We’re about making your IKEA furniture even better

Welcome to IKEA Hackers! I’m Jules Yap, and let me tell you more about this site.

Jules Yap of IKEA hackers

IKEA Hackers started in 2006 as a personal blog to showcase the most impressive IKEA hacks worldwide. Since then, it has become a hub of inspiration, featuring stunning furniture transformations, DIY tutorials, upcycles, and how-tos to customize flatpack furniture.

At IKEA Hackers, you’ll find your daily dose of creative DIY projects and the latest news from the beloved Scandinavian furniture store, IKEA.

I love IKEA hacks and DIY. Not just hacking them myself but also seeing what others have done. My experience with DIY started early as Dad’s little assistant. All I did was hand him the screwdriver and hammer, which was enough to spark a life-long love for making and creating things. 

Much later on, I got my first apartment.

IKEA Frosta hack and Rast nightstand hack by Jules Yap

And that’s when it all started. I began spending too much time thinking about how I wanted my space to look, feel, and function. I bought furniture, but at times, they didn’t sit right — they were not the proper size or color or didn’t work as well as I thought they should. And I didn’t have much budget to spare for home decor.

So, I needed to get creative. I began browsing an insane number of home decor websites. (Instagram and Pinterest didn’t exist yet.) That was when I stumbled upon IKEA hacking.

I was utterly blown away. My first thought was, “I can modify IKEA furniture?” It seemed too obvious, but nobody let on to it back then.

How did IKEA Hackers start?

IKEA Hackers on Blogspot

Then, I thought, “How great it would be to find all of these IKEA hacks on one website?”

The rest, as they say, rolled out like Swedish meatballs. The site has grown so much from its humble beginnings that it still surprises me.

You may have realized by now that I don’t do all the hacks. IKEA Hackers from all over the globe send in their hacks, their alternative ideas, and repurposing of IKEA products. By sharing their IKEA hacks and ideas, we hope to inspire you to birth something unique from the “everyone-has-it” IKEA piece.

A little bit about me

I live in a terrace house in Selangor, Malaysia. Sharing my home are 2 Japanese koi and several tropical plants. As you’ll see in my renovation diary, the house has been a work in progress. 

My first IKEA Hack was a RIBBA frame turned into a watch case. After that, I got hooked and made several more things, including a potting table. When I’m not IKEA hacking and working on this site, I cook, take walks in the park, and try to grow things. (Still failing at this!)

You’ll be my new BFF if you show up with a giant pack of Cheezels and the latest Korean blockbuster.

Favorite snack: Cheezels
Guilty pleasure: K-drama
Secret fantasy job: Home organizer
Can’t live without: Jesus
Pet peeve: Putting things back in place

Renovating my home

Follow along as I turn a 20-year-old house into my home. It’s been a long work in progress, and it still is. I’m most proud of the reno work in my kitchen and primary ensuite.

In my previous apartment, I worked with IKEA on a kitchen remodel. It’s an IKEA kitchen I still thoroughly love and seriously miss cooking in there.

IKEA kitchen by Jules Yap
My first apartment with an IKEA kitchen

I wrote a book on IKEA hacking

I wrote a book in 2017 that documented some of the most prolific IKEA hackers and best-loved IKEA hacks. The book goes into much more detail on making the hacks that may not be possible on the website. Nineteen collaborators worked with me on this book to produce a comprehensive book on hacking some of the most popular IKEA furniture. Details of the book are here.

IKEAHackers book

My IKEA hacks on exhibit.

In 2020, the M+ Museum in Hong Kong acquired two of my IKEA hacks for their M+ collection. I’m honored to be featured alongside other acclaimed visual artists, designers, and architects in this interdisciplinary collection of visual culture.

M+ Collection
M+ Collection | Jules Yap

What is an IKEA hack?

An IKEA hack is the tweaking of an IKEA product. It could range from repurposing, reassembling, upgrading, updating, personalizing, or creating something new. In short, it’s not in the assembly manual.

If you’ve done some IKEA hacking, send it in and share your IKEA hack with the world.

Other than this site, you can stay in touch with me and IKEA hacks on social media:

Is IKEA hackers by IKEA?

No, IKEA does not run IKEA hackers. This site is not their idea, nor is it sanctioned or endorsed by IKEA in any way. This is purely a fan-run website. I did have a bit of a run-in with them a few years ago. You can read about it here. But it’s all good now.

For full disclosure, I earn from advertising, mainly via ads and when readers support me by buying Amazon products through my affiliate link. From time to time, I may test out new forms of advertising, but my goal is always to keep advertising as non-intrusive as possible.

IKEA Hackers in the Press

My favorite IKEA hacks

Every year, I list 10 of my favorite IKEA hacks. They are the ones that stick in my mind for their ingenuity, function, and pure beauty. If you’re new here and wondering where to start, browse the IKEA Hacks of the Year for creative hacks.

See the IKEA Hacks of the Year.

Or start below with some of my personal favorites.