Drawers on wheels, narrow or wide, a sleek desk, or one with drawers on the side. This sounds like a quirky poem about furniture, but it’s actually a glimpse into a popular IKEA product range.
IKEA’s ALEX series offers a variety of drawer and desk configurations, making it a favorite pick for office hacks. But clever creatives have found other ways to put this hardworking series to use, from consoles to vanity tables to LEGO workstations.
The no-nonsense style works great in a modern design, but the ALEX’s sleek surface also provides an ideal canvas for makeovers. Check out these 11 IKEA ALEX hacks to get an idea of what’s possible when you see something from a different perspective.
Easy IKEA ALEX Hacks Anyone Can Pull Off
Map Makeover
If you’re a travel bug, the idea of an ALEX with map overlay might be just the hack for you. Helene Langborg covered a set of ALEX drawers with her father’s old naval charts. The change not only gives the piece a unique look but also personalizes it, turning it into a great way to preserve memories.
ALEX Credenza
Mark Soares created an ALEX credenza by positioning a roll-top cabinet between two of the wide file cabinet units. Since the drawers were a bit too tall, he cut them down to size, creating a sleek piece of furniture with mid-century modern influences.
ALEX Vanity Table
IKEA hacks come in handy when you need a custom look or fit for less. Penny wanted a vanity table with plenty of storage, but she didn’t have a lot of space to work with. She decided to recreate a previous hack she had done for her daughter using the EKBY ALEX shelf units, but doubled up and used shorter legs.
Studio Workstation
This file organizer and workstation becomes exactly what Graham Stinson needed in a small music and design studio. He wanted something slightly undersized to keep the room from feeling cramped. The ALEX drawers, along with a few extra modifications, delivered the perfect setup for him and his daughters to work and create.
Sideways Storage for Tools
Talk about seeing something from a new point of view! Elizabeth LeMoine turned EKBY ALEX shelves sideways, transforming them into slide-out secret tool storage. It’s clever and maximizes the slim space alongside the large cabinets. I’m wondering: how would this work if you could mount the SKÅDIS pegboard inside the drawers?
Slim Desk or Sofa Table
Adding legs to the EKBY ALEX shelf gives you an instant sofa table or desk that fits well into narrow spaces. Carolyn kept it simple, and it looks great. But this hack gives you plenty of freedom to show off your style. Choose different legs, découpage the unit, cover it in wallpaper, paint it, or anything else your imagination leads you to.
Hardworking Home Office
This hack works some ALEX units into an efficient L-shaped home office desk setup loaded with storage and surface area. This DIY is a good example of how the different pieces in the ALEX series offer so much flexibility. You could apply the same idea to wider units, more drawers, versatile inserts, or extra cabinets to create a system that suits your precise needs.
Ultimate LEGO Station
Codyaner @codyaner.bricks discovered that multiple ALEX units on wheels come together to form the ultimate LEGO station. It provides tons of compartmentalized storage for LEGO bricks, and the large work surface is a great place to spread out and build.
Desk With Side Storage
This desk with sideways drawers actually combines an ALEX drawer unit with the MALM headboard. Tobi Wright cleverly turns the ALEX sideways to fit it below the MALM, creating a space-saving desk that they jazz up with some fun fabric.
ALEX Dressing Table
Give your ALEX drawers a glow-up with a glass top to fashion a dressing table that delivers a dash of glam. Merve @interieurmerve used KOMPLEMENT accessories, such as a slide-out and a glass shelf, to create a cohesive vanity setup with tons of storage.
Sleek DIY Desk
A popular trio for ALEX hacks combines an ALEX unit (or a few), interesting legs, and a smooth top to create a streamlined desk. This version features an interesting trestle leg, and it’s also super easy. There’s no need to saw or cut anything, just choose the size countertop that works for your space, and you’re good to go!
Do you have an ALEX hack to share? We’d love to add it to the site and keep the inspiration going strong!