Ikea Havsta Honest Review (after 3 years)

If you’re in the market for a new piece of furniture to update your home, you may want to check out Ikea’s HAVSTA line. This collection is a great choice for anyone looking for a durable, customizable, and visually appealing storage solution. 

In this post, I’ll be sharing my honest review of the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets to help you decide if it’s the right choice for your needs. In addition, I’m sharing my favorite Ikea HAVSTA hack ideas to further customize it.

I’ve been using Ikea HAVSTA cabinets and TV unit in my dining room for over 3 years now, so I’ve compiled all my thoughts here for you. I’ll also be sharing my own personal Ikea HAVSTA hack that I used for my dining room!

What I love about the Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets

Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets are Visually Appealing

The Ikea HAVSTA cabinets aren’t just functional – they also look great and can totally transform any room. There are a few reasons why I think these cabinets are super easy on the eyes.

First of all, the HAVSTA cabinets have a sleek yet classic design that’s right on trend with today’s interior design styles. Their clean lines and minimalist style make them perfect for any home decor, no matter what your style is.

And here’s a cool feature – the HAVSTA cabinets have a base frame that gives them a built-in look, like they’re part of the architecture of the room. It’s an elegant and sophisticated touch that I absolutely love, and I think it really makes these cabinets stand out!

Another thing that makes these cabinets look great is the shaker-style doors, which I’m a huge fan of, if you cannot already tell from my Ikea kitchen design. 

This classic design is timeless and adds a touch of warmth and charm to any room. The natural wood grain of the doors gives them a cozy, inviting feel that’s perfect for any home.

And finally, the HAVSTA cabinets work well with traditional, farmhouse, and cottage-style interiors. Their natural wood grain complements these styles perfectly and makes them a versatile addition to any room.

The Ikea HAVSTA cabinets are not only practical but also stylish, and they’ll fit right in with any home decor!

Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets are Paintable

One of the coolest things about the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets is that they’re totally paintable. 

Because the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets have a matte finish, you can use either colored stain or matte paint. This gives you tons of options to customize the look of your cabinets to fit your personal style. You could go with a bright pop of color to add some fun to your room or stick with a classic white or gray to keep it neutral.

Another great thing about the HAVSTA cabinets is that they come in three different colorways, so you’re more likely to find one that already works with your interior color palette. This means less need to paint over them, which is always a bonus. 

The color options are also pretty versatile, ranging from a dark brown-black, medium gray(my personal favorite), to a light beige, so you’re sure to find something that suits your taste.

But if you do decide to paint your HAVSTA cabinets, you’ll be happy to know that they’re very paintable. Unlike some of Ikea’s other products, (like the Billy Bookcase for example) that have a shiny laminate finish that’s hard to paint over, the matte finish of the HAVSTA cabinets makes it easy to get good coverage with your paint or stain.

So if you’re looking for cabinets that you can easily customize to fit your personal style, the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets are a great option. 

Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets could be a better choices than Billy bookcase

You might also be wondering which Ikea line is the best choice for your needs. While there are a lot of options to choose from, I personally think that the HAVSTA line is a better option than the popular Billy line, for most cases. Here are some of the reasons why:

The HAVSTA line is constructed with a 7/8″ solid pine board, which makes it more substantial and sturdy than other cabinet lines like Billy which is 5/8”. When you’re investing in a piece of furniture that you want to last for years, you want to know that it’s built to withstand daily use and wear and tear. The HAVSTA line definitely delivers in this regard.

Another thing that sets the HAVSTA line apart from Billy is the depth of some of the base cabinets. At 18.5″, these cabinets are deeper than the ones in the Billy line, which means you can store larger items or just fit more things inside. As someone who tends to keep a lot of stuff, I find this extra space to be really handy.

But those aren’t the only differences between these two lines. The HAVSTA line also has a more traditional design than Billy, with shaker-style doors that give it a timeless look. The Billy line, on the other hand, has a more modern and streamlined design that might be better suited to contemporary decor. Although Billy doors also come in a shaker-like style, it is a lot narrow, and looks less substantial compared to HAVSTA.

In terms of pricing, the HAVSTA line is generally more expensive than Billy, but I think the added durability and style are worth the extra cost. Of course, everyone’s budget is different, so you’ll need to weigh the pros and cons for yourself.

In the world of interior design, the Billy bookcase is often transformed through various hacks because it doesn’t look substantial enough as a standalone piece of furniture or built-in. Many people choose to add extra trims to make it appear bulkier and conceal the original baseboard. 

On the other hand, the HAVSTA is designed to be a standalone furniture piece that doesn’t require any modifications. If you’re not someone who enjoys do-it-yourself projects, the HAVSTA will be the better choice for you!

Overall, if you’re trying to decide between the HAVSTA and Billy lines of Ikea cabinets, I would definitely recommend the HAVSTA line. With its solid pine construction, deeper base cabinets, and classic design, it’s a great choice for anyone looking for a high-quality piece of furniture that will stand the test of time. In my honest opinion, the HAVSTA line is the way to go!

Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets are Customizable

You don’t have to hack it as it looks great standalone, but if you’re like me, you love furniture that can be customized to fit your specific needs. That’s why I’m excited to tell you that the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets are very customizable! With several modular pieces available, you can mix and match to create a combination that works best for you.

For example, you can choose between glass doors, open shelves, and non-glass doors, depending on how you want to use your cabinets. This is especially handy if you want to display certain items while keeping others hidden away.

Another way that the Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets are customizable is through the base frame. You can add or remove the base frame to change the look of the cabinets and create a combination that fits your style. This is a great feature if you want to create a built-in look without having to spend a lot of money on custom cabinetry.

If you’re in search of customizable cabinets that can be tailored to your specific needs, look no further than the Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets. They’re a great choice if you don’t want to give your furniture a head-to-toe makeover like the Billy bookcase hack. With the HAVSTA, you can make small changes to adapt it to your home, and it will already look so good! This makes HAVSTA an easy and convenient choice for home owners.

Customizable Ikea HAVSTA Hacks that you can try

My own Ikea HAVSTA Hack

In this HAVSTA hack tutorial I made a few years ago, I showed how I repurposed an Ikea Havsta TV stand into a built-in bench with storage by converting it into a dining banquette seat. Here’s the video where I explained my hacking process.

Other Ikea HAVSTA Hack Ideas

If you’re looking for even more Ikea HAVSTA hack ideas, there are plenty of DIY bloggers out there who have shared their own creative customizations to transform these cabinets into something unique and functional. Here are just a few ideas to inspire your own HAVSTA hack:

1. Built-In Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets Hack

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to turn Ikea HAVSTA cabinets into a built-in storage unit with a custom look.

2. Home Office Ikea HAVSTA Bookshelf with Closed Storage Hack

You can also use this Ikea HAVSTA cabinet hack to create a functional and stylish home office space.

3. Dining Room Ikea HAVSTA Closed Storage with Marble Countertop Hack

You can even transform the Ikea HAVSTA cabinet into a stylish and functional pantry for a kitchen.

4. Coffee Nook Ikea HAVSTA Hack

Another great hack is using the Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets to make your own coffee nook.

What are the cons of the Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets?

Now, let’s talk about the cons of the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets. 

The first thing to note is that they do come with a slightly higher price tag compared to some of Ikea’s other product lines. While I do think that the quality and style of the HAVSTA cabinets justifies the price, it may not be the best option for those on a tight budget.

Another downside is the cabinet hardware, specifically cabinet knobs that come with the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets. Those knobs come in a brushed silver finish with a rustic touch. In my opinion, they’re not the prettiest hardware out there and is hard to fit most of the interior style.

But the good news is that this is an easy fix – I simply spray painted them black to match the rest of my decor. It’s a small detail, but it made a big difference in the overall look of my cabinets. If you have the budget, replace them with some nicer cabinet knobs, like this one I use in my kitchen, or this one that’s slightly smaller.

You can see the comparison here. Left: sprayed cabinet knob black; Right: original.

Though there may be a couple of cons to the HAVSTA cabinets, I personally think that they’re well worth the investment. The high-quality materials, stylish design, and customizability make them a standout option if you’re looking for functional and attractive storage solutions.

My Final Thoughts on Ikea HAVSTA Cabinets after 3 years

After using the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets for over 3 years in my dining room and using them daily as a dining banquette and wall cabinets, I can confidently say that I am still impressed by their quality and versatility. These cabinets are not just beautiful but also functional and durable, making them a great investment.

If you are considering purchasing the Ikea HAVSTA cabinets, I highly recommend them. The Ikea HAVSTA cabinets are a visually appealing storage solution that you can customize to elevate any room in your home. 

Yes, it is more expensive than Billy, but the added durability and style are worth the extra cost. Invest in the HAVSTA collection, and you won’t be disappointed!

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