The 27 Absolute Coolest Hacks for Your Favorite IKEA Products
We found the most creative ideas for the retailer's most iconic items.
Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Known for their Scandinavian simplicity and approachable prices, IKEA products are also beloved for their chameleon-like ability to be customized. They're essentially a blank slate for your creativity. (Designers love IKEA kitchens for the same reasons.) Whether you want to DIY a dupe of a more expensive piece or transform a dresser into a secretary (find out how below), there's practically no limit to what you can accomplish—or how high-end you can make a Billy or Kallax look—using IKEA hacks. You don't have to be a contractor, furniture designer, or even a very experienced DIY-er to create a piece that looks exactly your style. From lighting to bookcases to storage hacks, there's an IKEA DIY project for every level hacker.
The easiest and most cost-effective IKEA furniture hack is swapping in new legs and hardware for an instant upgrade. Painting is another straightforward, beginner-friendly option. Some of IKEA's raw pine furniture is ready to be painted right out of the box. Other pieces will need to be cleaned, sanded, and primed prior to your first coat to ensure a long-lasting finish.
And that's just the beginning. No matter your ambition or assembly skills, we believe an IKEA hack is an accessible means to getting custom furniture without an exorbitant price tag. Read on to get inspired by 22 next-level incredible Ikea hacks—including some of the best IKEA desk hacks, IKEA bed hacks, and IKEA cabinet hacks we've ever seen. (There's even a clever IKEA cat hack.) These ideas maximize the original pieces' utility and functionality and seriously elevate their style.
Midcentury Desk
Building a desk out of IKEA dressers and a countertop or hollow-core door is standard DIY fare. Upgrade the idea by covering the drawer fronts in rich wood-look laminate paper and swapping in sleek single pulls. The IKEA Rast dresser comes ready to paint and customize.
See more at Good Housekeeping.
Storage Headboard
Renting a place with a small bedroom? Skip bulky nightstands and mount the IKEA Mandal headboard to Stolmen posts secured into the ceiling instead of your wall. You can keep all your bedtime essentials within arm's reach on its shelves without drilling dozens of holes.
See more at Apartment Therapy.
Floating Entryway Storage
Attention, all roommates: Mount a few magazine holders to the bottom of a shelf for easy, organized mail slots. The shelf above can be used as a drop zone for keys and other essentials.
Get the tutorial at Instructables.
Wall Storage
Similar to a pegboard, this simple storage solution calls for mounting old bed slats to the wall. It's perfect for a small kitchen or office space—just add S-hooks.
See more at Ich Designer.
Bike Mount
Keep your beloved bike off the floor by utilizing…wait for it…stool legs. Yes, a pair of L-shaped IKEA stool legs (when sturdily screwed into a wall stud) make an ideal DIY bike mount, no custom hardware necessary.
See more at IKEA Hackers.
Rattan Pendant Light
A simple IKEA basket was transformed into a pendant light in this sweet kid's room designed by Barrie Benson. To further draw attention to the ceiling, she covered it in printed wallpaper.
Modern Cat Tree
Okay, that gorgeous Bengal is obviously the best thing about this living room by Bower Studio, but the clever pet-friendly IKEA shelves are a close second. Line them with the retailer's faux sheepskin to make the corner extra cozy.
Painted Rug
How cool is this conversation-friendly living room designed by Leanne Ford? A sisal rug is a go-to for casual spaces, but this one is actually brushed with white paint to fit the monochromatic color scheme. The custom light fixture was created by entwining PVC pipe hoops with chunky rope, also painted white.
Home Library
Shavonda Gardner's Sacramento home is full of problem-solving gems, like these customized IKEA shelves that hold a library's worth of books. A deeply comfy vintage Eames recliner and the wedding broom on display add a personal touch to the reading nook.
Farmhouse Sink
Leanne Ford added a Kingston brass faucet, natural stone countertops, and a vintage pendant light to give a basic IKEA sink character.
Lauren is a senior editor at Hearst. She was previously the senior editor at WomansDay.com and the home editor at GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com. Her book club, ramen, and jean jackets are a few of her favorite things.
Hadley Mendelsohn is the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House. When she's not busy writing about interiors, you can find her scouring vintage stores, reading, researching ghost stories, or stumbling about because she probably lost her glasses again. Along with interior design, she writes about everything from travel to entertainment, beauty, social issues, relationships, fashion, food, and on very special occasions, witches, ghosts, and other Halloween haunts. Her work has also been published in MyDomaine, Who What Wear, Man Repeller, Matches Fashion, Byrdie, and more.
Kate McGregor is House Beautiful's SEO Editor, writing in-depth home renovation cost guides, design inspiration stories while overseeing gardening content through routine plant care guides. With over five years in the shelter industry creating content for brands like Domino, Real Simple, and Architectural Digest’s Clever, Kate has developed a passion for uncovering the personal stories that often lie behind the inspiration for people’s spaces. She previously worked as the assistant market editor at ELLE Decor, where she identified top products and brands in the industry as well as interviewed emerging designers about their thoughts on the latest interior design trends. Kate holds a bachelor’s degree from Belmont University. When not researching the specificities of begonia plant care, you can find Kate scouring vintage markets for the ideal wrought-iron chair, knitting yet another cardigan, or reading historical nonfiction.
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