DIY IKEA Ideas: 15 Genius Hacks
Ah, the good ol’ IKEA hack. We’re all big fans, right? I think by now it’s well-established that IKEA is a great place to find furniture and other fun pieces that you can DIY into something that’s perfect for your home. There are endless possibilities for hacking various IKEA pieces, and all it takes is a little creativity.
Over the years, I’ve done approximately one trillion DIY IKEA projects, and I’ve been inspired by dozens more on other sites. So, I figured it’s high time we have a page dedicated to putting all of the best DIY IKEA hack ideas in one spot!
I mean, who doesn’t love an IKEA hack?! Grab yourself some Swedish meatballs and settled in to feel inspired. And, maybe, be ready to take an impromptu trip to your local IKEA when you’re done reading!
DIY IKEA Ideas – 15 of My Favorite IKEA Hacks
1. Turn Billy Bookcases Into a Built-In Bed
This was one of my very favorite projects that we tackled in our second house, and it’s a project I’d do again in an instant! We took two IKEA BILLY bookcases and added them to a DIY frame we built, and created the ultimate built-in bed. I was (and am!) so incredibly proud of how it turned out, and I think the BILLY bookcases are perfect for something like this!
2. DIY Built-In Billy Bookcases
Speaking of BILLY bookcases, if you don’t want to use them for a bed they also make the prefect built-in shelving! This little corner of BILLY bookcases added so much storage to Grant’s room it’s almost silly, and I absolutely love how they look. This is a project I can see myself doing again and again in any home we live in.
3. Add a Map (via Pillar Box Blue)
If you have any wood furniture from IKEA, this is such an adorable way to spruce it up! The exact product used for this project isn’t at IKEA anymore, but I couldn’t resist including it. You could use this technique on just about anything (from IKEA or otherwise), and it is just gorgeous. I love how the map looks with the leather handles. This would make such a statement in any room!
4. Turn a Curtain Rod Into an Art Display
I needed a really simple way to let Jackson display some of his artwork in his room at our last house. I decided to use this cute little wire curtain rod to make it happen! It turned out absolutely adorable and was a really fun display for him. Obviously a bulletin board is the more traditional way to tackle this, but he loved this so much, and so did I!
5. Make a DIY Fluted Dresser
Oh, the IKEA dresser. When it comes to DIY IKEA hacks, it doesn’t get much more ubiquitous than this! There are approximately 100 zillion different ways to makeover an IKEA dresser. You’ve seen me do it so many times here on the blog! This DIY fluted dresser is probably my favorite of all the ones I’ve done, but there’s a DIY IKEA dresser hack to match absolutely any style out there.
6. Use Kallax Shelves for a Gorgeous Bench (via Grillo Designs)
This beautiful DIY bench from Grillo Designs uses the Kallax Shelving units to create a super functional bench. It’s absolutely perfect for a small dining space, and is so stylish. I love how you can really customize this project to fit your needs and your space, and I can definitely see myself trying a take on this one sometime!
7. Create a DIY Faux Card Catalog
I promise I won’t include all of my dresser hacks on this list, but I feel like this little DIY card catalog is worth mentioning! If I were tackling a project like this again, I wouldn’t do the exact same style. I’d stain the whole thing for it to look a little more traditional. But, I stand by this idea as a really unique and super simple way to create a cute little faux card catalog! It was such a fun project, and I think it could be so dang cute in a home office.
8. Easy Play Kitchen Makeover
There was a time when these play kitchen makeovers were all over the internet. Everyone was doing them! So, it should come as no surprise that Jackson had an IKEA play kitchen that we made over for him. It was pretty enough that we left it sitting out in our living room at our first house, and he played with it constantly. I think the IKEA play kitchen is such a classic. There are so (so) many fun ways to give it a makeover.
9. Create a Stunning Library (via A Carried Affair)
If you ask me, BILLY bookcases are the true MVP of IKEA. They’re simple and affordable but man, they sure can be used to create just about anything. I mean, can you even believe that this super-high-end home office was created with BILLY bookcases? I absolutely love the arched detail at the top. If I ever am lucky enough to have a home office, I can guarantee you it’ll look a lot like this!
10. How to Paint IKEA Furniture (via Designer Trapped)
One of the hardest parts about hacking IKEA furniture is that it can be so challenging to paint! If you’ve ever struggled to paint a laminate IKEA piece, this post will help you understand exactly how to do it – it’s simpler than you might think!
11. Create the Most Gorgeous Built-In Closet (@itsnotsogrimupnorth via Living Etc)
I don’t even really have the words to begin expressing how impressed I am with the way these two turned the IKEA PAX system into the most gorgeous and elegant closet I’ve ever seen. You have to go check out the entire project. It’s beyond stunning, and I’d never have guessed it all started with IKEA!
12. Make the Bed of Your Kid’s Dreams (via @styleandsugar)
How FUN is this adorable kid bed?! This is just a simple IKEA bunk-style bed that’s been given a little love to make it feel special, and I’m so in love with it. Prettu sure there isn’t a kid alive who wouldn’t be absolutely over the moon for a bed like this in their room!
13. Display LEGO Minifigs (via FrugalFun4Boys)
I think both of my kids would be so thrilled to have a LEGO minifig display like this in their rooms. In fact, I think this summer that might have to be a project we take on together! It’s such a simple way to display some favorite LEGO guys, and it’s easy to switch them out whenever they want. It’s official, I’m gonna be taking on my own version of this one soon. Stay tuned!
14. Make a Dress Up Station (via Rain on a Tin Roof)
Apparently we’ve gotten to the kid section of this post and I’m here for it. Are you kidding me with this little dress up station using – you guessed it – a little BILLY bookcase! It’s such a simple and adorable idea, and it would be perfect in a play room or kid’s bedroom.
15. DIY Ribbed Cabinet (via Emma Jane Palin)
This little cabinet is another super popular IKEA item to hack, and there are endless ways to do it. I’m partial to the ribbing on this cute little guy though! This little cabinet is perfect for storage in a small space – I’ve seen it used for shoes, as a bar cabinet, or just for storage.
I have to be honest – writing this post made me really want a trip to IKEA! I think sometime soon I’m going to have to head over there just to browse and see what kind of trouble I can get into. Have a favorite IKEA hack that I didn’t include? Be sure to leave a link in the comments so I can check it out!
