40+ Times People Used Clever Hacks to Make Ikea Furniture Their Own

Ikea furniture is, largely, associated with simple colors and straightforward designs. This is great for versatility but doesn’t always give your home a unique appearance.

That’s something this person solved with this Kallax piece from Ikea. They started by mounting it on legs to change it up altogether. Then, they took the time to give it a paint job to be proud of, making sure to add some finer details. The result? The shelf went from storage to statement piece!

Window seats are a great place to relax and catch some sunlight in the comfort of your own home. Yet, you might wonder what to do if you don’t have a built-in option.

This is another example of someone elevating the Ikea Kallax to a whole new level. This person decided to add some accessories and a supply of comfortable pillows to make the shelving-unit-turned-seat a cozy spot to read or lounge. Plus, it’s small enough to slide by a window.

When you shop at Ikea, everything is made to look fresh and new. However, this doesn’t always work if you want an antique touch to your home.

On one hand, Ikea isn’t likely to switch to antiquing anytime soon. On the other hand, you can hack your Ikea furniture as this person did. With a carefully executed paint job, this person made their furniture look antique but with all the same trappings of modern furniture. It takes some skill but it’s an impressive DIY!

When you need storage solutions, there are quite a few solutions at Ikea. On top of that, with a little ingenuity, you can come up with versions that really stand out.

This person started with an Ikea Ivar Cupboard. First, they removed part of the doors that the Ikea cabinet came with to add rattan mesh. The end result is an elevated piece that you probably wouldn’t automatically associate with its original form from Ikea. It really elevates it into a new, chic form.

There are few pieces of furniture quite as essential as a bed. You can even turn one of the more modern beds from Ikea into a rustic dream.

The base for this hack was the Ikea Malm Bed. To start, they added some wooden planks to the bed to give it a more rustic look. From there, the frame was painted to step away from the modern look further. The end result is a bed that would fit into any farmhouse decor.

Making a dresser a bit more lively isn’t a hard task once you know what to do. For this hack, you’ll want to start with a dresser from Ikea that you like.

In this hack, this person also elevated the dresser with a set of legs. However, all you really need is some paint or contact paper. This way, you can use the base color and then add extra visuals to make it pop. If you can’t paint the more detailed parts, that’s where contact paper is handy!

There are few things that housecats love more than climbing and playing. That’s why it’s advised that their owners have cat trees they can climb around on.

Still, most cat trees aren’t exactly minimalistic. If you want something that suits you and your cats, you can modify some Ikea Frosta Stools. This person attached them to the wall to create shelves their cats could walk around on. With multiple Ikea stools available, you can create a network like this!

It’s a lot of kids’ dreams to have a room that reminds them of their favorite fairytales. Yet, it’s not every parent knows how to pull this off.

With Ikea’s help, you can create a fantasy bad that your kids will always remember. These parents started with an Ikea Kura Bed and just started adding details until they achieved this result. Not only does this allow the lucky child a bed in a palace but there’s a little space beneath the loft too.

There are times when a shelf is all you need. Other times, you can get more out of a cubby. After all, it offers interior storage space as well as a flat top.

This particular cubby was made with a base of the Ikea Hack Magazine Holder. Instead of setting it on a table or desk, they decided to mount it on the wall sideways. This way, the piece offers increased storage space compared to its intended usage.

Any good pet owner knows that their pets need more than just a food and water bowl. One of the other basics to include is a bed of their own for them to rest in.

This cat owner got creative and used a little help from Ikea to make a bunk bed! This time, the piece of furniture was created from two Ikea Duktig Doll Beds. Then, they bolted them together to create a bunk bed. This cat obviously loves it!

There are times when an Ikea piece, as is, just doesn’t suit your taste. Sometimes, you need to shake things up and personalize an item to your decor design.

Like this person showed with their Ikea Hemnes Dresser, you don’t always have to put in a lot of hard work to create something stunning. In this case, the biggest change came down to the paint job. to make it stand out from its original form even further, they switched out the handles as well.

Most people who prize their collections don’t just want them to sit in a drawer, never to be seen. You’ve worked hard to get them and you need a good place to display them.

This clever hack to create a shelf for video game collectibles is definitely one to remember. They started with the Ribba Frame and Lustigt Shelves, both from Ikea. With some time, glue, and vibrant paint, they recreated an iconic scene any gamer would recognize.

There’s nothing quite as challenging as trying to find storage space where there isn’t a lot of space at all. In these cases, narrow furniture can be a big help.

This person pulled their hack off with a pair of Ikea Hemnes Shoe Cabinets. They paired them up with a single stained wood top to hold them together. The end result is a spare entryway table that adds storage without taking up too much room.

Cats like to have a space that they can get away, especially if there are other pets or children in the house. This hack came from an owner whose dog bothered the cat at dinnertime.

The starting point was the Kallax from Ikea. They then set to modifying it to their needs. This included adding wicker baskets for storage. This also included creating a space for their cat’s food bowl while they ate in one of the cubbies. Plus, it’s completely puppy-proof!

When it comes to livening up a patio, finding furniture that sets the scene and works in outdoor conditions can be hard. You can create your own with a little ingenuity.

This person started with a table from the Lack collection at Ikea. Then, they set to work creating a space at the center of the table to hold succulents. The change seems small but it changes the entire design to something a little more lifelike.

Libraries are something that we often think of as either public use or a luxury to have in your own home. Actually, you can have a library fairly easily.

In this hack, the base is really just plenty of Ikea bookshelves. The exact number depends on how many books you have and want to display. From there, stain the bookshelves to match your likes and mount them on the walls. This will give them a built-in appearance, taking your home library to the next level.

There’s nothing worse than getting ready to walk out of the door and realizing that you can’t find your keys. This hack is great if you want to introduce a little organization.

The starting place for this hack was a pair of Bekvam Spice Racks from Ikea. By adding some magnets to the underside of the shelf, this person created a space to hang their keys. For an extra touch, you could paint them if you want.

For the most part, cats are clean animals. However, having a cat means that you need a litter box for them and those aren’t quite as cute as your adorable friend.

To make the litter box accessible to them but out of the way of humans, this person hacked a Fritids piece from Ikea. The section that slides under the bench holds the litterbox. To ensure that the cat can still get in, they cut a hole in the side.

When it comes to bargain-hunting for furniture, you can find some great things! Yet, it’s a little harder to find a piece that’s one-of-a-kind that will set you apart.

That’s why hacks like these are handy – they can make completely unique results! Take this person for example. They started with an Ikea bookshelf and went above and beyond. They grabbed some paint alongside a CNC cutter that let them actually etch designs directly into the shelves.

Every kid wants a treehouse, so why not make their bed into an indoor treehouse they love? That’s exactly what this hack is all about.

To start, like this person, you’ll want the Ikea Kura Bed. From there, they added the Torfast steps from Ikea to increase access and storage. Then, they just added some paint and wooden planks to tie the whole thing together. It turned out great too! What kid wouldn’t want a bed like this?

There are few materials that are as immediately associated with luxury as marble. However, is it possible to get the look of marble without paying luxury prices? Yes!

This hack starts with the Vittsjö Coffee Table from Ikea as well as some gold paint and marble contact paper. First, the gold paint is for the frame of the table. The marble contact paper, on the other hand, should go on the glass tabletop. The result is a beautiful table like this!

Laundry is a chore that no one can avoid. At least, you’ll need to wash clothes if you want more to wear. A little organization can speed this chore along.

This person achieved a modern look in their laundry room with an Ikea hack. The starting point, in this case, was a Voxtorp Cupboard system and a Karlby Countertop, both from Ikea. The end result was a modern-looking setup that would speed anyone’s laundry along.

Cats often love being outside for short periods. That being said, there are a limited number of ways to allow this if your cat likes to run away.

One Ikea fan devised a way to get their cat some fresh air without risking their safety. They started with a pair of Hejne Shelves from Ikea and added some mesh wire. Now, they have a place for their cat to enjoy the sun without the risk of them getting out.

When you’re decorating your home or room, you want it to capture your personal style. However, this can be hard to do when you’re working with pre-fab furniture.

There are some hacks that can make any pre-fab furniture look custom-made, though. This person did it with only a Moppe Cabinet from Ikea. With a few changes and, it’s important to note, decorations on and around it, they captured their personality and made this piece their very own.

A drink station is a great feature to add to your home. It’s a particularly good idea if you’re a fan of entertaining others and elevating your space for groups.

The base for this hack is the Ikea Vittsjö table. The biggest change here is that the bottom and the top will need wood. This changes the look and even adds additional storage space. For more room, though, you can even add pegs underneath the top to hang glasses.

When you need to work from home, it’s important to have a space dedicated to that. Otherwise, it’s hard to keep things separate and stay both happy and productive.

With a little help from Ikea, this person made a memorable workstation in their own home. The main desk is made up of the Karlby Countertop from Ikea with legs attached. To separate the two stations and add storage, they also included a drawer system in the middle.

The furniture in your home says a lot about you, or at least it should. Luckily, as we’ve looked at, there are plenty of hacks to elevate a pre-fab item.

This person took their creative genius to an Ikea sideboard. The result was something a little more detailed and a little more unique compared to how it looked at first. It’s amazing to see how much a small change like a little paint can transform an object into a mid-century masterpiece.

Getting ready to welcome a baby into your home means being prepared for their every need. This includes a place to take care of some of the dirty jobs, like diaper changes.

Of course, finding a changing table that fits your needs isn’t always easy. That’s why a handy hack letting you make your own is great! This changing table was brought to life by a soon-to-be parent with some ingenuity and a few pieces of Ikea furniture.

It’s important that all of your personal interests have a place in your home. This means that if you love music, you need a place for any equipment or albums you have.

The answer for this music lover was to mix a love for Ikea with a bit of creativity. They started with a simple piece of Ikea furniture that makes up the main body of the item. Then, they added a wooden top and a set of legs to elevate the design to another level.

Bathrooms are a particular challenge when it comes to finding storage space. Especially in smaller homes, it can be hard to fit everything in where it needs to go!

Vertical storage is handy here and one homeowner had an Ikea hack to prove it. They started with Ikea Spice Racks but switched from the kitchen and mounted them to the door of the bathroom. It doesn’t take up a lot of space and it keeps everything tidy and on-hand.

If there’s one thing that it can be challenging to store, it’s coats. This is especially true if you just don’t have enough closet space in your home.

Facing this problem creatively, someone came up with an Ikea hack solution. All they needed from Ikea was a pair of Besta TV Cabinets that they paired with a hang bar. This gave them a bit of extra storage for clothes while still looking fairly sleek, modern, and neat.

Whether you want extra workspace or just a place to sit and tie your shoes when you get ready, a bench can be a versatile choice. This hack is aimed at just that need.

You can create a bar and bench space in your home with the help of a couple sets of Ikea shelving systems. From there, you really just need to put them together in a way that works for you. To spruce it up a bit, you can also add personal touches.

Ikea is well-known for furniture but that isn’t all that they’re here for. In addition, you can shop around for some accessories to add a warm touch to your home.

You can actually use one of their accents to make a comfy pillow for a bench. All you’ll need from Ikea is a rug that you like. Then, you’ll need a reliable sewing machine. With a few quick stitches and some stuffing, you’ll have a suitable pillow in no time!

When it comes to kids’ toys, most manufacturer’s turn to plastic. This doesn’t always look great, adds quite a bit of unnecessary waste, and not as durable as they could be.

However, you can make a kids’ kitchen set out of wood with a little help from Ikea. All you really need is a wooden step stool and some chalkboard paint. For an extra bit of storage space or an imaginary oven, an added wire basket is a nice touch.

Some shelves are specifically storing items alone. Sometimes, though, you want shelves that will help you display your items for everyone to see. In these case, small shelf spaces won’t work.

This person figured out a solution to this problem with a hack using the Ikea Magasinhylla. With a few modifications, you can turn these pieces of furniture into sectioned shelves to make the most of the space there. Adding a little paint gives them a sleek, modern look too.

When you’re trying to make sure you have all the details to capture your style in your home, don’t forget the light fixtures! You can make them pretty fun too, like this person did.

The hack started with just a standard circular shade for a light. Then, you’ll want to add an interior image around the inside of the shade. This person decided to use an image of a map but you don’t have to. Instead, pick an image that you love to make it personalized.

Nightstands are one of the most useful pieces of furniture in a bedroom. On the other hand, they can take up a lot of space which isn’t always ideal.

The answer to this could be a floating nightstand. Working like shelves, this hack uses vertical space and leaves you the room underneath. You can use two small Ikea shelves to make a nightstand that still has some “interior” storage as well even though the nightstand doesn’t sit on the floor.

There are times that you wish you had more counterspace but extending your counters is a huge renovation. Instead, a kitchen island can be a budget-friendly and convenient solution.

If you live in a smaller space, you might wonder how you can find an appropriately-sized option. The answer could be this Ikea hack. This DIYer accomplished the task by pairing up a couple of Ikea shelving systems with a few doors to create an option with extra storage space and counter space.

Cabinets are handy because they tend to look great while offering plenty of space to store anything you need to. So, how can you upgrade an Ikea cabinet to fit into your decor?

For something that offers as much storage space as this, you just need an Applaro Wall Panel and an Ivar Cabinet from Ikea. You can add some extra shelves as well. To get the clean, uniform finish, make sure to stain or paint the cabinet to match.

With many people working from home anymore, it’s important to have a space in your home to work if you need it. Where do you start when creating a home office or office nook?

This person made their office nook with a little help from Ikea. The main components of this DIY are a pair of Helmer and Alex Filing Systems. The two are tied together simply by being used as legs for a wooden tabletop. Then, you can just decorate your new “desk” as you’d like!

There are a few advantages to having shelves in your home. For one, it’s extra storage space. Secondly, shelves can give you a place to display your belongings.

This Ikea hack starts with a few items including Ikea lid dividers and some wood planks. Instead of using them normally, mount the lid dividers on the wall vertically. Then, you can slide the wood planks into place where you want them on the lid dividers. From there, display what you please!

Using the space you have means coming up with creative solutions. If you don’t have space for a full dining room table, what can you do instead?

The answer could be adding a breakfast nook to your kitchen. You can do this by grabbing a few Lack tables from Ikea. After that, all you need to do is add some cushions and pillows for comfort and start to accessorize. Here, a second table rounds out the breakfast nook.

Coffee tables are an essential to make your living room feel like home. This gives you a handy place to set down your coffee, display some plants, or even prop up your feet.

Yet, why not find a coffee table that’s more than functional and even starts a conversation? You can do that like this person did with the help fo an Alesda Stool from Ikea. All they did was add some legs underneath the stool to make it a tabletop.

We’ve already looked at how important light fixtures can be in a room. Yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t take a cute light fixture and transform it into something new.

This person used an Ikea lamp to make something unexpected: a terrarrium. To accomplish this, they painted the lamp white – or any color you would want, if you try this hack. You could also switch it up a bit considering what you fill the terrarrium with once it’s ready.

If you’re trying to make the most of a small space, you need to get a little creative in where you see storage in your home. This hack is so handy, you could even forgo a nightstand at all!

The hack starts with picking up a Malm headboard from Ikea. Once you have it, mount it on the wall like this person did. As a result, you have a cubby where you can store whatever you please. They even added a small door for privacy.