Design Hacks To Transform IKEA Products Into Chic Pieces For Any Home

IKEA bookcases can be used for so many things if you know how to customize them. Instagrammer decorista_93 added extra storage to her kitchen by making an IKEA GERSBY bookcase into a slide-out storage unit. All she had to do was add appliance rollers and handles, and she had a whole new shelf for ingredients and utensils! This hack takes some basic knowledge of DIY and some power tools, but it’s fairly easy to pull off.

Instagrammer bangonstyle came up with a new use for the bed slats that come with IKEA beds. They can be up-cycled into a garden planter! This one will take a bit of work and equipment — you’ll need screws, a drill, and ideally a saw that can easily create miter corners — but it’s well worth doing if you’re looking to spruce up your garden on a budget. You can plant some beautiful flowers or delicious homegrown produce in it.

IKEA’s SKOGSTA bench retails for around $79, but you can make it look like a million dollars with nothing but a few rolls of jute rope. Jute is very popular in home interior design at the moment, because it can withstand a lot, it looks pretty, and it’s great for rooms that open up onto the outdoors. The only other thing you need for this hack is a hot glue gun so you can attach the jute rope to the bench. Oh, and a little patience!

We’re obsessed with this beautifully customized set of IKEA HEMNES drawers. Instagrammer diydoctorat49 gave this inexpensive unit an upgrade by painting it pale green, cutting out an arch shape into each drawer, lining each arch with natural rattan, and adding some stylish brass handles. Rattan, which is super popular right now, really takes this look to the next level. It’s not really a one-day project — it takes a while to create the curves and do the gluing and painting — but it’s very much worth it.

IKEA sells plenty of affordable glassware, which is great for upcycling. Have you ever thought about creating your own DIY vase? Choose some fun IKEA glasses or vases and glue them together (leaving an opening at the top, obviously!), wait for the glue to dry, spray them with primer, and then paint as you please. We suggest going with textured spray paint for a chic effect. Try it with a couple of IKEA’s PÅDRAG vases (pictured here), which only cost a few bucks each. It’s one of the easiest and cheapest IKEA hacks out there, and it could even make a fun arts and crafts project for kids.

This hack was so popular it got its own hashtag: #duktighack. The DUKTIG is a simple children’s play kitchen sold by IKEA, and people have become obsessed with customizing this product in creative ways to match their own home decor. We’re talking adding funky tiles, wallpaper, paint, decals — you name it! The results are pretty cool, and it’s a really simple way to take a minimal product to the next level. Hopefully, the kids loved their new play kitchens as much as the adults did!

Paneled walls are cool, but they’re not the easiest to do yourself without any experience. Thankfully one genius person came up with the idea of using picture frames instead! Head to IKEA and pick out your favorite frame — they have a bunch of different styles for affordable prices. Instagram user filiz.interior demonstrated how they achieved this look: they carefully attached the frames to the wall, making sure they were placed equal distances from each other, and then she painted over them and the wall. That’s it! So easy.

Stylish lampshades can be pretty expensive, but DIYing one with IKEA products is surprisingly easy. In this case, YouTuber Lone Fox used the SNIDAD Woven Basket to create a beautiful shade for a pendant light. He simply cut a hole in the bottom, fed the cord through the hole, screwed in a bulb, and voila! This could work with other IKEA baskets, too, and other items like vases. Get creative and see what you can come up with!

IKEA’s BILLY bookcases are very popular, partly because they can be customized in so many exciting ways. With a few simple ideas, you can make these basic bookcases look nothing at all like inexpensive IKEA furniture. People have used them to create all sorts of statement pieces, including stunning built-in library walls, mirrored kitchen cabinets, and stylish alcove shelving. Check out this beautiful arched display cabinet fashioned from a BILLY bookcase by digital creator crack_the_shutters. We love it!

It turns out chopping boards are good for lots of things besides chopping food! We love this super-simple hack for an IKEA Stolthet chopping block. Just flip it on its back, and it makes a great place to display your books — with built-in bookends! But that’s not all. It can also be used as a monitor stand, a stand for large liquid containers, and countless other things. Definitely the first product to buy if you’re just starting your IKEA hack journey — or if you have a lot of books.

A DIY dog bed? We’re here for it! YouTuber HandmadeHome showed us how to make a bed for her pup out of an IKEA crate. She explains, “You need one Knagglig box 18- x 12- x10-inch, a screwdriver, a rectangle cushion pad [16 x 26 inches], some cotton fabric, and a sewing machine.” But if you don’t have a sewing machine, you could simply hand-sew the cushion part or maybe just buy one at the same time you pick up the KNAGGLIG. Either way, your dog will appreciate it.

One reason IKEA is so popular with up-cyclers is that the furniture has super-simple designs, so you can let your imagination run wild. Plain products can be transformed into beautiful statement pieces with just a few additions. Take this lovely creation from newhome_oldhouse_ on Instagram. They used paneling, dark paint, and brass handles to completely transform this basic set of IKEA drawers. And you can do something similar without too much effort!

Pole wrap, a kind of flexible wall paneling, is so great for taking a simple unit and transforming it into something special. This fabulous console creation was put together by Instagrammer abby_roadhome. She says, “IKEA HACK! 2 Eket cabinets + pole wrap = the console cabinet of my dreams! The console cabinet I really wanted was close to $3,000…which meant perfect time for an IKEA hack.” Pole wrap is very popular right now; it’s a versatile material that’s great for covering pretty much anything. The proper stuff is moisture-resistant, too, and it can be painted any color you like.

Hot air balloon lamps are great for kids, but why buy one when you could make one yourself for half the price? All you really need to do is rope an IKEA Fryken basket and a Regolit circular lampshade together, and then place a toy — IKEA sells toys as well, but you could also just use a toy you already have — in the basket. You could even paint the Regolit a different color if it would better match the decor of the room!

You have a simple bed from IKEA, but what’s your next step? You could paint it a different color, of course, but why not wallpaper the headboard for something a little different? Once you find a good print that matches your home decor, you simply have to apply it — or pay a professional to apply it if you don’t know what you’re doing — and then you have yourself a lovely, one-of-a-kind bed. You could even change the wallpaper later if you decide to remake the room.

This beautiful DIY lamp is created from — would you believe it — IKEA serving bowls! These affordable woven dishes, intended for serving chips and other food on the dinner table, make a great starting point for upcycling. For this particular creation, YouTuber Lone Fox got a couple of chip bowls from IKEA and carefully joined them together with glued-on wooden sticks. The result is a lovely lampshade that can be placed over an IKEA lamp base.

Island units can make a kitchen look great, but they’re usually quite expensive. So why not make your own? Instagrammer do.it.yourself.mum created hers from two IKEA Kallax units — and a whole lot of hard work cutting and sanding! The main body of the island is two IKEA Kallax units, and she used two paint colors mixed together to get this gorgeous deep blue color. The top is made from reclaimed scaffolding boards, which she finished with an oak wood stain, and she created doors using MDF. The result is amazing.

Don’t buy a cute terracotta dish for your table; make one instead! That’s what YouTuber Katie Bookser did with an IKEA bowl that cost her just 79 cents. She used a terracotta paint spray on it first to give it the classic orange look of real terracotta. Then she aged it up with dark gray paint, which she brushed very lightly against the dish with a paintbrush, and finally, she gave it a bit of sandpapering. The result was a product as good as any store-bought one.

Why not try making a stylish grid mirror using only cheap pieces from IKEA? The website Ikea Hackers suggests choosing Lonsas mirrors — only a few dollars each — and Knoppang picture frames. The mirrors should fit smoothly into the frames, and then you can glue all the frames together. Next, reinforce this grid structure by attaching wood horizontally and vertically across the back. Then, hang your new creation up on the wall! You can use as many mirrors and picture frames as you like, depending on how big you want to go.

Bathroom storage ladders are really cute, and it turns out they’re pretty easy to make yourself using IKEA furniture. Just take one of their Ivar side units and paint it whatever color you like (fill in the holes with filler first if you want). Then add your own accessories for storage — small baskets, wooden pegs, et cetera — and you’re done! It’s a great way to hang towels and store other bathroom accessories. Bonus tip: if you want your ladder to stand better, simply cut an angle into the bottom of the legs.

This just in: there are more uses for breadboxes than just storing bread! Although you can do that too if you like. But if you already have somewhere to keep your loaves, why not do what Instagram user ellafalkner_ did? She took two IKEA Magasin breadboxes, glued them together, attached some legs onto the bottom, and got herself a brand new, very stylish side table with storage inside. Someone in the comment section pointed out that you could even glue four Magasins together if you wanted a larger piece.

IKEA picture frames have all sorts of uses, and this one was suggested by YouTuber Katie Bookser. She turned a cheap IKEA frame into a hanging table — and we’re here for it. She simply took the plastic film out of the photo frame and used it to create a new “bottom” for the table out of scrapbook paper and Mod Podge. Then she screwed little hooks onto the frame, attached string, and hung it up from the ceiling. Stunning!

Who would have thought that this lovely bedside table started out with an IKEA product under $30? YouTuber lots of dots got herself IKEA’s MOPPE mini storage chest. Then she glued together the top drawers, painted them, added wood paneling (for this she creatively used IKEA’s RÖDEBY bamboo tray!), and attached some beautiful brass handles. With just a few crafty additions, she hacked herself a stylish, floating bedside storage solution, which no one else will have! Can we get one?

Maybe you don’t have a green thumb and plant pots just aren’t for you. You can still put them to good use though! If you buy some of the bigger pots from IKEA, you can easily paint them and/or glue them together to make some great and unique side tables. Really it’s up to you which pots you choose, but the PERSILLADE range is great for this. To finish it off, add a lazy Susan (like IKEA’s SNUDDA) for the top.

The mushroom lamp trend may have had its day, but we still love these cute accessories — and even more now we know we can create them ourselves! Pretty much all you need is an IKEA bowl, an IKEA vase, some fairy lights powered by batteries, a hot glue gun, and whatever paint you like best! Paint your bowl and vase, attach the fairy lights to the inside of the bowl with the battery switch in easy reach, and then glue the bowl and vase together. It really is that simple!

IKEA’s Gladom side table is perfect for upcycling since it provides a simple yet stylish base to work from. It costs $24.99 and comes in four different colors: black, white, blue, and green. There are loads of things you can do with this side table. Some people have attached rattan around the rim, some have painted the tray top a funky color, and others have used contact paper to create a new patterned top that matches their home decor.

One of the best things about IKEA is how many items can be repurposed without any DIY work. Something designed for one particular use can find a whole new lease of life as something else. To give just one great example, Instagrammer kleinstadtcoco took the IKEA MOTSJÖ pendant lamp shade and instead decided to use it as a chic fruit bowl. We love it! Just make sure you give the lampshade a good clean before putting food in it.

Maybe there’s a bit of spare space in your house where a side table could go? If you’re shopping on a budget or just looking to get creative, try making one yourself! You can pick up several large bowls for a low price at IKEA, glue them together one on top of the other, cover them in filler, paint everything with a color to your liking, and attach a wooden board to the top. It’s another fairly easy project to do if you’re just starting out with DIY.

Making a light out of a basket isn’t the sort of thing that would occur to most people, but it did occur to YouTuber Lone Fox. He got a wicker basket called the Smarra from IKEA, stained it a different color, and used it as a lampshade for the IKEA Solklint sconce. The Solklint comes with a little glass piece to hold the light bulb, so Lone Fox suggested using that piece as a vase instead. Nothing gets wasted that way!

If you have a lot of old magazines you want to display, look no further. You can stick painted IKEA picture ledges together to create a magazine rack! An Instagram user called stepintodetail created this one by using four Mosslanda picture ledges and a 79- x 24-inch Lagkapten top. You’ll need screws and a screwdriver, but this is a pretty easy hack overall. Don’t forget to paint the finished rack a color that matches the room.

Display trays are a really simple way to elevate your home style, and you can make yourself a cheap one using nothing but IKEA products! An IKEA Tillgang tray can be spray-painted and then jazzed up with acrylic paints to make a tray just like the ones you’d find in fashion stores. Then you can add a couple of handles onto it so you can take it anywhere. This is a fun project because there are so many options!

There are so many things you can do with an IKEA dresser. Instagram user michelle_grimm_ decided to get some good burlap and wrap all the drawers of her dresser in it, resulting in a stylish and unique look. Paired with the dark paint color, it really stands out. This is quite an easy hack to pull off, too, as long as you have the right materials.

Okay, this hack takes a bit of work, but if you’re an experienced DIY-er, it could save you a lot of money. Instagrammer kristinsrendition took an IKEA MALM dresser and used it to create a really cool bed for her kids’ room. Using a dresser as a base is genius because you have ready-made under-bed storage! The creation cost less than $600, which is pretty cool for such an expensive-looking design. She also added a cute little step ladder, which we love.

If you’re looking for a cool chair, but you’re shopping on a budget, try this project. IKEA has a lot of fluffy sheepskin rugs and throws, so why not reupholster a chair with one of them? Get yourself a basic chair and attach the material. YouTuber Lone Fox, who loves IKEA hacks, highly recommends using an electric stapler for this part. The result? Chic, fluffy, perfection. Sign us up!

Routers are, of course, incredibly useful, but you hardly want them to be the focal point of a room. So why not disguise them with something that looks super chic? Grab a wicker or woven basket from IKEA and cut a hole in it for the wires to go through. Then, put another basket on top, but don’t glue them together; you might need to access the router another time. Et voila! Your router is now disguised as a pretty box. You can paint it a different color if you like, too. FYI: IKEA’s SMARRA box works really well for this because it comes with a lid.

IKEA rugs look nice on the floor, but they look great as baskets as well. Really? Yes! Turning a rug into a basket takes some scissors, glue, cutting, and folding, but it’s pretty easy all things considered. You don’t even have to sew! You can then use your new basket to hold items that you want kept out of the way, or you can even use it to conceal a plant pot and give a houseplant a stylish twist. The lovely creation pictured here uses IKEA’s KLEJS woven rug, which just costs a few dollars!

Kids need books, so ideally they should have a bookcase within easy reach. And it helps if that bookcase is designed to meet all their needs. Instead of buying one, Instagram user project_34_selfbuild used three of the IKEA SNUDDA Lazy Susans to make a bookcase that rotates! It’s a very simple idea but a great one. The bookcase can be painted any color you wish, and children will find it hard to lose their favorite books.

There’s not a lot you can’t do with IKEA cube storage! Ashley Nariman shared this awesome creation for coffee lovers on Instagram. She turned her IKEA cube storage into a cute coffee zone by adding legs, mug hooks, storage baskets, and a towel hanger. We love how it looks when all the accessories — mugs, spoons, jars, and (obviously) coffee — are added! But if you prefer something stronger than coffee, some people have turned their cubes into wine bars instead by doing many of the same add-ons! Cool.

Want a bench seat but not sure about spending all that money? Well, why not use IKEA cabinets to create one? This is a fairly big project and probably not one for a beginner since it involves a lot of sawing, caulking, and math. But once the cabinets are safely affixed to the floor and painted the color you like, you can get yourself some foam and fabric and create the sofa part. Then you can nap on it as a reward for a job well done.

Some people are just really good at IKEA hacks, and one of them is TikToker Sarah Teresinski. She created a really creative wall sconce from a humble IKEA plastic bag holder, which only cost a few dollars each. In May 2023 she told the Architectural Digest website, “I have a lot of chandeliers and sconces in my home, so I’m always looking for new creative ways to make sconces that don’t need to be hardwired and I thought this trash bag holder was the absolute perfect base to create a sconce!” Check out her process here.