5 of the best IKEA hacks you need to try right now

Author: Victoria Harrison on Houzz

You may have heard that IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad passed away in late January at the grand old age of 91. In tribute to the flat-pack phenomenon he founded in the 1940s, here are some IKEA hacks to inspire you. From elevated units to bespoke bedroom storage, these furniture upgrades will have you asking, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

1. Refresh with a pastel twist
The owner of this stylish home in the US has transformed a simple pine Rast chest of drawers into a pretty, vintage-inspired piece thanks to a couple of coats of paint and some fancy new handles.

Painting each drawer a different colour and mixing up glass, ceramic and brass handles creates something unique, while the use of rose pink and peachy coral shades ensures the piece is bang on trend.

2. Give a unit a bespoke finish
A low-level TV unit adds a refined air to this Dutch home thanks to the light-coloured wood top, which is actually a scaffold board cut to size. Designed by the homeowners in collaboration with local company Steigerhout en Zo, it’s an elegant hack that transforms this plain white Besta storage unit into something special.

It would be very simple to recreate this hack at home – just ask your local DIY store or timber yard to cut a piece of wood to the correct size for you, then lightly oil or varnish it before fixing it securely to the base unit.

3. Elevate a humble chest of drawers
This also started life as a pine Rast unit and it’s been upcycled beyond recognition by design blogger Kristin of Bliss at Home. The carcass has been painted crisp white and the drawer fronts bright yellow, and a white, crackle-effect overlay has been added to the front of each drawer, along with a smart brass handle.

The stroke of genius, though, is the elevation of the entire unit thanks to the addition of wood and brass legs. This unit was originally designed to sit on the floor, so the base has been strengthened and a set of four legs added, transforming it from a basic unit into an elegant piece of furniture.

4. Upgrade your kitchen
Yes, this is an IKEA kitchen, albeit one that’s had quite a design makeover. Homeowner Beth, an interior designer, and her partner, hacked the Metod kitchen in their UK home by painting the units sage grey and fitting new handles, then topping the lot with honed marble work surfaces. The result is a beautifully bespoke painted kitchen without the bespoke price tag.

Beth also painted the wall panelling in the adjoining dining room in the same colour as the kitchen units for a cohesive look.

5. Treat your feet
How much thought have you given to the legs of your sofa? Consider taking a second glance, as an upgrade could transform the look of your living room. This Soderhamn sofa has gone from “off the shelf” to “bespoke” in a flash thanks to the black and gold legs that have been swapped in to replace the standard slim metal ones.

There are numerous shops now that are dedicated to offering beautiful drawer pulls, table legs and even cupboard fronts to pimp your flatpack furniture, so take a look and see what you can upgrade.