02 Attach the Wooden Countertop

Creating a countertop is another element that helps this unit look custom.

The edges of the storage unit have exposed screws — or cheap looking plastic caps to cover them — and the corners don't look especially sleek.

Using inexpensive common board to create a "counter" uplevels this piece, plus you can stain or paint the boards to add extra personality.

I decided to leave mine more natural to add some wood tones to the otherwise colorful piece and sealed them with some rub-on polyurethane.

Check out these images for a closeup look & styling inspo

I created a vintage vibe with a pink painted cabinet, deep green drawers, and vintage-inspired lucite cabinet knobs.

This storage unit has a ton of personality and an upleveled feel — mounting the unit helps it feel like a custom built-in piece.

I added a faux plant to tie into the green and bring the space to life plus a gold lamp and bold gold ampersand to give the space a little more warmth and interest.

You can personalize the space even more by adding felt squares to the bottom of the shelving unit — snag some felt pieces from your craft store in a color or pattern that fits your space, cut to size, and secure to the bottom of each cube to add a pattern or pop of color plus give the unit a little added scratch protection.

It's pretty chic for a garage work area — but would also look amazing in a playroom or office.

Elevated Cube Storage Makeover DIY with Vintage Vibes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Estimated Cost: $75

Materials

Tools

Instructions

MOUNTING THE CUBE STORAGE UNIT

1. Attach a 2x4 to the wall as a bottom support — Use a kreg jig and sink 3" wood screws through the board and into the studs

2. Attach 4x 1"x3" support boards to the wall — The storage unit cubes will slide over & attach to these. Secured these to wall studs with 3" wood screws

3. Attach the storage unit to the supports — Rest the unit on the bottom board and slide over the support boards. Secure with screws from the top back edge of the unit

ADDING THE WOOD COUNTER

1. Secure the 1"x3"X48" board to the wall with the 1" edge resting right on top of the cabinet, creating a low "backsplash"

2. Attach the 1"x12"X48 board to the top of the cabinet, laying flat and flush against the 1"x3"X48" board at the back

ADDING HARDWARE & FAUX FRONTS TO BINS

1. Cut out plywood for front — Trace and cut a piece slightly bigger than the storage bin

2. Attach the front panel to the bin — Use wood glue + secure with clamps to dry

3. Drill hole for hardware — Drill hardware hole in the middle of the bin

4. Paint & attach hardware — I painted the fronts —Kilimanjaro* by Behr, and then attached the hardware

Notes

The product links for this project are affiliate links — They don't cost you extra to use, but I may make a commission if you make a purchase.

cara newhart

I'm Cara, the designer & diy queen behind Never Skip Brunch. I'm a color & prints obsessed DIY queen who's here to help you create a beautifully lived-in life through home design advice and chic DIY tutorials

Elevated Cube Storage Makeover DIY with Vintage Vibes

jump to how-to // grab the free template // see images // pin this post // shop supplies

01 Mount the Cube Storage Unit

02 Attach the Wooden Countertop

03 Add hardware & faux fronts to the storage cubes

Check out these images for a closeup look & styling inspo