelves, ensuring they were hidden from view. The recessed design created a seamless, luxurious look that elevated the entire space.

The Final Reveal

The transformation was nothing short of spectacular. What was once a basic IKEA Pax system had been elevated to a truly custom, high-end closet worthy of a designer showroom. The moody blue paint, the gleaming brass hardware, and the attention to detail in every nook and cranny created a space that oozed sophistication and elegance.

Reflections and Recommendations

Looking back, this project was a labor of love, but the end result was well worth the effort. The upgrades we made, from the replacement mattress to the custom cabinetry, have transformed our sleeper sofa from a neglected eyesore to a luxurious focal point in our bedroom.

If you’re considering a similar project, I’d highly recommend exploring the world of IKEA hacks. While it may seem daunting at first, the Pax system provides a solid foundation that can be elevated with a bit of elbow grease and creative thinking. And don’t be afraid to experiment – the beauty of this approach is that you can tailor the design to your unique needs and aesthetic preferences.

So, if you’re ready to add a touch of luxury to your bedroom, start by exploring the possibilities of custom sofas on SofaSpectacular. Then, let your imagination run wild with a custom IKEA Pax closet that will have your guests marveling at your impeccable style.