Bedrooms · Streatham, South London · 2016

A changing table on top of what we had

A plywood changing top that turned an IKEA chest into a proper changing station.

A doll lying on a changing mat in the new plywood top, sitting on a white chest of drawers

WhereOur flat in Streatham, 2016

Made forOur own family

MaterialsPlywood, biscuit jointed, painted white

Worth knowingSits on an IKEA chest we already had

With a baby on the way we needed a changing table and didn't have the room for one more piece of furniture. We did already have an IKEA chest of drawers, and putting something on top of it would get the changing surface up to a much better height.

The finished changing table with large drawer underneath on the IKEA drawers.

Simon making the plywood drawer in the garden — Cutting the ply in the garden.

Plywood changing top with high sides sitting on a white IKEA chest of drawers — On top of the IKEA chest.

I did a quick 3D model, cut it from plywood and biscuit jointed it together: a simple box with high walls so nappies, creams and everything else could sit around the edges, and a really big drawer underneath. It slotted onto the IKEA unit, got a coat of white paint, and was screwed to the wall so it couldn't move.

The plywood side panel with a notch cut to fit over the IKEA drawers — The side panels are shaped to fit over the IKEA drawers and hold the top securely in place.

The changing top painted white — Painted white.

The big drawer pulled out from under the changing surface — The big drawer underneath.

It became a really useful changing station, especially with the large drawer beneath ofr holding nappies, wipes and creasm, all built around furniture we already owned.

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