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Apartment Therapy profiled Costen King-Cortes and his husband, who adapted IKEA’s LÅDMAKARE storage system for their Brooklyn apartment with blue ceramic knobs and a wooden wine rack. The changes personalized a piece that combines open and closed storage, but the report does not give the accessories’ prices or a full cost comparison.
Apartment Therapy has profiled Costen King-Cortes and his husband, Forrest, who customized an IKEA LÅDMAKARE storage system for their Brooklyn apartment using bright blue ceramic knobs and a wooden wine rack. The changes were intended to connect the ready-made unit to the couple’s decor while adding storage after they downsized from a house.
The couple moved from a three-bedroom house in Birmingham, Alabama, to a two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, according to the Apartment Therapy report. Costen told the publication that losing the house’s built-in storage left them without a dedicated place for items such as cleaning products, tools and cat food. They also wanted room to display collectibles and personal keepsakes.
They chose LÅDMAKARE because it offers both open and closed storage, unlike a setup focused only on display shelving. The report says the system has a warm oak-look finish, sliding doors and roughly six inches of open space at the bottom. Its modular design also appealed to the couple because they could adjust or add to the arrangement if their storage needs changed.
To personalize the unit, Costen fitted it with blue ceramic doorknobs chosen to match other details in the dining room, and added a wooden wine rack in a similar warm finish. He said the accessories came from Amazon. The article does not identify their brands, exact prices or installation details, and it does not report a formal product test.
Small Changes Personalize Flat-Pack Storage
The report offers a practical example of how renters or homeowners can make ready-made furniture feel more connected to a room without rebuilding it as a built-in. Coordinating a small accent, such as the blue knobs, with existing colors can make a storage unit feel deliberate; a wine rack in a similar wood tone can help it blend with the cabinet’s finish.
The couple’s situation also points to a common small-home trade-off: belongings still need a place, but not everything needs to stay visible. A mix of display space and concealed storage can accommodate objects the owners want to show alongside household supplies they prefer to tuck away. The article describes the couple’s experience, rather than establishing that this model or these accessories will suit every room or budget.
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From BILLY Shelves to LÅDMAKARE
Costen told Apartment Therapy that the couple had previously used IKEA BILLY bookcases in their first apartment in Chicago and later incorporated them into the foyer of their Birmingham house. Their new apartment called for a different solution: they wanted a combination of open and closed storage but could not take on a larger custom or built-in project.
The report presents LÅDMAKARE as the couple’s “happy medium” between hiding everyday essentials and displaying meaningful items. It says the system can be adapted and expanded, though it does not provide measurements, a complete configuration list or product availability information. The account is a homeowner’s design experience, not an IKEA announcement.
““We were very sad to lose all of the storage that comes with living in a house.””
— Costen King-Cortes, as quoted by Apartment Therapy
Costs and Product Details Unreported
The article does not state the total cost of the LÅDMAKARE unit and accessories, the prices of the knobs or wine rack, or whether the products remain available. It also does not specify the unit’s dimensions or give a step-by-step account of how the add-ons were fitted.
The source is a profile of one couple’s home, so it does not establish how the system performs over time, whether it suits other layouts, or whether the modifications affect any product warranty. No independent assessment of durability, value or assembly is included.
Check Fit Before Choosing Accessories
The report does not identify a planned follow-up or a next product milestone. Readers considering a similar setup would need to check the current IKEA listing for dimensions, configuration and availability, then verify that any replacement hardware or added rack fits the unit. The published account does not provide compatibility guidance or a full shopping list.
For the couple, the described result is a storage arrangement suited to their current Brooklyn apartment, with room to display selected belongings and conceal household supplies. Whether they expand it or change the layout later is not reported.
Key Questions
What changes did Costen make to the IKEA LÅDMAKARE?
He added bright blue ceramic knobs and a wooden wine rack with a finish similar to the unit’s warm oak look, according to Apartment Therapy.
Why did the couple choose LÅDMAKARE?
The system offered open shelving and closed storage, allowing them to display collectibles while putting household items such as cleaning supplies and cat food out of sight.
How much did the unit and accessories cost?
The report does not give the unit’s total price or the prices of the knobs and wine rack. It says Costen found the accessories on Amazon, but provides no item links or cost breakdown.
Can the setup be expanded?
Apartment Therapy says the couple liked that the system could be adapted and that they could add pieces if they moved to a larger home. The report does not list compatible configurations or explain how to expand it.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
