When I was in the market for a table and chairs for my toddler, I wanted something cute but durable, and I didn’t want to spend too much on something that would be outgrown [or possibly destroyed] in a few years. I came across the Ikea LÄTT set, $25 for a table and two chairs.

On its own the set is a little rigid and plain (pictured above), but I learned from a friend several years back that if you search for “Ikea hack [insert product name]” you can find a ton of ideas for jazzing up your Ikea purchase. It didn’t take long to find some inspiring makeovers! I think I was sold when I came across the makeover done by Ruffles & Rain Boots. Not only is her Ikea hack darling, the author also includes helpful tutorials and testimony that the product stands the test of time.

I chose to personalize our set by:

• adding 1″ padding to the chairs (using the tutorial linked above)
• painting the bottom 4″ of each of the chair and table legs gold (I used painter’s tape to get clean lines, and applied 2 coats of acrylic paint with a foam brush)

One note: there is very little wiggle room when inserting the chair seats, so I used a thin fabric for this project.

We use the table and chairs in the kids’ play area, so it is not used for food, drinks, or messy crafts. If you are thinking of using it for such things, however, I would highly suggest applying some sort of protective spray on the fabric (Scotch Guard, perhaps?) and wood (clear top coat).

Thanks for viewing!