30 Times People ‘Hacked’ IKEA Furniture And Shared Their Genius Tips Online (New Pics)
Grab your Allen wrenches, thinking caps, and emergency frozen meatball supplies, dear Pandas—we’re going on an adventure.
It’s hard to imagine furniture and interior design without the influence of IKEA, the Swedish home furnishings retailer that has become a global phenomenon. The world would be a very different place without its flat-pack, low-cost, self-assembled, minimalistic furniture. And though the stuff you can buy there is great, some people like to take it a step further.
Enter, stage left: the ‘IKEA Hacks’ subreddit. A popular online community, it unites IKEA lovers from around the globe who have a passion for ‘modding’ furniture and furnishings to create great-looking interiors. Some go the upcycling or repainting route while others combine different IKEA products in unexpected ways. Check out some of the sub's best recent pics and modding tips below.
Once you’ve upvoted your fave hacks (and shared a few of your own!), take a peek at Bored Panda’s earlier articles about the subreddit here: Part 1 and Part 2. And if you’re a fan of IKEA and loved the idea behind the subreddit, consider joining it—they’re a friendly bunch.
Bored Panda reached out to Ariane Sherine, the editor at These Three Rooms. She explained why IKEA is so popular, and shared her furniture trend predictions for 2023. Read on to check out what she told us!
This post may include affiliate links.
Turned My Nissafors Utility Cart Into A Cat Bunk Bed To Keep The Cats Off Of My Desk While I Work
This is smart but my cats wouldn't do it. They're only happy if they're in my space. It's kind of the same thing with toys. I've spent god knows how much money on cat toys that go unused and they just want to eat my plastic bags or knock over the stuff on my desk. They're lucky they're cute.
Just yesterday I got some (cheap but really cool) LED lights and this is me and my twin rn (we also sleep in bunk beds)
These cats are suspiciously well behaved. Is the blanket heated maybe? There must be a trick.
Built In And Painted My Billy Bookshelves And It Turned Out Great
I bought my Billy bookshelves 20 yrs ago, moved them 5 times to various homes & they are still looking great! Best bookshelves
upvote if you looked for a cat and then realized that there wasn’t one
Load More Replies...Large Planters Are So Expensive, So We Used Filir Trash Cans + Hedges To Build A Patio Privacy Enclosure
Oh for f**k's sake! The Sarah bot came back as VictoriaGillis! This is ridiculous.
Hang on a minute - so some of our favourite pandas get banned, but we can’t get rid of those stupid bots?! Grrrrr
Load More Replies...They likely won't last. Plastic is degraded by sunlight, not all types of plastic do well outside, also large temperature fluctuations can make them more friable.
if you do, make sure you get plastic that can for sure stay outside and handle sun/weather, or else the plastic will get brittle and break :)
Load More Replies...Bored Panda wanted to get design expert Ariane's opinion about why the furniture made by IKEA is so ubiquitous and appeals to so many people around the world.
"IKEA furniture is both classic and modern. It has clean lines, unobtrusive handles and is sturdy, reliable, and great value," the editor at These Three Rooms shared with us.
"It manages to be all these things across a wide range of styles. It's ubiquitous partly because of its Scandinavian style—Scandi has been a huge trend in interiors for a long time. It has a calming feel and suits pretty much any design scheme."
My Old IKEA Lamp Was Boring So I Crocheted A New One
hey i crochet too! crocheters unite!!
Load More Replies...We Used Seven Havsta Cabinets To Create Faux Built-Ins!
The cat's like, "Hmmmm, which shelf to explore first?"
Load More Replies...Upscaled My Old Beat Up Kallax!
Meanwhile, the expert shed some light on the furniture we'll see trending in 2023.
"Chunky, solid furniture is very on-trend right now," Ariane, the editor at These Three Rooms, revealed to Bored Panda.
"Curved designs are also very popular, such as curved coffee tables and dining tables. In terms of materials, you'll see a lot of chairs covered in bouclé and velvet."
Gerdie And Pudda Make A Great And Cute Cat Bed
Anyone else think the owner had a different plan for it initially but the cat created this 'hack'
I Got My Friend Who Is A Sign Writer To Hand Paint Our IKEA Kitchen Units. I Installed The Kitchen Myself And Built The Extension To The House That It Sits In
Black & white Arabic type tile, green floral kitchen unit, vintage furnitures, yellow walls and a disco ball... it's a kind of mental hack ?
This is so much better than builder-basic, gray everything, Instagram-neutral modern farmhouse that we see everywhere. Bring back color and personality!
Load More Replies...The space is really gorgeous with the skylight and vaulted ceilings and I applaud all of your hard work. The colors and style are definitely not for me, lol. But I love the open doors to the back yard.
Yep it's hideous. I'm all for quirky design and personality, but this looks like the room where the nurse the baby animals at the zoo. That garden out back on the other hand looks amazing
Load More Replies...I have the same Felix the cat clock. You & your friend did a beautiful job
This is my house. Thanks to those that like it. It’s @midcenturyscotland on Insta if you want to see more
IKEA Kallax Entry Bench Hack
I like this a great deal. However, I'd add a bit of carpet/matting in the spaces to store shoes. The white is going to get very dirty, very quickly otherwise.
But it also cleans much easier than a 10x10 piece of carpet would.
Load More Replies...I don't understand why people say Ikea is cheap. Most furniture, even small stuff is super expensive. I'd be happy to be able to buy Ikea stuff. I stick to Walmart, Wayfair or even Amazon.
Agreed. I couldn't even afford one of their couches. Got a great deal at Bob's. And Amazon has great prices.
Load More Replies...The name of a piece of furniture from IKEA.
Load More Replies...The r/ikeahacks subreddit was created all the way back in 2011. But it wasn’t until redditor u/6745408 took over as the moderator that the online community truly began to flourish. They told Bored Panda that the subreddit is “chugging along nicely.”
They also shared a cool IKEA hack they saw on Instagram with us. They said that it's worth an honorable mention and would "make for a nice corner liquor cabinet" or something similar.
I Made A Secret Place For Reading
When my youngest son was about 2-3 y.o. we had most of his toys in a cupboard. One time I totally freaked out because I couldn't see him anymore so I started looking all over the house (we had 4 stories). Then I came back at point zero and heard snoring; he was in the cupboard, sleeping.
Finally Almost Done With A New Entertainment/Library
These are probably Billy units with the height extensions and oxberg glass doors. I have a black wall unit that looks like this and that’s what mine are.
Load More Replies...Bought Used Pax With Damaged Back. So We Put Wallpaper To Cover Damages
The issue is thaf the back is structural should have replaced the back with plywood or something then wallpapered it
They put wallpaper to "cover damages" so i believe that is exactly what they did: wallpapered the damaged back piece 💡
Load More Replies...It would have been nice to see what the cabinet looked like closed ..
During an earlier interview with the moderator, Bored Panda learned more about the subreddit, its history, and how the group changed over time.
“I’m not sure who started it, but one night I was looking for a way to make the POÄNG chair more ergonomic or even less bouncy,” moderator u/6745408 told Bored Panda earlier.
“I found /r/ikeahacks with a few hundred subscribers and a lot of spam and no moderators. I figured I’d request the sub, set up some simple automation to clean it up and find someone to mod it,” they revealed.
The POÄNG chair project never came to fruition. However, the upside was that redditor u/6745408 took over managing r/ikeahacks. This was a huge step in the right direction, as the subreddit began steadily growing under new leadership.
Milsbo Greenhouse!
my dream plant cabinet!! i need a place to store my plants :D
Too bad that Milsbo recently went from US$200 to $250. Not sure it's still a good buy.
Little Wallpaper Backing For The Billy Does It Quite A Bit Of Justice!
Especially because all two-door Ikea cabinets have a very ugly fold in the middle of the back panel.
So uglier wallpaper is better than an ugly fold !?
Load More Replies...You can order online and have shipped 💡
Load More Replies...Kallax Hanging Cat Apartment
According to the mod, r/ikeahacks is “a really nice community, for the most part. The ideas people come up with are really great, too.” Pretty much everyone who’s a member of the sub is interested in modding IKEA furniture. While many put their ideas to practice, others stick around for the awesome pics and interior design inspiration.
“Flat-packed furniture isn’t far off from LEGO. Even simple hacks like adding legs to a shelving unit can elevate a piece of furniture. A lot of IKEA furniture is nice enough on its own, but building in shelving units, for instance, can really make a place feel like a permanent space, which is important,” the moderator told Bored Panda back in May.
“When it comes down to it, if your space needs something, you can usually find the parts to create the perfect piece of furniture, even if it takes a little planning and elbow grease,” the mod explained that flexibility and imagination are key.
Besta Hack
A Lot Of Billies, One Gnedby And Some Doors. Plus Extra Panelling
Too bad that wide Billy shelves sag so much under even moderate loads. Need a center support on the back.
Kitchen Pantry, My First IKEA Hack
Checked on the original post on Reddit - OP states the base is Enhet cabinets!
Load More Replies...LOVE. My dream is to someday have a nice walk-in pantry instead of using a closet with walmart plastic shelves like I am now.
It appears that enhet base with Billy books... I just bought enhet... their shelved are metal. This is also cool because it widens the base more than billy
Load More Replies...There are only three rules that the community members have to follow. Their posts have to be on-point, fresh, and safe. For instance, if the post doesn’t contain “any useful information for IKEA Hackers,” it shouldn’t be posted in the first place.
What’s more, redditors should avoid reposting old content for the sake of attention and “cheap karma.” Finally, there’s no room for any hacks that are unsafe and could lead to severe injury.
Framed In Some Pax Units For A Walk In Closet
Obsessed With My Tarva Hack 😍 Stain, Sealer, And New Hardware
Our IKEA Rudsta Cabinet Greenhouse After Three Months Progress
Oh dear, I've run out of window space for plants but this presents some new possibilities...
Me too. But I am not sure I want plant lights running all day..
Load More Replies...Most people can intuitively tell whether a product is well-designed, even if they might not be be able to articulate it very well. Usually, if something’s designed poorly, there’s just ‘something off.’ It might be an unergonomic design, an imbalance focus on aesthetics over function, or something else entirely.
Had A Gap Between Our Kitchen Cupboards And Larder Unit, Put A Skadis Board On Some Drawer Runners To Make A Pull-Out Knife Rack/Spice Rack
Huuuuuuh. I'm having basically the same gap in my kitchen. Onwards to victory, I mean, IKEA!
I know! I have eight inches to fill. And 3 of these pieces.. no knives tho. How does it pull out?
Load More Replies...These style knife holders always freak me out. I'm paranoid one of them will lose it's magnetic grip and fall and chop a toe off.
Ivar Christmas Tree
Wish I could upvote this more than once! Awesome idea for small spaces
Presenting The Kitty Kullen
Yes. We made one like this too, a couple of years ago. The litter box is on the far side within on top of plastic & some newspaper to catch any urine that misses the box. There's a carpet piece in there too, only between the litter box & the cat flap door that traps the litter caught in the cat's toes (though honestly, we used an electrical access panel instead of a cat flap.) Smells & litter stay inside and we have storage above. Let's face it. The cat is going to live for years and years so why deal with an ugly litterbox that's always in the way?
Load More Replies...Wtf is that grainy thing under the cabinet? Looks like ants, I hope it’s kitty litter but I doubt it.
Looks like it goes up the back of the drawers, carpet maybe. Yep, just followed the link, OP said they fitted leftover carpet to the bottom and back fitted (stapled in place), to replace the previous 'floor' which had been in place for about 3 years.
Load More Replies...During a previous interview, Tim Antoniuk, a design specialist from the University of Alberta, explained to Bored Panda the first impressions really matter in the world of design.
Tim Antoniuk, from the University of Alberta, explained to Bored Panda during an earlier interview that people can intuitively tell if something is designed well or poorly. First impressions really do matter when it comes to design. And as the world continues to rapidly change and evolve around us, we come to realize that some designs aren’t as timeless as we previously thought. However, furniture tends to be more ubiquitous.
Komplement Pants Drawer As A Wine Shelf!
Upcycled Besta
It’s in the social link: Ikea Besta top panels in oak Ikea Hedeviken doors (finally back in stock!) Ikea Osarp legs Oak contact paper for the side panel Drawer pulls from Amazon
Load More Replies...Laundry Room Remodel Using Mostly IKEA Kitchen Cabinets And Countertop
“As new layers get added into our lives, things naturally have an evolutionary cycle. This is different from furniture which naturally can be more ubiquitous and designed to fit the human body,” Antoniuk told Bored Panda earlier.
Our personal tastes muddy the waters a little bit, meaning it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish between what’s a quality design and what’s a subjective preference.
A Most Basic Hack, But Some Amazon Hairpin Legs On My Kallax Really Brings It To Life
Hairpin legs look great...I'm just always scared I'll bang my toe into them lol
Tbh they'd probably be less painful than a solid wooden leg
Load More Replies...Love the legs but I just a see a toe splitter! I have terrible peripheral vision and can already see myself screaming and howling while holding my foot like a scene out of Tom and Jerry
Mulig Blanket Rack. Buy Two, Butt Them Together Vertically
I have a disabled puppy who needs semi-waterproof blankets on his beds. This is a great idea as he’s a large puppy and his large blankets take up a lot of space!
Made Some Changes To The Ställ
classy, but what can you really fit in drawers that skinny? records?
Dog leashes in one drawer, shoes in two drawers, hats and mitts in the 4th.
"The gray area comes in when people start to talk about taste and about degrees of aesthetic. I may love the design of Bauhaus furniture, for example, while somebody may feel that it is too cold and void of personality,” the design expert pointed out.
“Not unlike great art, I believe that much of what came from this era is ‘great design,’ in part because it represents an era and a philosophy. When we start to mix in discussions of taste and preference, that is where the gray areas of good and bad design get blurred.”
Finally Finished My Built-In Billy Headboard!
I Moved Into A House With Lower Ceilings So I Repurposed My Pax Wardrobe Cabinets That Used To Be On The Top Of My Wardrobes Into A Bench And Put Two Kleppstad Side By Side. The Pax Cubby Is Really Sturdy And The Doors Open Without Damaging The Floor
I Made An Extra Kallax I Had Into A Bar Cabinet
Pax Shelves Not In Stock, So I Used IKEA Cutting Boards Instead. Almost Perfect Fit
Lol the most un-adultish I feel is when I see pics like this and realize I almost never hang up my clothes nicely like an adult. Everything I own is folded or literally still in the basket. I bought a couple of over-the-door hangers and i and hang it on the polls in my closets and hang everything on those but I haven't used a clothes hanger in years.
You're not alone. My laundry literally goes from the dirty basket to the washer/dryer and then straight in to the clean basket. I just root around for what I need. I'm so lazy it's pathetic. :) (My nice clothes however are still hung in my closet - I work from home so I never wear them any more.)
Load More Replies...IKEA Storage Lids —> Temporary Window
Pegboard Nerd
"Built In" Pax Walk-In
Beautiful shelves. Also guys please remember the downvote button is not a disagree button
The wood is so nice, though. Why ruin it with paint? (I know, personal preference. *smile*)
Load More Replies...Small Conservatory Using Kallax As Seating And Toy Storage
My Latest Project
Nordli Headboard Converted Into Vertical Garden
Having To Drain A Kiddie Pool. 6 Of These Clips Saved Me A Lot Of Time!
get yourself one of these, really cheap inflater/deflater and it'll save you years of life :) Snimek-obr...60-png.jpg
Ivar Cabinets I Turned Into Industrial Locker Themed Guinea Pig Cages. These Pictures Are ~2 Years After The Build, It's Held Up Excellent!
Some Man-Boy Geek Storage
My Floating Desk Made With 2 IKEA Trotten 160x80cm
Two Person Desk - My Wife And I Occasionally Each Work From Home So I Put This Together
Method Kitchen Drawer Hack
IKEA Besta & Hanviken Door
Skådis Panel Hack For A Small Kitchen W High Ceilings, It Keeps The Junk Out Of Sight And Tools In Reach
IKEA Kallax TV Setup Total Cost £220
My Husband Just Built Me This Beauty! Bestå + Gersby And A Whole Lot Of Love
Crafting Corner With Storage For 150 €
Three Stall Units With Custom Fronts, Handles And Salvaged Large Marbled Tile On Top… Used To Store Linens And Other Small Items. Upstairs Hallway
Built-In Billy Hack
The Trotten-Idasen Desk
Laundry Room Facelift With Sektion Cabinets And Slat Wall
IKEA Sniglar Baby Bed Converted Into A Puppy Crate!
My Kallax Coffee/Drink Bar
IKEA Hack - Study/Office
The color grouping on the books is so soothing. I know there’s no way I have the discipline to maintain something like that XD
Rast Nightstand For My First IKEA Hack
My IKEA Hack: Malm With Lilltrask Top For Home Office
I Implemented A Desk In The Elvarli System
IKEA Platsa Hack
Update: My Upcycled Docksta Turned Out Great. Lots Of Trial And Error To Make Sure The Glass Stayed In Place
Very elegant! I wonder what they ended up using to keep the glass in place?
"I used a 1/4” thick acrylic plate with black rubber bumpers to keep the top on. Might try suction cups and see which is better. The total price for the completed table came out just around $100 dollars." just click on the name under the image.
Load More Replies...4x2 Kallax Converted Into A Dresser With Lights And Legs (Not Finished Yet)
IKEA Moppe Hack
Easy Hemnes TV-Bench
I had this along with a hanging wall unit in a previous home. Also used as a TV center. Those open shelves are perfect for gaming systems
Tarva To Mid Century Modern
Maleras & Radiator Shelf Brackets For A Small Shelf With No Wall Damage
Knoxhult With Infinite Amount Of Hacks
We Are Slowly Rolling Out New Designs For IKEA Dressers Which Made Me Wonder What The Oldest Dresser Line Sold At IKEA Is? I’m Guessing The Malm? I Know The Rast And Tarva Have Also Been Around A While
Toddler Wardrobe Using Trofast And Upprymd Boxes (Inspired By Ig Halfway_montessori)
Upgraded Our 7-Year-Old Bekvam Kitchen Cart. I Only Ever Used Butcher Block Oil On It Before
Not As Impressive As Some Of The Creations On Here, But I Modified Billy
Built A Home Bar. Two Black IKEA Brimnes Cabinets, A Butcher Block, And Some Brackets (From Amazon) For The Shelves
Came Across This Lightweight Standing Desk Converter Using A Lack Side Table
IKEA Billy Bookcase Hack
My Kallax Bedside Table (I Have One On Either Side Of The Bed)
Alex Drawers + 2x Säljan Countertop Desk W/ Leds Between Them
i dont really understand the led strip light trend? its kinda cool i guess but anywhere other than your gaming set up is tacky imo
Lighting behind a TV can improve the contrast when viewing in a darker room. For that, you want a white light, though (typically 6500K color temperature).
Load More Replies...Äpplaryd With Painted Legs/Frame
Desk Update As Promised! I Still Have Alot To Do But I Am Waiting On My Stuff To Come In. I’m Liking It So Far!
Ivar Corner Post -> TV Legs
They likely just used the existing holes meant for either the original stand or a VESA mount.
Load More Replies...I Have Way More Respect For Carpentry Now
Modified Aurdal Closet
Saw It On Tiktok. It's A Work In Progress But I Like It
And that you have access to it to fix it for example
Load More Replies...Headboard With The Starreklinte Carpet
Nymåne Mount For Ivar. Made With Scrap Ivar Parts And Plywood
Pax Wardrobes “Hacked” To Look Like Fitted Furniture
Trim away the baseboard on the side of the cabinet, and mount it flush with the wall. Or, fill the space with something.
Cover the space with new base boards, trim the sides with wide baseboard or crown molding
Load More Replies...Lövbacken Leg Hack
IKEA Karlstad: 7 Year Old White Cover vs. New Cover From Comfort Works
I like the old white better. But everything new looks better when you change something.
I would ruin a white couch in 2 seconds flat. I never understand why all those design shows give white upholstery to people with kids either!
Load More Replies...Ivar Cabinets Is A Steal!
DIY Cabinets With Billy Bookcases
Luftmassa + Blanda Matt Light Fixture
Ivar Laundry Cab Hack
Lighting Hack: Adding Some Midcentury Vibes To IKEA Grönplym Plug-In Wall Sconces
My thoughts exactly. Just painting something or put a row of BIllys together is not a hack.
Load More Replies...My entire kitchen is all IKEA (old owners put it in.) Do not buy an IKEA kitchen.
Guess you are not lucky... I am now on my second Ikea kitchen (I moved house). Love it.
Load More Replies...I think the point of ikea sometimes is to change it for yourself. I think that’s why they have so many plain shelves for example.
Some IKEA furniture is ok, but I can not imagine putting it up as a permanent fixture or converting a shelf into something to be sat on. The shelves mounted above the TV look like they could collapse at any second. We have several Billy bookshelves, and they're really just one step up from walmart bookshelves. Best idea here was probably the wallpaper backing, but ours are stuffed so full of books you can't see the back anyway
I need a picture book of Ikea things with their labels. Like a kids animal book. It'll take me days to look up these names and figure out which piece of furniture the hack is using. :)
They do put out a catalogue, at least here in Canada they did. Haven't bothered to get one the last COVID years. Their website also has all the products. IKEA.ca or IKEA.com in the US.
Load More Replies...In a similar fashion I turned an old book cabinet into a Guinea pig cage. It doesnt deserve a picture though, but it was so much cheaper than buying one.
The best thing to ever come out from IKEA is Valhalleluja by Nanowar (Of Steel). Gloria patri furnituribus... In nomine IKEA... For the BEDDINGE and the KIVIK, sing with me Valhalleluja. For the wooden TV bench with storage space and paper foil. For the pencils and the horse-meatballs, we sing Valhalleluja. The ergonomics and the quality of our chairs.... Are second to none.
I just wish ikea wasn't made with cheap stuff. Those gorgeous pieces won't last
My thoughts exactly. Just painting something or put a row of BIllys together is not a hack.
Load More Replies...My entire kitchen is all IKEA (old owners put it in.) Do not buy an IKEA kitchen.
Guess you are not lucky... I am now on my second Ikea kitchen (I moved house). Love it.
Load More Replies...I think the point of ikea sometimes is to change it for yourself. I think that’s why they have so many plain shelves for example.
Some IKEA furniture is ok, but I can not imagine putting it up as a permanent fixture or converting a shelf into something to be sat on. The shelves mounted above the TV look like they could collapse at any second. We have several Billy bookshelves, and they're really just one step up from walmart bookshelves. Best idea here was probably the wallpaper backing, but ours are stuffed so full of books you can't see the back anyway
I need a picture book of Ikea things with their labels. Like a kids animal book. It'll take me days to look up these names and figure out which piece of furniture the hack is using. :)
They do put out a catalogue, at least here in Canada they did. Haven't bothered to get one the last COVID years. Their website also has all the products. IKEA.ca or IKEA.com in the US.
Load More Replies...In a similar fashion I turned an old book cabinet into a Guinea pig cage. It doesnt deserve a picture though, but it was so much cheaper than buying one.
The best thing to ever come out from IKEA is Valhalleluja by Nanowar (Of Steel). Gloria patri furnituribus... In nomine IKEA... For the BEDDINGE and the KIVIK, sing with me Valhalleluja. For the wooden TV bench with storage space and paper foil. For the pencils and the horse-meatballs, we sing Valhalleluja. The ergonomics and the quality of our chairs.... Are second to none.
I just wish ikea wasn't made with cheap stuff. Those gorgeous pieces won't last
