IKEA Living Room Hacks
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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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?
Jump directly to these categories:
2 IKEA cabinets for this beautiful living room built-in
The initial plan was to have floor to ceiling alcove units next to the fireplace so Claire hacked two IKEA BRUSALI cabinets and placed them on the left and right. …
Now, 4 things made a big difference in this BILLY hack
BILLY built-in living room shelves get a gorgeous makeover. Claire hacked her BILLY bookcases earlier this year (you can see it here). And while we still love her it, Claire…
8 IKEA hacks and ideas for a quick living room update
IKEA hacks and ideas to give your living room a fresh update. It’s a new season and you’re looking for inspiration and ideas to update your IKEA living room. You’re…
Living room home cinema: My stylish projector mount and hidden surround receiver
Stylish film projector mount and bookshelf I have been looking for a way to integrate my home cinema projector into my living room. I wanted it to be a stylish…
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.
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.
20 IKEA TARVA Hacks to go from Basic to Beautiful
IKEA TARVA dressers are affordable, durable, and easy to construct, making them one of the Swedish manufacturer’s most popular products. TARVA dressers seamlessly combine simple designs with untreated solid wood,…
Hack a big Apothecary style Sideboard Cabinet
A couple of years ago, I had a dead Ash tree cut down and the trunk cut into planks. At the time I thought it might be nice to make…
IKEA IVAR shines in this Sunburst Cabinet hack
Two pine cabinets makes one awesome sunburst cabinet. We had just moved into our new home and we needed nightstands for our bedroom. I had a vision of what I…
Pole wrap turns basic IKEA cabinet into a stunning sideboard
I decided to hack the EKET units as I’ve been desperate to use some pole wrap in an IKEA hack. Furthermore, I wanted to add some curved edges to the…
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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.
IKEA LACK Side Table: 26 surprising ways to hack it
The IKEA LACK side table is as “IKEA” as it gets. Minimal. Particleboard exterior. “Honeycomb” interior. Easy to assemble. The IKEA LACK side table (21 5/8″ x 21 5/8″ x 17…
IKEA small side table hacks: 15 minute DIY projects
The most popular small table from IKEA is the LACK side table. But it isn’t always ideal in terms of style, size and storage. Greg hacked his own small side…
Slate Coffee Table with unique lift top surface
We had the opportunity to rent an apartment in Tampa to be near family. Since this was a second residence for us, we had to purchase most of the furniture.…
The viral TikTok tile table: Here’s how to make it
If you are familiar with TikTok, you definitely have seen a version of this DIY tile table that went viral. I think the IKEA LACK side table is the perfect…
The Old Elm Coffee Table from old IKEA coffee table
Upcycling at its best. We wanted to have a heavy rustic wooden table, with only two or three pieces of wood glued together. This style fits our house and other…
Convert this popular step stool to an occasional side table
I wanted a small, portable table that I could use to put my food and drinks on when sitting in my garden. As I would use it only occasionally, I…
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How to Define Space in the Living Room
Ideas and hacks on how to define your living room space using IKEA items to create room dividers, partitions, even carve out a room for a home office.
See Through Room Divider that doesn’t block the view. In our 1960s house, the Dining Area and Lounge are one open space that seemed to beg for some separation. I wanted to keep the Lounge’s…
We used the IKEA KALLAX modules to build a room divider with a desk. The main structure is a KALLAX 4×4 unit propped up by two 1×2 KALLAX units. Together they work perfectly as a…
BILLY bookcases are awesome as walls for a temporary room. Working from home is becoming a reality for more and more people. But not everyone has the luxury of a dedicated room for a home…
It took me almost a year to figure it out. I sent a help request in 2019 but here is my attempt at a renter-friendly room divider. You can get this up by only drilling…
This is our hack of the PINNIG coat rack and shoe bench into an indoor plant room divider. Which we now call “The Pinnig Sprout Screen”. Backstory We have always wanted a room divider to have clear…
Hello Everybody! I am very excited to share with this community and everybody what I have done in my little apartment in hopes to help others who may have the same problem that I had.…
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.
These IKEA Doors complete this impressive DIY Built-in Bookcase
BILLY may be the king of built-in bookcases but don’t be quick to dismiss the other IKEA bookshelves that can work just as beautifully. Matthew’s choice is the LIATORP half-panel-glass-door…
The making of beautiful Built-in Bookshelves: A DIY Success Story
Katja Nordkvist is a DIY enthusiast who recently completed an impressive hack of IKEA KNOXHULT cabinets and BILLY bookcases. She transformed these basic pieces into custom built-in bookshelves that showcase…
We built in the KALLAX for a totally new look
I wanted to have shelving and storage in my home office. It would be highly visible in my video conference calls so I wanted it to look “built in”. The IKEA…
Built-in hack turns BILLY bookcase into a bespoke display cabinet
We wanted to create the perfect playroom/snug for our growing boys, where they could easily find all of their toys and books, but also relax and watch movies together with their friends. But we were…
An affordable DIY murphy door bookcase hack
Get your secret room with a DIY murphy door that’s easy on the pocket. I wanted to create an attractive door for my spare room/ office space because I often…
Now, 4 things made a big difference in this BILLY hack
BILLY built-in living room shelves get a gorgeous makeover. Claire hacked her BILLY bookcases earlier this year (you can see it here). And while we still love her it, Claire…
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IKEA Hacks for sofas, poufs and stools
Upcycle or customize an IKEA sofa, armchair, stool and pouffe to create a unique piece of furniture that reflects your personal style and meets your specific needs. We go beyond adding new legs to the sofa or reupholstering the cushions to show how much more you can do with your IKEA sofa, armchair or ottoman.
DIY Ottoman: 3 easy ways to make one
An ottoman is a versatile piece of furniture that can be used as a footrest, extra seating, or coffee table. It typically has a padded top and may have storage…
FRIHETEN sleeper sectional downsized into a chaise
Our cats had basically destroyed this poor couch (see photo of side arm) and we’d already decided that it was time to change it out. I had even posted it…
Old IKEA footstool gets makeover and new storage
I’m coming back with what I love the most, giving makeovers to old stuff and making them not just nicer but also giving them a new purpose. I had an…
IKEA snuggler – 2 seater POÄNG style
First things first, I wouldn’t have been able to do this Double POÄNG without looking at a previous Triple POÄNG article by Ian Fish. Mine is similar, but different at…
KOARP armchair upgraded in a very, very good way
Scripto took the KOARP armchair with a metal frame and give it a warm, mid-century modern style. The end result looks like a designer armchair at a fraction of the…
IKEA sofa with genius armrest storage
Bet you never knew your sofa armrests were prime storage space. Ok, so the guys at IKEA are the masters of hidden / secret storage everywhere. In fact, one of…
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All our IKEA Living Room Hacks
DIY Ottoman: 3 easy ways to make one
An ottoman is a versatile piece of furniture that can be used as a footrest, extra seating, or coffee table. It typically has a padded top and may have storage space inside. Ottomans come in various shapes, sizes, and styles, making them a popular choice for any room in the…
These IKEA Doors complete this impressive DIY Built-in Bookcase
BILLY may be the king of built-in bookcases but don’t be quick to dismiss the other IKEA bookshelves that can work just as beautifully. Matthew’s choice is the LIATORP half-panel-glass-door combo. The delicate shapes and details of the IKEA LIATORP series evoke a sense of country living. The door is…
IKEA LACK Side Table: 26 surprising ways to hack it
The IKEA LACK side table is as “IKEA” as it gets. Minimal. Particleboard exterior. “Honeycomb” interior. Easy to assemble. The IKEA LACK side table (21 5/8″ x 21 5/8″ x 17 3/4″) sells for $16.99. Not too long ago, IKEA started producing a smaller side table (13 3/4″ x 13 3/4″)…
The making of beautiful Built-in Bookshelves: A DIY Success Story
Katja Nordkvist is a DIY enthusiast who recently completed an impressive hack of IKEA KNOXHULT cabinets and BILLY bookcases. She transformed these basic pieces into custom built-in bookshelves that showcase her decorative items. What I love about it is the closed storage cabinets at the base and open shelving at…
IKEA BESTÅ sideboard hack in boho Hamptons style
When Karolina moved from a small studio to a newly built house, the construction ate up most of her renovation budget. That pushed her to learn how to update the look of her old furniture and furnish her new home affordably. The DIY projects grew from a need to a…
20 IKEA TARVA Hacks to go from Basic to Beautiful
IKEA TARVA dressers are affordable, durable, and easy to construct, making them one of the Swedish manufacturer’s most popular products. TARVA dressers seamlessly combine simple designs with untreated solid wood, creating a blank canvas that works well with other styles and IKEA furniture items. Currently, there are 3 TARVA dressers…
Hack a big Apothecary style Sideboard Cabinet
A couple of years ago, I had a dead Ash tree cut down and the trunk cut into planks. At the time I thought it might be nice to make a live-edge Ash fireplace mantle, or counter top, so the idea was in the back of my mind when I…
We built in the KALLAX for a totally new look
I wanted to have shelving and storage in my home office. It would be highly visible in my video conference calls so I wanted it to look “built in”. The IKEA KALLAX unit fit perfectly into this space but I did not want it to look like a standard IKEA because…
Built-in hack turns BILLY bookcase into a bespoke display cabinet
We wanted to create the perfect playroom/snug for our growing boys, where they could easily find all of their toys and books, but also relax and watch movies together with their friends. But we were quoted over £3,500 for bespoke cabinets. We couldn’t justify the cost, so decided to try an IKEA hack. IKEA items…
IKEA IVAR shines in this Sunburst Cabinet hack
Two pine cabinets makes one awesome sunburst cabinet. We had just moved into our new home and we needed nightstands for our bedroom. I had a vision of what I wanted and after looking for it for months I decided I would try to make it myself. So I bought…
Pole wrap turns basic IKEA cabinet into a stunning sideboard
I decided to hack the EKET units as I’ve been desperate to use some pole wrap in an IKEA hack. Furthermore, I wanted to add some curved edges to the EKET units. And pole wrap allows you to do that! Here’s a before-after shot. Before and after: DIY IKEA sideboard…
IKEA GRANÅS chair hacks – breathe new life into old chairs
The IKEA GRANÅS chairs in metal are sturdy dining chairs that will probably last you a long long time. The only thing that fails is most likely the woven seat. The seats in straw lends to the rustic vibe but straw will fall apart in time. What do you do…
An affordable DIY murphy door bookcase hack
Get your secret room with a DIY murphy door that’s easy on the pocket. I wanted to create an attractive door for my spare room/ office space because I often have the door closed. It’s a small space and it tends to look cluttered. My dream was to have a…
Behind the Couch Cabinet hack: A deep, skinny IKEA BESTÅ console
I wanted to install a number of BESTÅ cabinets along the wall behind my couch, but I needed to have easy access to one of the double cabinets from the end, which was going to be directly behind the couch. The normal cabinet doors would be placed like normal, but…
Clever hack for a Home Office in the Living Room
I moved recently and needed a new furniture set for the living room. High on the list was an out-of-sight home office workstation that flowed with the living room layout. My requirements for the project: – TV unit, sideboard and bar in same look and feel- hidden workspace for teleworking-…
IKEA small side table hacks: 15 minute DIY projects
The most popular small table from IKEA is the LACK side table. But it isn’t always ideal in terms of style, size and storage. Greg hacked his own small side table from items he found in the IKEA As-Is. Just as easy as assembling a LACK. #1 Small table from…
2 IKEA cabinets for this beautiful living room built-in
The initial plan was to have floor to ceiling alcove units next to the fireplace so Claire hacked two IKEA BRUSALI cabinets and placed them on the left and right. The problem arose when it came to add the open shelving on top. The BRUSALI had been discontinued (aren’t we…
Slate Coffee Table with unique lift top surface
We had the opportunity to rent an apartment in Tampa to be near family. Since this was a second residence for us, we had to purchase most of the furniture. We, of course, headed first to the local IKEA, but then we fell in love with an entertainment center (not…
Now, 4 things made a big difference in this BILLY hack
BILLY built-in living room shelves get a gorgeous makeover. Claire hacked her BILLY bookcases earlier this year (you can see it here). And while we still love her it, Claire got bored with the style and decided to revamp the entire set using pastel paints and postal tubes. Tubes? A…
The viral TikTok tile table: Here’s how to make it
If you are familiar with TikTok, you definitely have seen a version of this DIY tile table that went viral. I think the IKEA LACK side table is the perfect size for this hack. IKEA items used: IKEA LACK side table Other materials and tools: 2×2″ tiles (9 sheets 12×12″)Tile adhesive…
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