For decades, IKEA has been the go-to destination for stylish, affordable, and functional furniture. With its Scandinavian-inspired designs and ready-to-assemble pieces, the Swedish retailer has made home furnishing accessible to millions. But while IKEA products are loved for their simplicity, some creative minds see them as blank canvases waiting to be transformed.
What started as a niche community has now grown into a global phenomenon, with thousands of people sharing their brilliant modifications online. Dedicated forums and social media groups like the Ikea Hacks subreddit serve as hubs for inspiration, where fans swap ideas, show off their latest transformations, and offer step-by-step guides on upgrading IKEA’s mass-produced pieces into one-of-a-kind designs. For this article, we have chosen 50 such hacks from the subreddit for you to enjoy and get inspired! So let’s get started.
1. I Finally Finished My “Library” With Floor Ceiling Shelves (Still Need To Put In New Flooring).
2. I Hacked A Kvistbro Table To Be A Cute Pet Crate For My Dog (And Cats).
3. A Simple Hack Cutting A Keyhole Shape Into An End Table For A Handy Tree Table!
4. My Solution To Keeping The Cat Off The Desk.
5. An Unusual Ikeahack – This Regency Gown Is Made From An IKEA Duvet Cover! It’s A Perfect Print For Around 1800 And Is 100% Cotton! Even A Single Duvet Cover Contains Quite A Lot Of Fabric.
6. Converted The Guest Room Closet Into A Craft Space.
7. Duktig Doll Bed And Handmade Covers For My Little Buddy.
8. Adjustable Window Desk.
9. Kind Of Silly, But I’m Proud Of My Ingenuity. The IKEA Lamp (Fado) Was Brighter At Home Than In The Store And Hurt To Look At So I Cut A Hole In The Back Of The $5 IKEA Basket I Also Bought (No Product Name Online). Super Cool Mood Light!
10. I Decoupaged Prints Of Starry Night To The Drawers, And Layered Metallic Paint And Medium Over Them For A Painterly Texture. Base Is Stained With Watered Down Paint And Sealed.
11. Simple Hack, I Mounted My Ekby Hall Wall Brackets Inverted So I Could Use The Brackets As Natural Bookends For The Shelf.
12. Using Toilet Paper Holder As Headphone Stand!
13. Ivar Hidden Desk!
14. A Whole New Level Of Hack.
15. Upgraded My Cat’s Toilet With This Bestå Litterbox Hack.
Enter the world of IKEA hacks—where DIY enthusiasts, designers, and homeowners turn basic furniture into custom, high-end-looking masterpieces. From repurposing bookshelves into stunning built-ins to converting kitchen cabinets into chic storage solutions, the internet is full of jaw-dropping ideas that prove IKEA is just the beginning of the creative process.
16. I Painted A Kullen Into A Nintendo NES For My Son’s Room
17. My Fjallbo Hacked Bar!
18. Billy Bookcase With Plywood Front For The Built-In Look.
19. 100% Recycled Material, Some Hot Glue And Duct Tape, And A Father’s Imagination And A Happy Kid.
20. My 17oz DIY Ultralight IKEA Camping Backpack Made Out Of Frakta Bags.
21. I Built This Mirror Wall, Using Lots Of Mirror Tiles And Some Wood.
22. Who Says You Can’t Have A Shed In An Apartment? 42 Units Of Trofast Units Into A Single Pax Wardrobe.
23. Saw This Billy Hack All Over Pinterest. Finally Made My Own!
24. I Needed A Crafting Nook, So I Removed My Track Closet Drawers And Created This Space In My Guest Bedroom Closet!
25. I Found A Hemnes Shelf In The As-Is Area And Upholstered Some Fabric To The Top To Help My Dogs Get On The Bed. They Could Never Use Pet Steps And This Is Shorter Than The Normal End Of Bed Furniture So They Can Hop On It.
26. This Was A Pain In The A** But Well Worth The Effort. Sektion + Grimslov, Saljan Top, Billy Bookcase Hack.
27. My IKEA Kitchen With Custom Fronts.
28. First Time Staining… I Love How This Turned Out! (Ivar With Foldable Table!)
29. Finally Finished My Custom Home Office Using Eket And Alex Cabinets!
30. Rudsta Greenhouse Cabinet.
IKEA hacking isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about functionality, sustainability, and affordability. Many hacks involve repurposing old furniture, saving it from the landfill, and giving it a new lease on life. Others focus on creating storage solutions that fit awkward spaces, proving that customization doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.
31. Fintorp Used To Hang Plants On My Ceiling.
32. I Gave My Old Hemnes Dresser A Lick Of Paint.
33. IKEA Waste Buckets, Attached To Door With Pulley System For The Lids.
34. Turned The IKEA Ps Lamp Into A Disco Ball And I’m In Love With It!
35. I Built A Sliding Bookcase Out Of 3 IKEA Besta Bookshelves With 6 Casters Screwed To A Large Bottom Plate.
36. Window Benches With Storage, Made With Sektion Over Fridge Cabinets, 2×4 Base With Baseboards, 2×6 Appearance Boards On Top, Painted.
37. Hemnes Bookshelf Hack From Cabinets And Shelves.
38. Havsta Units Turned Into A Built-In.
39. My Use For The 3 Inch Gap Between Cabinets.
40. I Used The Fabrikor Cabinet To Build An Indoor Greenhouse!
41. Classic Hack!!
42. Customized Billy Bookcase TV Wall.
43. Like Many, I Used The Kura As A Starting Point For Something More Fun.
44. Wall Panel Made Out Of IKEA Cabinet Doors.
45. Our Hemnes Dresser Was Falling Apart, So I Gave It A Slight Makeover
46. Karlby Laundry Room Counter + Custom Shoe Rack/Cat Litter Drawer.
47. Was Told To Post This Here. I Built A 3D Printer Enclosure From 2 IKEA Lack Side Tables. All The Blue Pieces Are 3D Printed.
48. Built In Pax Wardrobe!
49. Repurposed Kallax For Camping Gear.
50. Tired Dad Hacks Feat. Gamleby!
IKEA furniture might be designed for simplicity, but the creativity of its fans knows no bounds. These hacks prove that with a little vision and effort, even the most basic flat-pack piece can be turned into something extraordinary. So, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to refresh your space, it might be time to grab a drill, some paint, and a bit of inspiration—because your next great DIY project could be hiding in an IKEA aisle!
