While many of the furniture items from Ikea are clever to begin with, some of the best Ikea "hack" ideas come from thinking of new functionality and styles. There are many popular Ikea hacks on interior decorating and DIY blogs, but some are definitely better than the rest.
Create a beautiful wall-to-wall dining display unit
One popular idea for Ikea shelving and bookcases is to combine multiple units to mimic the appearance of chic built-ins. BILLY bookcases are a favorite Ikea product for this particular idea, due to their affordability and versatility.
By bracketing the Ikea BILLY bookcase to the wall and installing some stylish glass doors, you can have your very own built-in display and storage space perfect for dishes and glassware.
Update doors with fluted film
Fluted surfaces are a major trend in furniture, from drawer fronts to custom cabinets and more. The Ikea BJÖRKÖVIKEN birch doors can make a trendy yet modern addition to other furniture pieces such as open-front cube storage systems or even your kitchen cabinets.
Since the doors are sold separately, installing them on other items is a simple hack requiring wood glue or hinges.
Replace solid wardrobe doors with rattan doors
Rattan and caning are other trends you can bring into your own home interiors using Ikea furniture. For example, installing an Ikea ALEX shelving unit without the drawer fronts gives you the opportunity to add texture with rattan doors.
Not only do they provide texture, rattan doors also bring a cool, retro vibe to your space.
Make a secret shelving device
Sometimes a furniture hack can be as simple as choosing a bold new way to arrange your furniture. For example, you can use bookcases as walls for a cozy reading nook or a fun, storage-filled fort for kids. Drape a curtain or fabric over a swing curtain rod to make an instant tent shape for the fort's “roof.”
Whether you want to make your existing Ikea cabinet more interesting or create a stylish media unit using multiple Ikea products, these hacks can be an inspiring place to start.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
