IKEA Living Room Hacks

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When it comes to furnishing your living room, IKEA is a go-to destination for many. With its affordable prices and stylish designs, IKEA furniture is a popular choice for those looking to create a comfortable and functional living space.

But there's the risk of your living room looking like an IKEA showroom if you use mainly IKEA furniture. With a little creativity and a few DIY skills, you can take your IKEA furniture to the next level and perhaps even get a few people saying, "I can't believe it's IKEA!"

From easy IKEA hacks like adding new legs to your sofa to creating custom built-in storage solutions, there are so many fabulous ways to tweak your IKEA pieces into pieces that are uniquely you. 

In this page, you'll find some of the best IKEA living room hacks to inspire your own DIY projects and help you create a space that's both stylish and functional.

Most Popular Posts on Living Rooms

Take ordinary IKEA furniture and transform them into something extraordinary. From custom built-ins to clever hidden work spaces, these living rooms showcase the creativity and ingenuity of IKEA hackers.

Whether you're looking to add some personality to your space or simply want to make the most of your IKEA furniture, these living room hacks are sure to inspire. So why not take a closer look and see how you can create a space that's stylish and functional?

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Bookshelves Sideboards Room Dividers

Living Room Storage

The wonder of IKEA hacking! Take IKEA furniture and modify them to fit your specific needs and space requirements.

You not only create a storage system that's tailored to your living room and the items you need to store, but also seamlessly match your style and taste.
How I hacked a classic IKEA Bestå HiFi Storage Cabinet

How I hacked a classic IKEA Bestå HiFi Storage Cabinet

I made this Media/HiFi Storage Furniture using an IKEA Bestå…

Finally! A Double Sliding Doors BESTÅ

Finally! A Double Sliding Doors BESTÅ

Materials: 2 BESTÅ Shelf unit (120x40x64) ( 40€ each )…

IKEA TARVA Golden Antique Makeover

IKEA TARVA Golden Antique Makeover

Hey Guys, I wanted to share one my most recent…

IKEA EXPEDIT’s bold new look with plywood trim

IKEA EXPEDIT’s bold new look with plywood trim

Here I show you my new version of the famous…

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Coffee table and side table hacks

IKEA coffee table hacks are very popular on IKEA hackers. They are smaller DIY projects and a great starting point if you're beginning your DIY journey. But they are no less amazing. Here are some popular IKEA coffee table hacks.
LACK »Extended Version«

LACK »Extended Version«

Hi guys, I had this idea for about 6 months:…

Liquorice Lack Table

Liquorice Lack Table

For just a couple of bucks you can turn those…

Couch table with a snack drawer

Couch table with a snack drawer

This is a combination of LACK and Expedit. Build LACK like…

Skoghall Side Table without the holes

Skoghall Side Table without the holes

I recently bought a SKOGHALL side table, but then realised…

Hacking the Lack into an upholstered ottoman

Hacking the Lack into an upholstered ottoman

Materials: Lack Coffee Table Description: I had an old Lack…

Klassy Butcherblock Tops for Klubbo Tables

Klassy Butcherblock Tops for Klubbo Tables

Materials: Klubbo Nesting Table set; John Boos maple butcher block…

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IKEA Bookshelf Hacks

Other than the fact that IKEA bookshelves are made to store a lot of stuff, they are affordable and so hackable. Which makes them a popular choice for built-in bookshelf hacks and so much more. Here are our top IKEA Bookshelf Hacks.
DIY Grundtal fabric sling bookcase

DIY Grundtal fabric sling bookcase

Materials: GRUNDTAL †owel rack A fabric sling bookcase can be…

FROSTA half shelves

FROSTA half shelves

I had two un-used FROSTA stools and I converted them…

Make me a built in bookcase she said……

Make me a built in bookcase she said……

Materials: 3 Billy bookcases and a Gnedby shelving unit, bits…

BILLY, Metallic and Stencils

BILLY, Metallic and Stencils

Materials: BILLY bookcases, stencils The backs of the large billy…

A tribute to Mondrian library

A tribute to Mondrian library

Materials: LACK shelf, TUTEMO open cabinet This is a library…

“Built-in” bookcase from old IVAR shelf

“Built-in” bookcase from old IVAR shelf

After my divorce, it was time to turn my attic…

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All our IKEA Living Room Hacks

EXPEDIT cube bench

EXPEDIT cube bench

Materials: EXPEDIT cube (no longer available, you may try the LACK side table with casters) I secured three large EXPEDIT cubes together as seen in picture. I then nailed them together. I placed a large piece of MDF on top along with foam and fabric and stapled in place. For…

FROSTA half shelves

FROSTA half shelves

I had two un-used FROSTA stools and I converted them into half oval shape shelves! To make this : 1. We sawed stools in half 2. Removed the legs 3. Used the legs to create brackets… By sawing the ends off to the exact size 4. Attached brackets to shelf…

Make me a built in bookcase she said……

Make me a built in bookcase she said……

Materials: 3 Billy bookcases and a Gnedby shelving unit, bits of an Akurum kitchen unit My wife wanted a built in ‘library’ bookcase in our new living room, and trusted my woodworking skills to hack IKEA units to do the job. I managed to squeeze 3 BILLY bookcases and a…

Besta Bench Seat Dining Area

Besta Bench Seat Dining Area

Materials: Besta Cabinet base, with MDF top upholstered by caravan upholstery shop and Vassbo style doors. This is a really functional, space saving and comfortable area. Its ideal for socialising, eating, entertaining and working. Everyone loves the booth seat in a restaurant, so why not have that level of comfort…

Kitchen panels form coffee table

Kitchen panels form coffee table

All you need is a screwdriver. You take off the screws from the LIMHAMN and fix the GRUNDTAL knob hanger as feet. After you can fix with screws the planks (STAT, APPLAD, RUBRIK…….!) If you like you can change with different colours. The only restriction is: you should not place…

Mix and Match side table

Mix and Match side table

This is quite easy to do: the bottom is 4x Capita, white platform is Harlig, middle white bars are Antonius, and the top is an Oxberg door! Takes about less then 15 minutes to assemble. Like to place some flowers on it or any item you want to. ~ Norman…

BILLY, Metallic and Stencils

BILLY, Metallic and Stencils

Materials: BILLY bookcases, stencils The backs of the large billy bookcases were primed with Zinsser shellac-based spray primer. I applied two coats of Modern Masters metallic paint in Warm Silver and allowed it to dry. Using Benjamin Moore‘s Cedar Key in semi-gloss (I used the same color in flat finish…

How to pad your POANG armchair armrest

How to pad your POANG armchair armrest

I found the bent wood arms on the Poang chair too hard and Ikea still does not make padded armrests for the chair. I bought a package of flexible padded aluminium splint from Amazon. It is 4.25″ X 36″. The product I got was salmon colored. It had minimal padding…

Triple RAST sideboard

Triple RAST sideboard

Materials: RAST A classic RAST hack. x3 bare pine RAST with dressed stained timber on top. Fills a 3 meter alcove and gives me 9 man draws!! ~ Boney Gildroy

A tribute to Mondrian library

A tribute to Mondrian library

Materials: LACK shelf, TUTEMO open cabinet This is a library designed to contain a large amount of books and my old records collection. It is designed as a tribute to the artist Mondrian. The Library in made from 10 small TUTEMO cabinets, 4 big TUTEMO cabinets and some 10 or…

Hemnes Coffee Table turned Ottoman

Hemnes Coffee Table turned Ottoman

Materials: Hemnes coffee table 4 pieces of flat wood (will make more sense in the below steps) Foam Batting Fabric of your choice (thicker and stronger fabric) Cover buttons with kit Tissue/Packing paper (that covers the dimensions of the top of the table) Nails Hammer Spray adhesive (to stick fabric/foam…

“Built-in” bookcase from old IVAR shelf

“Built-in” bookcase from old IVAR shelf

After my divorce, it was time to turn my attic bedroom into a room that suited my personality, as well as a room that blended better with my 1911 Craftsman home. The room was originally finished in the 1980s or 90s when the attic was turned into living space, and…

Coffee table for me and my dog!

Coffee table for me and my dog!

2 coffee table LACK, Size : 35x22x18″ 2 GURLI Cushion cover, red, 20″x20″ 2 ULLKAKTUS Cushion, white, 20″x20″ Photo credit for LACK coffee table & pillows: IKEA.com

BORGSJO with Barn Doors

BORGSJO with Barn Doors

Hello – this is my first (intentional) IKEA-hack! My husband and I just moved to Cape Cod and I wanted to make our furniture more Cape Cod looking. Your website inspired me to get crafty! I took my old Ikea BISSA shoe cabinet and some Pine Craft Board ($1.73 from…

Custom Doors for Expedit & Kallax Shelving

Custom Doors for Expedit & Kallax Shelving

Doors: 1) Took 1/4 Inch thick hardboard and cut it into a 13 inch by 13 inch square 2) Cut a design into it using a jig saw 3) Painted 4) Varnished Handles: 1) Bought 1/2 diameter wooden dowels from Dollarama. 2) Cut to 3/4 Inch length 3) Drilled a…

Hyllis all the way

Hyllis all the way

I wanted a Restoration Hardware/Pottery Barn-ish industrial looking shelves for the living room. By taking four units of Hyllis, turning them upside down and making some cuts, we had the basis for our shelves. We then treated the wood, made some cuts to make sure it fit and la voila.…

PAX / Billy living room storage with silhouette doors

PAX / Billy living room storage with silhouette doors

Materials: 1 Billy bookcase, 2 PAX wardrobes, PAX door hinges, PAX shelf inserts Before we were married, I knew that my now-wife and I would live in an apartment and we would desperately need storage for items related to her direct sales businesses (fashion jewelry, bags and teaching couponing techniques…

BESTA Floating Credenza

BESTA Floating Credenza

Materials: BESTA shelf unit with high gloss, white doors two BESTA shelf suspension rails  3/4″ X 47 3/4″ X 16″, Aspen panel I’m excited to share one of the big projects we worked on (before I share the full reveal!) to help transform the space with a trusty old DIY…

Bunny Copper Piping chair

Bunny Copper Piping chair

Materials: FROSTA stool A furniture hack designed for Rabbit Owl Depot in Singapore, the design intent was to have an industrial look relating to the interior design yet cute symbolical reference to the animal. User will grab the copper piping rabbit ear just like a magician pulling a bunny out…

A Secret Secretary Desk Hidden in a BILLY Bookcase

A Secret Secretary Desk Hidden in a BILLY Bookcase

Looking for a space-saving workstation that doesn’t scream “office”? This brilliant IKEA hack transforms the beloved BILLY bookcase into a fully functional fold-out secretary desk—with hidden compartments, clever tech features, and loads of personality. Created by the team at Saustark Design in their studio in Munich’s Schwabing district, this hack…

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