13 genius Ikea hacks that'll upgrade your furniture

Swedish furniture retailer Ikea’s the go-to for affordable furniture pieces with the chic Scandinavian style, but that’s just it. You’ll likely wind up with standard pieces that everyone else has. But think outside the box, and there are plenty of ways to change up your basic furniture.

In fact, the #ikeahacks hashtag is a thing. Here, we’ve scoured the Internet for great ideas that give some of Ikea’s bestselling buys a fresh and creative spin.

Some may require a little more elbow grease as well as DIY know-how, but there are also those that anyone can achieve with a bit of crafting.

1. Create your own WFH situation with two chest-of-drawers

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The Songesand chest of three drawers’ design is perfect if you’re going after a classic look. Place them perpendicular to each other and affix your table top of choice (Ikea has some options) for an L-shaped work space that’ll fit nicely in a corner.

2. Experiment with wallpaper

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Bored of plain cabinets or storage units? Wallpaper stickers or decals now come in a variety of ultra-chic designs that’ll give you unique furniture pieces in a jiffy.

3. This sliding bookcase conceals a secret door

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According to this DIY-er, he created his own sliding bookcase with three Besta bookshelves by fastening them to a large bottom plate with six caster. It acts to conceal a storeroom door, too. Genius.

4. Play on geometry

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Metal-cap furniture legs and decorative tape in geometric patterns luxe up the default wood-toned exterior of the Ivar cabinet – perfect for a rustic or boho-meets-industrial space.

5. Bring out the markers

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If you have a creative streak, all you need are markers or paint to transform a simple Kallax shelving unit. Or make this a weekend DIY project with the kids and boost their creativity. You can also give it a bit of height with furniture legs, like these hairpin legs.

6. A DIY kitchen island for less than $100

If you’ve always wanted a kitchen island but found them too pricey or bulky, take your cue from this Malaysian lady’s fabulous Ikea hack.

She built her own from scratch with components from Ikea ( a chopping board, Kallax unit, and furniture legs), all for just RM300 ($98). Read how she did it.

7. Decorative frames saved this DIY-er hundreds of dollars

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This Ikea hacker turned her Hemnes chest-of-drawers into an affordable farmhouse-chic dresser with crystal-look knobs and pretty DIY overlays. You can find ones specially designed for Ikea products on online marketplaces like Etsy or Shopee.

8. Spruce up the kids' room with this whimsical lampshade idea

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We can’t get over this adorable idea: The Regolit pendant lamp shade doubles as a whimsical hot air balloon for your child’s favourite soft toy. All you need is a piece of rope, glue and wires or string.

9. Give your playroom a new seating option

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With cushion seats, throw cushions and a personalised wooden name sign, an Ikea toy box can be turned into a charming bay window seat with storage space for the kiddos.

10. Plastic can be fantastic

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Plastic boxes are practical and useful, especially for stashing toys away, but they aren’t the most stylish. These Trofast plastic storage boxes (you can do this on any other storage box, really) get a fresh leafy revamp thanks to the prettiest wall stickers.

11.  Jazz up your dining table

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Decorative tiles turn the Laneberg table into a one-of-a-kind piece that’ll add texture and a festive touch to your dining area.

12. Make your bathroom twice as nice

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We love double vanities – they save time in the morning when there’s more than one person sharing a single bathroom. Interior designer Styledbypt fitted two Ikea wash-stands with a new countertop and sink for a stylish custom double vanity.

13. Spray paint is your best friend

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With a bit of spray paint, you can turn the Sinnerlig lamp into a statement accent to suit a black and white colour scheme.

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.