DIY Overhead Softbox Light for IKEA Besta

In my recent home office update of 2024, I created a custom lightbox that fit my IKEA Besta TV cabinet. I built this to pair with my drawing desk, as a way to get high-quality soft lighting overhead. Below is a video breakdown of how I built it, and the materials used.

Here’s a quick video overview of building the DIY overhead softbox.

Materials needed

• 3/4” Plywood (I used leftover white oak) for the interior frame

• 1/4” wood panels for the exterior frame. I got all of my wood from Anderson Plywood.

• Construction screws

• Hue light strips (excess trimmed)

• Diffusion Fabric Light Grid Cloth

• Osmo PolyxOil (or your choice of wood finish)

• Strong neodymium rectangular magnets

Tools needed

• Circular saw + track or table saw (to cut down sizes. Alternatively, you can have your lumber supplier cut for you).

• Power drill, and (optional) Impact driver (for driving in screws)

• Nailgun

• Sander

• Stapler (optional, in place of nailgun for diffusion fabric)

• Corner clamps (optional, to keep frame square)

To watch the whole process of how I built the lightbox, jump to 9:23 of this video.