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Trina Irwin and her husband updated the dining room in their 1959 home with green-painted IKEA HAVSTA storage cabinets, board-and-batten walls and furniture suited to hosting. Irwin told Apartment Therapy the couple now entertain friends and family in the room, though the article does not provide a project cost or detailed installation specifications.
Trina Irwin and her husband transformed the dining room of their 1959 home using painted IKEA HAVSTA storage cabinets, green board-and-batten wall trim and a larger table that extends for guests, according to a before-and-after report by Apartment Therapy. The renovation replaced a dated-feeling layout with a room the couple say they now use to host friends and family.
The couple wanted a dining room where they could gather with family, but Irwin told Apartment Therapy that the original room felt disjointed. It had a built-in corner bookcase that made the space seem more dated to them, and its paint color did not suit their preferred style. Irwin said she wanted the redesign to emphasize art and nature while retaining a mid-century modern influence.
After considering ideas for about a year, Irwin said an IKEA bookcase tutorial she saw on Pinterest helped shape the plan. The couple ultimately chose IKEA HAVSTA cabinets rather than the BILLY bookcase units she had initially considered, because she felt HAVSTA had a more custom appearance. They painted the cabinets and new board-and-batten trim Sherwin-Williams Rockwood Green, with the upper walls painted Alabaster White.
Apartment Therapy reports that the couple removed the existing chair rail and leveled the floor before installing the units so the built-ins would sit evenly. They also added an extendable dining table, bouclé chairs and a statement rug. Irwin painted an abstract artwork for the wall above the buffet area after the couple had difficulty finding a piece that suited the room.
A Dining Room Built for Gathering
The renovation is a practical example of adapting ready-made storage furniture to create a more integrated look in a home. Rather than treating the dining room as a place for a table alone, the couple combined storage, display shelves and a buffet area with seating designed to accommodate guests. The extendable table gives them a way to adjust the dining setup when hosting.
For readers planning a similar project, the account also points to work beyond choosing cabinets and paint. The couple had to address uneven flooring and find a cabinet combination that fit the wall. Irwin also described a finishing challenge: the cabinets’ decorative trim made it difficult to create the seamless buffet top she had wanted. The report offers a renovation example, not a tested installation guide or a guarantee that the same units will fit another room.
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From Pinterest Plan to Built-Ins
Irwin told Apartment Therapy that she spent roughly a year considering ideas before the Pinterest tutorial made a cabinet-based approach feel suitable. The original dining room already had a corner bookcase, but the couple wanted a different arrangement that could better support their interest in art, nature and mid-century modern design.
The finished scheme uses color to connect the cabinets and wall treatment: both the HAVSTA units and board-and-batten are Rockwood Green, while the upper wall is Alabaster White. Shelves hold decorative objects, and the buffet section provides a surface below the artwork. Apartment Therapy’s report does not give a project budget, exact cabinet configuration, measurements or a step-by-step installation plan.
Costs and Installation Details Missing
The Apartment Therapy report does not state the total project cost, the number or dimensions of HAVSTA units, or how the cabinets were secured or finished at the wall. It also does not provide a full materials list or a construction timeline. Readers therefore cannot determine from the article alone whether the same arrangement would fit another dining room or what budget would be required.
The article describes the result and quotes Irwin about the couple’s experience, but it is not an independent evaluation of the cabinets’ durability or a professional assessment of the installation. The couple’s satisfaction and their use of the room for entertaining are their reported experience, not a broader claim about the product.
How the Couple Uses the Room
The report describes the renovation as complete and says the couple now use the dining room for hosting guests and building puzzles. Irwin said visitors comment on the space when they come over. The article does not announce additional work or a future project milestone, so no further renovation plans are confirmed.
For anyone considering a comparable layout, the next practical step would be to verify room measurements, cabinet dimensions and floor level before choosing units. The source account suggests that those constraints affected this project, but it does not provide instructions for replicating it.
Key Questions
What did the couple change in their dining room?
They removed the chair rail, added green board-and-batten trim, painted the upper walls Alabaster White and installed painted IKEA HAVSTA cabinets as built-in-style storage.
Why did they choose IKEA HAVSTA cabinets?
Trina Irwin told Apartment Therapy that the HAVSTA units gave the arrangement a more custom look than the BILLY bookcases she had considered.
What color did they use on the cabinets and trim?
The couple used Sherwin-Williams Rockwood Green on the cabinets and board-and-batten, and Alabaster White on the upper walls, according to the report.
Did the article give the renovation cost?
No. Apartment Therapy’s report does not provide a project total, itemized budget or detailed cabinet measurements.
How does the couple use the renovated room?
Irwin said they use it to entertain friends and family and build puzzles together. The dining table extends when they host guests.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
