Tech

17 cheap and easy ways to hack your Ikea furniture

Megan Willett-Wei

2016-04-21T20:44:00Z

thumb 3x4 ikea hacks — Ikea products don't have to look cheap. Ikea and Instagram

If you're a millennial (or anyone who appreciates a good deal), most of your furniture is probably from Ikea.

The Scandinavian retailer is known for its simplistic and affordable home decor, but sometimes the designs are a little boring.

We scoured hashtags like #ikeahacks, #ikeahack, and #ikeahackers to see the most ingenious solutions to give Ikea purchases a little more pizzazz.

Keep reading to see the best tricks.

The Hemnes secretary cabinet is a good-sized desk, but a bit boring to look at.

You can buy it here for $419.

One blogger took a white Hemnes desk and transformed it with mirrors and lattice framework.

Just like paint can make over a whole room, hardware can make over a piece of furniture. http://no29design.com/2015/05/the-secretary-desk-adding-new-hardware.html #ikeahackers

A photo posted by No29design (@no29design) on May 5, 2015 at 7:28am PDTMay 5, 2015 at 7:28am PDT

Learn how here.

These $6 Fjälla boxes are useful, but pretty plain.

Buy them here.

But with a little bit of patterned wrapping paper and some white spray paint, they can brighten up a room.

#ikealove #ikeahacks #vorhernachher #kassett #boxen #diy #upcycled #upcycling #aufbewahrung #diele #ikeahackers

A photo posted by :: Silke Giesen :: (@frausilkeso) on Oct 4, 2015 at 4:56am PDTOct 4, 2015 at 4:56am PDT

You can buy white spray paint and similar looking wrapping paper here.

These Vittsjö nesting tables are a pretty set for any living room.

Buy them here for $60.

With a can of gold spray paint and some marble contact paper, suddenly the tables look even more expensive.

#IkeaHack | Coffee table from Craigslist (originally $60), can of gold spray paint, and a roll of marble contact paper $54 @ikeahackersofficial #ikeahackers #diy #interiordesign #decor

A photo posted by • Kristina Marie • K.Marie • (@kmarielmnop) on Jan 28, 2016 at 9:46am PSTJan 28, 2016 at 9:46am PST

You can buy gold spray paint and marble contact paper here.

Or place the glass top on the bottom shelf of the table and add a fancy bench cushion on top, like this.

Vittsjö soffbord från Ikea gjordes om till stoppad sittbänk. #ikea #ikeahack #diy #gördetsjälv #hemmafixbloggen #hemmafix

A photo posted by Monica Karlstein (@monicakarlstein) on Aug 31, 2015 at 6:28am PDTAug 31, 2015 at 6:28am PDT

You can shop bench cushions here.

These Ekby Lerberg Ikea shelf brackets are $2 and easy to install.

Buy them here.

This blogger spray-painted them gold and added some stained wood on top for the perfect DIY floating nightstand.

After searching high and low for narrow + deep nightstands for the 15" we have on either side of our master bed, I decided to go with IKEA brackets sprayed gold + wood we stained from our lumber yard. I prefer a small, deep chest for "all the things" next to the bed, but for now the second shelf gives us room for a few extra essentials. 🏡💕 #alivelyhome #ikea #ikeahack

A photo posted by Jess Lively (@jessclively) on Sep 19, 2015 at 2:27pm PDTSep 19, 2015 at 2:27pm PDT

You can buy gold spray paint here.

In fact, most of Ikea’s brackets have alternate uses. You could also hang them upside down for the perfect clothes hanger.

On the blog today, Maria uses the EKBY ROBERT bracket upside town to hang her dresses and shirts up! Great idea. Link in bio.

A photo posted by Jules Yap (@ikeahackersofficial) on Sep 23, 2015 at 5:30am PDTSep 23, 2015 at 5:30am PDT

See more of Ikea's brackets here, starting at $.50.

Or use them to hang bulbs for a minimalist bedroom lamp.

S i m p l i c i t y #bedroomdetails #zoekdeslapendebaby #babyBeau #blijmetdenieuwelampjes #naturalmaterials #ikeahacks #ikea #snoerboer #hema #slaapkamer #interior #interieur #interieurinspiratie #happybaby #baby

A photo posted by Sanne (@fancies_home) on Apr 20, 2016 at 2:10am PDTApr 20, 2016 at 2:10am PDT

See more of Ikea's brackets here, starting at $.50.

The Hemnes coffee table is a classic Ikea staple — but it's a little bland.

Buy it here for $139.

But look what happens with a good paint job and some stained boards glued on top.

Finished rennoing the house so I guess I've moved on to furniture. #ikeahack

A photo posted by Steve Moerman (@moermansteve) on Mar 9, 2016 at 8:26am PSTMar 9, 2016 at 8:26am PST

Here's the easy how-to.

The Hemnes nightstand is a great purchase for your bedroom.

Buy it here for $70.

But look at how much better it is with some painting and sanding. The new hardware gives it some extra oomph, too.

After lots of painting and sanding, this IKEA hack project is complete. And all under $50 👍🏻🔨 #ikeahack #ikea #bedsidetable #endtable #makeover #nightstand

A photo posted by Mercedes Tully (@mercedes_realestate) on Feb 10, 2016 at 8:27am PSTFeb 10, 2016 at 8:27am PST

Here's how to do it.

There’s almost nothing more basic than the Ikea Kallax shelf.

Buy it here for $60.

But combine a standard shelf with drawer inserts and stained plywood paneling and it looks like a mid-century modern dream. Bonus points if you attach different table legs.

#IKEA KALLAX sideboard hack. The stained plywood lined insides and top are a nice touch. #diy #ikeahack #ikeahacks #hackoftheday

A photo posted by Jules Yap (@ikeahackersofficial) on Jul 8, 2015 at 6:04am PDTJul 8, 2015 at 6:04am PDT

Shop drawer inserts, plywood panneling, and table legs here.

The Bygel utility cart is a useful thing to have in the kitchen.

Buy it here for $30.

This Instagram user spray-painted all of the hardware gold to create a good-looking bar cart.

Project barcart is finished! Just gotta get it stocked up with yummy booze & work on replacing my silver bar tools with gold ones & it'll be perfect! #YayMe #BarCart #Bygel

A photo posted by ✨Kelly (@wackyworldofk) on Dec 4, 2015 at 2:41pm PSTDec 4, 2015 at 2:41pm PST

Buy gold spray paint here.

A plain white Malm dresser is cute, but nothing special.

Buy it here for $80.

That is, until you combine it with white lattices to add more dimension to the drawers.

As Trellis que personalizam, o seu mobiliário Ikea. Agora com mais padrões e tamanhos. Podem ser encomendados à medida na LojaQuerido, ou na loja online em www.lojaquerido.com #trellis #ikeahackers #lojaquerido #homefurnishings #anaantuneshomestyling #mywork

A photo posted by AnaAntunes (@anaantuneshomestyling) on Mar 11, 2016 at 12:39am PSTMar 11, 2016 at 12:39am PST

This company has good trellis options to choose from.

This $30 Ikea candle holder is already pretty stylish.

Buy it here.

But one genius Instagram user realized it also made the perfect hiding place for extra toilet paper rolls.

@ikeahackersofficial #ikea Love my new toilet roll cabinet by repurposing Ikea large candle holder. Hangs beautifully in my guest bathroom. #ikeahackers

A photo posted by MaryRachel Yee (@misharebel) on Mar 2, 2016 at 2:03am PSTMar 2, 2016 at 2:03am PST

The $10 Lack side table is an Ikea staple.

Buy it here.

By gluing some Lego mats onto the top, suddenly you have the perfect play area for kids.

#ikeahacks #lego Legotafel voor zoonlief : ) Lack tafeltje van ikea, 4 lego grondplaten en montagekit. Et voila!

A photo posted by Mi (@miweij) on Feb 12, 2016 at 6:02am PSTFeb 12, 2016 at 6:02am PST

You can buy the Lego baseplate here.

There are so many uses for a $10 ikea Knagglig crate — it’s the perfect storage item.

Buy it here.

But stain it, attach four of them together, add some legs, and a cushion on top and suddenly you have a customized ottoman.

I woke up this morning and decided I wanted to make a table. Here's my finished table! #ikeahacks

A photo posted by sarah (@5ticky) on Apr 9, 2016 at 10:58pm PDTApr 9, 2016 at 10:58pm PDT

You can shop bench cushions and table leg ideas here.

The Ribba frame is a $10 Ikea frame for displaying your artwork.

Buy it here.

One blogger figured out they could repurpose it as a drying rack by inserting a doormat with a rubber bottom.

Shared a post on the RIBBA frame turned into drying rack. The green turf adds cheer to the kitchen. #ikeahacks http://bit.ly/1tlNlCF

A photo posted by Jules Yap (@ikeahackersofficial) on Nov 20, 2014 at 7:55pm PSTNov 20, 2014 at 7:55pm PST

Find directions here.

Last but not least, these $25 Valje wall cabinets are easy to put together.

Buy it here.

This cat owner turned them into his own cat condo, complete with cushions, scratching posts, and a hidey-hole.

our human daddy finally finished our cat condo/scratcher! // Balou loves it! 🐾😁🏠 #british_paws #britishpaws #britishkurzhaar #britishshorthair #britishshorthairs #britischkurzhaar #britsekorthaar #britishshorthaircat #britishshorthaircats #britishshorthairsworldwide #cat #cats #catstagram #catsofinstagram #topcatphoto #instacat_meows #bestcats_oftheworld #meow_beauties #a_world_of_cats #excellent_cats #cat_features #my_loving_pet #catcondo #catcondos #selfmade #ikeahacks #ikea #hacks #catscratcher #catscratch

A photo posted by like father, like son. (@british_paws) on Feb 1, 2016 at 4:31am PSTFeb 1, 2016 at 4:31am PST

Visit his Instagram to see how it’s done.