DIY Tonie Shelf with Paper Holder

I bought a long time ago a paper roll holder at IKEA, but it just didn't fit Pepa's desk. So it has been stored waiting for me to use it in a project. After having a big drama at home because we couldn't find a Tonie figure for some weeks, I decided to get a shelf or something to store them while being accessible.

I found some cool ones, but sadly they were WAY out of my budget. Then a little light bulb went on over my head, and I decided to make a Tonie shelf with the paper holder in it included.

This corner started as a sink. I removed the sink and painted the wall. So how to go from this picture on the left to the one of the right? First, let me tell you what you need:

IKEA MÅLA holder and Paper
Measuring tape
Wood glue
20 Screws 3,5 or 4 cm long
1m2 thin wood sheet 
2 boards 2m x 4.5cm or 4 boards 1m x 4,5cm
Pencil
Thread
Water level stock
Jigsaw
Sandpaper or sanding machine (paper 80, 120 and 240)
Ferro strip
Transparent varnish
2 colors of wood paint (water-based and childproof would be best)
Drill
Screwdriver
​2 long screws to install in the wall. at least 10 cm long
Patience and a helping hand

MÅLA

It looks harder than it actually is... so don't get scared of the pictures. I am sure I could have made it on my own, and I know every one of you is able as well. As I am into sustainability and in a low budget, I used only materials I had at home. The only thing I bought was the Ferro strip for 9 Euro in Amazon (which I purchased with credit I had sitting there for a while). Altogether, this took about 4-5 hours plus installation. But I separated the job in 4 sittings.

I used the back of a closet for the main wooden board, some old floorboards for the shelves (they are pretty uneven as we tried to make them as close as possible) the paint was the one I used for a dollhouse and a closet I refurbished, and I always have screws at home ;)

First, assemble the MÅLA. Every moving parts should be fixed, so add some wood glue and let it rest for the night. I added extra screws to attach all parts because I know my kid, so I rather have everything sitting pretty tight and fix. You can use any kind of screws, really. Just be gentle and do it slowly as the wood from MÅLA is very light and easy to crack.

About the design, I went for a cloud as Pepa had this super cute cloud pillow on her bed, and I thought it would be nice to integrate it on this shelf. But you can make any form: a square, rectangle a heart, whatever you want. I measured the Tonie figures and the area between bed and wall and drew this. You can do any size really, just be sure to plot it in advance. (you can see the plan in the video at the end or in my IGTV)

First, draw the MÅLA on the wood. Then using a water level stock, draw the lines where your shelves should go. Please be sure to measure a million times if you don't have a water level stock as this is the heart of your construction. If your design seems too big or too small, here is the time to fix that.

Now is the time to draw the form of the whole shelf. You can freestyle or use plates to make the circles. I applied an old school technic: use a thread and a pencil and put your finger in the center of the ring you want and draw. It took quite some tests until I got exactly the form I liked. Don't be scared of drawing and redrawing, You will be sanding this, and you won't see it. Now cut. You can do it by hand with a saw, but it is always more comfortable with a power tool.

Don't forget to cut the boards/shelves in the length you want. And don't worry if they aren't perfect. Mine was very uneven, and I didn't have enough wood to go all the way to the edge on my top one.

Now get a helping hand... or a couple of clamps like these. Fix the shelf where it is supposed to stay. From the back, using a drill, make 3 to 4 holes all the way into the shelf board. Repeat this for all shelves. Now, all holes are on the board and on the shelves boards, so it easy to assemble later on with no mistakes.

Once it is done, check if everything is ok and if it looks good on the wall. Now we need to work on those surfaces. At the moment, all edges are rough, so you need to start with the sandpaper. This is what makes a piece of furniture look good. I will say start with a sandpaper 80 for the edges, then 120 and to finish 240.

Add the screws from the back but just deep enough so you can see only the tip from the front (OMG have you seen how old and dirty the closet back was? haha)

Now you can attach the shelves quickly and screw the screws all the way in. Attach the MÅLA to it with the screws you will use to install it to the wall. And now the shelf is ready... unless you want to paint it... I like adding at least one layer of varnish to protect the wood from weather and dirty hands. Don't mind the clamp there... I screw way too much and deep, so I got a crack on the MÅLA. If this happens to you, just use wood glue and put some weight on it and let it dry with the screw inside.

Take everything apart again. Now is time to work closely on each part. If you are as annoying as I am, check every little millimeter for rough edges and make them as smooth as possible by hand.

Varnish the mainboard transparent on the back and front just to seal the wood, and it stays pretty and straight for years...If you aren't adding color, varnish all pieces and let dry for a night. I used extra matte varnish for a natural wood look.

Cut the Ferro Strip the same length of each shelf board and paste it. Be sure the wood doesn't have dust before you do this. The edges of the Ferro strip are a bit sharp, so I sandpaper them a bit.​

Color. If u want the same "ombre" effect, you need two colors of paint. Paint the top shelf in the lighter color and the lower shelf and MÅLA in the darker color. In two little baby food jars, as they have a lid, I made the next 2 colors: the lighter one was 8:1 that means 8 teaspoons of the dark color and one of the lighter color and vice versa. But you can go creative and make it a rainbow or all the same color. 

YES! you can paint over the Ferro strip, and it will need 2 coats. The Tonie magnetic system will still work, and no Tonies will fall to the ground. Assemble again once it is dry.​

Mark your wall and make two holes, add dowels, and install the shelf to the wall. I added some installation glue at the back of the upper side, just to be sure it will stay even if Pepa hangs of it. Paint the screws in the same cold as the MÅLA, and you are done!

On this shelf, you can fit until 50 Tonie figures and a paper roll that will last for weeks. The figures stick pretty well to the Ferro strip, but it is still easy for kids to take the Tonies.

I hanged it over Pepa's Ferm Living Little Architect desk and bench, threw a Ferm Living Fruiticana rug, and put the little DIY drawers I made last year next to it. Hanged some of the DIY mobile I made for her and voila! The corner is ready. I am still looking for a lamp, but I have time until winter for that.

We have no more dramas trying to find Pepa's favorite ponies, no more stepping on them during the day with naked feet. No more papers are lying everywhere and buying books that break all the time.

Pepa now has her little corner, and I have some more order at home. And the Tonies are happy and safe as well. Did you like this DIY? Let me know if you build one and tag me please on your posts. Here is the video you can see on my IGTV with some videos of the process.