IKEA TV and Entertainment Center Hacks
Right here, we'll explore some of the best IKEA entertainment center hacks that will help you design a beautiful and practical space for all your Netflix-and-chill needs.
We have some ingenious IKEA hacks like this built-in TV wall, a sprawling bookshelf TV console that's a main focal point of the room to a small TV stand that takes up hardly any space.
Whether you prefer large entertainment centers with plenty of storage, to a simple minimal TV stand, we have DIY projects to inspire you to create the best entertainment center for your space.
IKEA BESTÅ entertainment centers
The IKEA BESTÅ cabinets are a popular choice for entertainment centers as the modular system allows for customization options to create the entertainment center to best meet your needs.
You can combine frames, shelves, legs, and doors in various ways to achieve a unique look. A fabulous combination for a BESTÅ TV unit is to use a BESTÅ TV bench, with NANNARP legs, and three doors to create a sleek entertainment center for under $300.
But, on IKEA Hackers, there is more than one way to make a media console. See our selection of BESTÅ entertainment center hacks for more ideas.
BESTÅ living room storage goes custom width
Right after I finished installing 3D decorative panels on my…
Besta drawer pull out for 3-in-1 printer
Ikea items used: 1 x Besta 40 x 60 footprint…
BESTÅ TV on fire
In our new house, we wanted a TV unit that…
BESTÅ TV Unit with Oak wrap around
A sleek BESTÅ TV Unit inspired by other BESTÅ hacks.…
IKEA HEMNES series
The IKEA HEMNES is one of the more expensive ranges at IKEA as it features a solid wood construction. This series offers a TV unit already, so you're off to a good start in customising the HEMNES. A popular combination is to flank the TV unit with the HEMNES bookcases for a media center with plenty of storage.
But that can be a tad bland, so scroll on for more ideas on making your HEMNES entertainment center a lot more interesting.
KALLAX as TV consoles
The KALLAX series is known for its minimalist, square design. And one of the most regularly hacked pieces of IKEA furniture. If you're looking for a simple yet functional TV stand design, look no further than the KALLAX.
IKEA used to carry a KALLAX TV unit (similar to the LAPPLAND) with space at the center of the frame for a TV. That sadly is discontinued, but you can still hack a similar TV stand using the standard KALLAX shelving unit.
Besides that, there are so many ways to use the KALLAX. Stack two units horizontally or vertically, depending on your room layout, to create a modern and airy entertainment center. Additionally, you can accessorize the KALLAX with doors, drawers, or inserts to increase storage options and add visual interest.
IKEA kitchen cabinets for media storage
Not expecting to see the IKEA kitchen series on this list?
The SEKTION or METOD range is so versatile, you can actually use them as living room storage, and they won't look out of place. The key is to pick the right kitchen cabinet frames to fit its purpose as a TV stand.
To make a TV stand, the frame of choice is the fridge top cabinet, which carries a slimmer profile than most kitchen cabinets. Flip the door around so it opens downward and wrap the frame in wood for an excellent wall-mounted media console.
BILLY Bookcase Entertainment Centers
The IKEA BILLY bookcase can also be an excellent choice for a media center. With its flexible shelving system, the BILLY bookshelf offers ample storage for your media and electronic devices.
It's not too expensive which means you can add as many bookcases as needed. And from there easily make a built-in entertainment center for a large TV, at a fraction of the cost of a custom built-in media unit.
LACK shelves for simple TV stands
Not to be overlooked is the modest IKEA LACK series. The tall IKEA LACK TV unit is the cheapest TV stand you can find on IKEA, while its sleeker brother, is so hackable and readily morphs into a handsome piece of furniture.
View all our LACK TV stand hacks
What style of IKEA entertainment center?
1. Built-in Look
A great IKEA hack for an entertainment center is to create a built-in look by using IKEA kitchen cabinets. Assemble the cabinets according to IKEA instructions and then put them in place. Add trim to the sides and tops to achieve a seamless built-in appearance.
View more built-in entertainment center hacks.
2. Rustic Industrial
A popular IKEA item to use to achieve the industrial look is the IKEA VITTSJÖ. You can add wooden crates or distressed wood paneling as your own personal touch to give it a more rustic feel.
View more rustic industrial entertainment center
3. Farmhouse style
Farmhouse-style entertainment centers often require a creative mix of IKEA units and your own DIY touches. Start with the IKEA storage unit of your choice like the BESTÅ unit or HEMNES. Then add wooden beams, shiplap, or barn-style doors as accents. You can also paint the cabinet units in a light color or add a distressed finish to give it that authentic farmhouse aesthetic.
4. Mid-Century Modern
To achieve the look of a Mid-Century Modern TV stand, the easiest DIY is to replace some furniture legs and attach era-appropriate door pulls, like in this IKEA STOCKHOLM hack that made it totally un-IKEA.
5. Floating TV stand
Optimize space while keeping a neat and tidy look by floating your TV or TV stand. Install BESTÅ unit to the wall to create a wall-mounted minimalist TV stand. Or you can even float your TV by mounting it to IKEA posts like the ELVARLI (or the discontinued STOLMEN) to lift your TV off the floor.
6. Hidden TV hack
Hide your TV behind lift-top doors or make it disappear altogether with the use of a projector.
All our TV and Media Furniture Hacks
Old IKEA LACK TV hacked into vintage style furniture
Materials: Old model of LACK TV furniture and metal guides of IKEA panel curtains Adding elements to an old IKEA furniture I created a piece of furniture inspired by Scandinavian vintage sideboard of the mid century. Steps: Remove the wheels from the original model. Add a side panel of 2.1 cm…
HYLLIS entertainment console
So, I saw this post on your blog, and loved it so much I had to do my own version – it was exactly what I needed in my living room. I bought three HYLLIS units, hacked off the bottoms, shortened the legs, spray painted them all and bolted them…
TV Box Box (Wall-hugging TV equipment cabinet)
My hack is an Ikea wall cabinet that I modified to hold a small TV cable / satellite box. It mounts below a wall-mounted TV, keeping everything neat and tight to the wall. The equipment box faces up, while an angled mirror lets you (and your remote control) see the…
The Stall Ultra Slim Entertainment Center
Materials: – Stall Shoe Cabinet – Uppleva Cable Cover Strip – Uppleva Wall Bracket for TV My wife and I just had our first child and so space is now at a premium. The design of our apartment has the front door opening onto one of the walls of the…
Hammarp Time
We wanted a nice built-in for the den in our new house, and have always been fond of butcher block countertops, so we decided to build around the Hammarp (nee Numerar?) oak offering from Ikea. Our floors are also of oak. The original plan was to build the piece around…
Mid Century Modern Besta Media Center
Materials: Besta Shelf unit/height extension units. 1 single and 1 double. In need of a mid century modern style media center to match the rest of my home but at a price that was reasonable, I created a unit using 2 Ikea Besta height extension units. I started off with…
BESTA built in with stone wall for TV
Materials: Besta Shelves, Besta TV unit, Besta Vassbo Inspired by Big Besta Built-ins and Papa Was a… Besta’ Stone!. I first created a base using 2×4 and some foam (for protection) for the Besta to sit on so I could use floor trim later. I then built a false wall…
Tall TV Stand
Materials: ADILS legs and a shelf I found (also in Ikea), VARIERA shelf insert I wanted a TV stand for my bedroom, and all the other stands weren’t high enough for us to view the TV lying in bed. Also, most of them were too big for the small area…
LACK TV Unit improved/completed
I had this LACK tv unit for 49 euros in Germany and needed more space and closed/secured space (because of children). So I decided to improve it with two LACK tables (each 5 or 10 Euro) and a BESTA Board (same colour). I also made out of cheap wood the…
Mondrian Expedit Media Stand
A Piet Mondrian/Mid-century modern inspired twist on an Expedit shelving unit. With the end use of a media stand. Materials and tools 1 Expedit shelving unit 2 1″ x 16″ x 72″ edge glued Aspen boards – carried at the local big box home store $30 apiece 4 6″ tapered…
TV stand from METOD cabinet
Materials: METOD 80x37x60cm wall cabinet, VARIERA cover caps, VEDDINGE 80x40cm drawer front, FORBATTRA/MAXIMERA drawer without front, UTRUSTA 80x37cm shelf, CAPITA 8cm legs, VEDDINGE 39x86cm cover panel My friend needed a TV unit, and her space was pretty much exactly 80cm… However, the majority of IKEAs actual TV units are 60cm,…
Made to measure Bestå and oak TV bench
Materials: Bestå shelf unit with doors and 2 Hammarp Countertop Oak Step 1: Go to IKEA and buy the Bestå shelf unit with doors and two Hammarp Countertop, oak. Step 2: Cut the countertop to the desired dimensions. I chose the dimensions 40cmx299cm, so it fitted wall to wall. Step 3:…
EXPEDIT/KALLAX beefed up as TV & Media Furniture
The Start After more then 10 years having the same bulky 4:3 TV set, we allowed us an upgrade, and went for a bigger and more stylish flatscreen TV. Our previous TV was much smaller and was hidden, with all the other electronics, in a cupboard. The much larger flatscreen…
Hemnes Olé!
Some time ago I bought a Hemnes china cabinet which I decorated with Mexican talavera knobs to fit in with the southwestern style of my home. I needed some more storage in my living room, so I decided to get a matching Hemnes TV bench and put talavera tiles on…
Dressing up the BESTA
My husband and I just finished remodeling our basement and wanted to create a built-in media center and bar on adjacent walls. Because they would be in the same sightline, I was hoping to find a way to create matching doors for both components. My solution came in the form…
IKEA LAGAN Turntable Plinth
IKEA sells a range of hardwood counter top available in a variety of materials. I managed to get the beech wood LAGAN series (at least in my country – Singapore) and had it cut up for making of a turntable plinth. Vintage turntables were sold with flimsy plinths and some…
Contemporary TV unit – Improvising with LACK!
There are many post & hacks that were done with LACK series of products from Ikea. Well, here is my version of it. Need brings ideas!! That’s how we built this TV unit. List of IKEA items used: LACK TV unit LACK wall shelf (11 3/4 “x 10 1/4…
Home Theater Media Center Besta Hack
Moved to small studio in NYC and wanted media center to be clean with no wires and extra storage. Designed it on ikea’s website and built for around $700. Check out my blog, for more information on this hack. First I bought Besta Vassbo Doors with middle square indents. Looking…
Foto Passive Sound Amplifier
Materials: FOTO lamp shade Saw something similar at another really high end furniture store. Waay to expensive but kinda cool. Used a Foto light shade and wood scraps in my garage to create the amplifier. Wood holder centers the speaker of a Galaxy S4 right in the middle as well…
Expedit panel TV
Materials: EXPEDIT 1×5 The bookcase is wrapped with wood on 3 sides. The same wood panel is hung on the wall where a TV mount is fixed. See more of the Expedit TV bench. ~ Sonia
