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Founded in 1943, the Swedish giant Ikea has changed the way we shop design and furniture forever. In a rapidly evolving industry where new trends are born every day, while new products emerge to improve our lives, Ikea has remained relevant for almost 80 years with its solid fanbase.
And fans, they know what they are getting into – from Scandinavian minimalist design and ready-to-assemble furniture anyone can nail, to friendly prices, weird (or rather, charming!) product names, that iconic blue and yellow plastic shopping bag and simply unbeatable Swedish meatballs with cranberry sauce. How can you not love this?!
No wonder Ikea aficionados gather together in communities online to share their interest and love for all things Ikea. One such group is the Reddit community “Ikea Hacks” which presents itself as “a smart community focused on helping people build the perfect furniture for their living space using items sold by IKEA.”
With 109k members, the subreddit has become a destination for smart interior and furniture ideas to make out of Ikea products, and this is basically a treasure box for anyone in the mood for a home makeover or a full-on renovation.
Scroll down below through the smartest hacks! And when you're done with this post, be sure to check out more Ikea hacks right here.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I Finally Finished My "Library" With Floor To Ceiling Shelves (Still Need To Put In New Flooring)
RELATED:
#2
I Hacked An 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!
Bored Panda reached out to the moderator of the Ikea Hacks subreddit who goes by the handle u/6745408 to find out more about this community that gathers Ikea aficionados from all around the world. The moderator told us that they actually adopted the sub. “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,” they recounted.
That’s when u/6745408 stumbled upon the Ikea Hacks subreddit. “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,” the moderator said. They gave up on the POÄNG chair, but never left the sub. “I love seeing all of the stuff people come up with,” the mod added.
#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
Kona Pake 2 years ago
For a moment there I thought you were going to convert the space into a bedroom to rent out for BnB.
Scott Crowell 2 years ago
Way to compartmentalize your work! Yes I had to google how to spell it.
Al Christensen 2 years ago
I did a similar thing with a murphy bed closet in an old apartment.
Darla Taylor 2 years ago
Pretty awesome but unfortunately it wouldn’t be large enough for my crafts
GoddessOdd 2 years ago (edited)
My dream has been to get things together enough that I can do something like this, but I have too much stuff! I read somewhere that "shopping for craft supplies and USING craft supplies are two different hobbies" and I couldn't agree more. This looks so neat and tidy... very inspiring.
The moderator assured us that the audience of Ikea Hacks is “a really nice community, for the most part. The ideas people come up with are really great, too.” According to the moderator, everybody in the subreddit has an interest in modding flat-packed furniture, even if they don’t actually do it.
#7
Duktig Doll Bed And Handmade Covers For My Little Buddy
#9
Kind Of Silly, But I'm Proud Of My Ingenuity. The IKEA Lamp (Fado) Was Brighter In Home Than In 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!
When asked how, in their opinion, Ikea has managed to remain relevant in this competitive industry of interior and furniture design, the moderator said there are reasons for its enduring popularity, according to them. “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,” u/6745408 explained.
“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,” they added.
#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
When it comes to the content that gets shared on the Ikea Hacks community, the moderator said it’s a mix of show-and-tell and questions. “There are lots of simple mods like painting or using Mactac, plenty of offices/battlestations, elaborate shelving setups, bars, and even greenhouses using cabinets (see /r/IkeaGreenhouseClub).”
#13
Ivar Hidden Desk
#15
Upgraded My Cat's Toilet With This Bestå Litterbox Hack
With so many wonderful ideas and tips shared on the Ikea Hacks community, it may be overwhelming to pick out the best ones. So moderator u/6745408 shared a couple of their favorite ones that you may find just as interesting. Check out this unbelievable library, this mirror wall, this bar the moderator said they send to everybody, this smart greenhouse with the pegboard and, last but not least, this dress made from a duvet.
#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 Fathers 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 An 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 The Normal End Of Bed Furniture So They Are Able To 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
Rabbit Carrot 2 years ago
Beautiful. It reminds me of the greenhouse cabinets you can buy in Animal Crossing.
#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, 2x4 Base With Baseboards, 2x6 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
Customised 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
Vanessa Richardson 2 years ago
For anyone else wondering, I looked it up. You can buy just the cabinet doors by themselves! (Apologies if I’m the only one who didn’t already know that😅)
#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
CaptainDinosaur 2 years ago
I need something like this to sort out the nest of chaos that is my archery c**p.
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What do you think ?
Craig Silberman 2 years ago
some good hacks, but a lot of non-hacks too (painting and staining are NOT hacks)
The Holy Penguin 2 years ago
Wow! Ill use some of these! When I finally find the exit that is. If there even is one...
DannX68 2 years ago
There isn't. All their employees are people who got lost in their maze.
Load More Replies...
Chancey 2 years ago
Some of these are very impressive! I'm wondering how a lot are done though. I thought most IKEA furniture was made from particle board not real wood which would make it difficult to alter pieces.
Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago
Chancey, it totally depends on the product. But even particle boards can be cut and re-imagined.
Load More Replies...
Upstaged75 2 years ago
Here's my hack of the Ikea Duktig play kitchen. I did it for my nephew's 4th birthday. kit-628d42...eb26a2.jpg 
Bored Retsuko 2 years ago
I like many of these, but what I like even more is that pandas are realistic about what would work and what wouldn't... Not just the typical "oMg YoUr So cReAtIvE!" comments if you know what I mean
Willow Chance 2 years ago (edited)
Wow these are all so amazing, makes me want redecorate my room.
River Daski 2 years ago
we're currently using one of their metal drawer systems for magic card organization! took some notched customizable drawer dividers and made rows. works like a charm and is seriously affordable--unlike retired library codex cabinets
Craig Silberman 2 years ago
some good hacks, but a lot of non-hacks too (painting and staining are NOT hacks)
The Holy Penguin 2 years ago
Wow! Ill use some of these! When I finally find the exit that is. If there even is one...
DannX68 2 years ago
There isn't. All their employees are people who got lost in their maze.
Load More Replies... Chancey 2 years ago
Some of these are very impressive! I'm wondering how a lot are done though. I thought most IKEA furniture was made from particle board not real wood which would make it difficult to alter pieces.
Laura Ketteridge 2 years ago
Chancey, it totally depends on the product. But even particle boards can be cut and re-imagined.
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 2 years ago
Here's my hack of the Ikea Duktig play kitchen. I did it for my nephew's 4th birthday. kit-628d42...eb26a2.jpg
Bored Retsuko 2 years ago
I like many of these, but what I like even more is that pandas are realistic about what would work and what wouldn't... Not just the typical "oMg YoUr So cReAtIvE!" comments if you know what I mean
Willow Chance 2 years ago (edited)
Wow these are all so amazing, makes me want redecorate my room.
River Daski 2 years ago
we're currently using one of their metal drawer systems for magic card organization! took some notched customizable drawer dividers and made rows. works like a charm and is seriously affordable--unlike retired library codex cabinets
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