8 min read

IKEA is undoubtedly the most popular furniture brand in the world. Just how popular?

Well, in IKEA’s own words – it is estimated that every five seconds, one BILLY bookcase is sold somewhere in the world. 

And if you didn’t know what a BILLY bookcase is (or looks like), you’re probably one of the rare few. 

The problem with IKEA’s widespread popularity is, that your friend or neighbour might have the exact bookcase that you have – right down to the colour.

There’s nothing wrong with that of course. But if you are looking at keeping things affordable yet want something different, there is something you can do.

It’s called IKEA hacks. 

You’d be surprised at just how popular this is. There are multiple sites dedicated to such creative projects, and a whole subreddit as well. 

As such, we went through numerous pieces from various sources like Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok to find some of the more achievable ones. 

In what is a long overdue piece (we did one last year), here’s an update to 10 creative IKEA hacks you can do on your own in 2022. 

1. The IKEA Rast bedside table

Most people would use the IKEA RAST as it’s intended to be – a dresser. But its height, which is not too high or too low, also works well as a nightstand. In fact, if you’re looking for a larger bedside table for your home, this should have the perfect height.

If you find its original design too simplistic, it certainly is, though. The pine wood would look great if your bedroom has a similar theme, but if it doesn’t, you can easily paint it over with an appropriate colour or stain.

A Redditor, MrReger513, did just that in his modified RAST nightstand. He painted it black to match their bedframe, but his customisation didn’t stop there. He also refaced the drawers by adding a wood trim outside, painting the knobs black, and applying a rattan exterior. Props to him for the additional detail of the black knob as well!

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2. Create a Purrniture For Your Cats

For pet parents out there, finding suitable furniture for your cats can be really difficult. 

(We are still waiting for the return of the IKEA Lurvig pet collection in Singapore). 

In the meantime, YouTuber Cuteness has shared a DIY project that can help turn two sections of IKEA HEJNE into a cat patio.

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While the actual design may vary, what you will mostly be needing is a hardware fabric of hardware cloth. Chicken wire is also an alternative, but it doesn’t offer the same level of protection to your kitties. Here’s a tutorial video on how you can exactly do this:

This cat patio looks amazing if you have a large open balcony or can work well indoors too. A quick correction to the video, though. Make sure to hang a twine that’s not longer than the circumference of your cat’s neck to prevent strangulation.

3. Play Around with Shelves

There’s a reason IKEA’s BESTA frame is highly popular, it’s simple, and doesn’t occupy much of your budget. Its simplicity also makes this an attractive one for a creative IKEA hack. For instance, the HANVIKEN door can help you to turn its open shelf design into a closed one.

Redditor 2kittens-in-mittens found a way to add even more aesthetic form to BESTA’s function. The inner panel of HANVIKEN is just thin plywood, so she was able to cut through its middle easily. It allowed her to remove the entire board and replace it with a rattan weave. She finished it off with a 1cm wood cut to frame the edges.

It’s entirely appropriate now too, given the rattan craze in Singapore right now. 

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4. Turning A Simple Bookcase into a Built-In Cabinet

One of the most expensive components of any renovation job is definitely cabinetry. While it is certainly great if you have odd corners or spaces that you’d like to fill up completely, it does also mean that you’d lose the benefits of flexibility that loose furniture gives you. 

So here’s a great solution should you want that customised look, but are looking to trim your renovation budget. 

When Instahome_uk shared her IKEA hack on Reddit, the post received 1.5k upvotes. She very creatively put together several BILLY bookcases and also used OXBERG door pieces to help bring the design together. People loved how the project turned out. In her own words, “I want to empower women to be braver with DIY as you can create so much with a bit of effort & don’t need to spend big bucks.”

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If you want to know she did it step-by-step, here’s an IG story Instahome_uk shared: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17876480753226271/

5. Capitalise on Shelf Sturdiness

Most IKEA shoppers know how sturdy a KALLAX shelving unit is. So why not take advantage of this feature? Instead of just using it as a usual shelf, you can convert it into a bedroom bench. Its solid structure should be able to hold its own when sat upon.

Here’s an interesting one from IdealHome. They placed a KALLAX on its side and added foam on top to make sitting on it more comfortable. If you want to add some luxe to it, you can also use gold longline feet underneath (which you can get from Amazon, or Etsy). 

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Or, if you want to go all the way, you can emulate this unique bedroom cave shared by Alasia Ellis.

6. From Bread Bins to Side Table

If we are going to rate the most creative hack in this list, this would be it. Who would have ever thought of turning bread bins into a beautiful side table? Most DIYers usually paint their side table hack with colours that match their home decor. However, this raw version from IG housenumber6 looks more like an original carpentry project than a hack. It’s a great addition for homes with a modern farmhouse or Scandinavian style (which is very popular right now too). 

Another thing we love about this hack is that it’s so simple to do. All you need to do is use wood glue to stick together the underside of two IKEA Magasin bread bins. Then, just screw or use glue to install the legs.

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The final product is one that looks so authentic, that you really would never be able to guess it was once 2 bread tins. 

We would like to add the caveat that IKEA sadly doesn’t stock the Magasin bread bins in Singapore – but we’re sure you could source these from overseas quite easily if you are really keen on it!

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A post shared by Ella | Interiors & Motherhood (@housenumber6_)

7. Unleash Your Creativity With Vases

This imaginative hack from Tiktoker kleinstadtcoco is unique and easy to do. The base materials you’ll be needing from IKEA are the LUFTMASSA lamp shade and a CYLINDER vase. The vase comes in a set of three, but you’ll only be using the middle one.

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The quick tutorial video below shows that all you have to do is paint your cylinder black and insert it in the lamp shade. You can also decorate it with different colours if you choose to do so. One of the commenters even suggested orange paint for the vase – Hermes style.

8. From Stool to Opulent Side Table

Some people would argue that buying a new table is more practical than what’s done here. While true, sometimes it’s not all about the cost, but the fulfillment of creating your very own piece (and we have yet to see a side table in IKEA with this design). In this IKEA furniture hack, diekleinebotin shared on Tiktok a method of transforming a boring stool into a classy, mid-century modern side table.

The items you’ll be needing are the MARIUS stool and GLATTIS tray. Creating this piece of art involves removing the seat on the stool, turning the legs upside down, and topping it off with the brass-coloured tray. 

It’s super simple, and will fit in the decor of most homes. 

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Here’s the video for a better visual reference:

9. Creating A Mid-Century Effect

Here’s another IKEA hack that’s perfect for those with mid-century modern home style or those with eclectic decor. This one is so simple to implement that it feels like you’re doing a school art project.

IKEA’s TARVA 3-drawer dresser made of pine wood is the chosen piece this time. Aside from the dresser itself, you’ll also need a pair of scissors, glue, brass strip, and patterning tape. Just build the TARVA without its legs, then lay it flat while applying the patterning tape. When you’re satisfied with the design, replace the tape with the brass strips. Don’t forget to add the legs!

Difficulty: ●●○○○

Here’s a tutorial video shared by Kristi Murphy on her YouTube channel:

Elevate Your IKEA Furniture With Next-Level Creativity

Shared by experienced IKEA hacker Arin Solange on TikTok, this project was inspired by a $1,300 coffee table by Lulu and Georgia. But instead of expending this amount on getting the same look, she just spent a fraction of the cost – the crowning achievement of any IKEA hacks DIY project. 

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The closest wood-top coffee table in IKEA is LISTERBY in an oak veneer finish. For the base, Arin used three 14-inch trash cans. She also had spray paint, craft adhesive, screws, and a screwdriver. In a nutshell, doing this hack involves spray painting the cans and attaching them underneath the bottom of the table.

Here’s a quick video tutorial she shared on Tiktok:

Elevate Your IKEA Furniture With Next-Level Creativity

Let’s not kid ourselves, not every item listed here is going to be a walk in the park. 

Depending on your skill and patience, you can go with a simpler one such as #6 and #9. Or, you can choose to go with #4 if you’re already handy with your tools. 

Either way, while the transformation your furniture will go through is the most obvious outcome of such a project, it may even kickstart an interest in DIY projects and thrifting! You’ll certainly feel good after doing any of this. And with your creativity now unleashed, you might even end up turning this into a fulfilling hobby.

We hope that you can find some inspiration from this post to come up with your own IKEA hacks and we would love for readers to share their own hacks with us over on our Instagram page.

Let us know over at our social media or leave a comment below! If you’d like to see more home inspiration, visit our YouTube channel for our home tours!