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.
ikea kallax office sideboard

A simple hack elevates this office sideboard

Plain IKEA KALLAX gets upgraded to office sideboard I wanted…

rattan cabinet ikea ivar hack

Missed out on the Stockholm rattan cabinet? Make this!

My inspiration for this one, was the rattan cabinet from the IKEA…

TARVA Dresser hack inspired by this expensive one

TARVA Dresser hack inspired by this expensive one

Part of Jessica’s Reading Room transformation for the One Room…

Mind the gap: Fit IKEA MALM over a tall baseboard

Mind the gap: Fit IKEA MALM over a tall baseboard

I forgot one thing when I ordered the MALM dresser:…

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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 Rustic Coffee Table DIY

IKEA LACK Rustic Coffee Table DIY

Ad found the IKEA LACK coffee table a tad boring.…

Hidden Coffee Table Hack

Hidden Coffee Table Hack

Used IKEA modules: Besta Frame 60x40x192 (W,D,H) 2xBesta Shelf 56×36…

Evolution of Quad LACK coffee table

Evolution of Quad LACK coffee table

This is the logical evolution of ZAMIR BOIANGIU’s Quad LACK coffee…

Low Profile Coffee Table Lack Hack

Low Profile Coffee Table Lack Hack

Hi! I’ve always wanted one of these low profile coffee…

An illuminated side table: A LACK and DIODER hack

An illuminated side table: A LACK and DIODER hack

First posted hack with hopefully many more to follow! I…

Quad LACK coffee table

Quad LACK coffee table

Materials: 4 LACK tables with 2 different colors, 4 small…

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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.
Fabric sliding doors gets dust away from BILLY

Fabric sliding doors gets dust away from BILLY

I have 2 BILLY bookcases for some years now. And…

Tree Shelf – FROSTA X goes green

Tree Shelf – FROSTA X goes green

I’m a French YouTuber who makes vlogs, each week a…

Daybed reading nook with IKEA bookselves

Daybed reading nook with IKEA bookshelves

Jessica shares her IKEA hack — a daybed reading nook…

IKEA bookcases framed for the basement

IKEA bookcases framed for the basement

I wanted a more robust and sturdy look for the…

Custom Built-in Entertainment Center hacked from HEMNES units

Custom Built-in Entertainment Center hacked from HEMNES units

We wanted a built-in entertainment center / wall unit in…

SVALNÄS…reloaded

SVALNÄS…reloaded

When I was a child in the 70s, some of…

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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.
BESTA Window Seat for Little Girl Room

BESTA Window Seat for Little Girl Room

We wanted to create a window seat for our four…

FJELLSE Chaise Longue

FJELLSE Chaise Longue

I first added 2 wooden boards at the FJELLSE headboard…

Applaro window bench

Applaro window bench

We don’t have a ton of closets in our house…

box sofa ikea karlstad hack

Box sofa … the IKEA Karlstad version

DIY your version of the gorgeous Autoban box sofa Two…

Ektorp storage using Trofast

Ektorp storage using Trofast

Materials: Ektorp sofa (2seater) and 4 Trofast containers Description: Requirements:…

Built-in with Bench

Built-in with Bench

Materials: Hemnes Wardrobe and Hemnes TV Unit Description: I put…

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All our IKEA Living Room Hacks

Mid-Century Modern Shelving from IKEA Rast

Mid-Century Modern Shelving from IKEA Rast

IKEA items used for this Mid Century Modern Shelving Unit: RAST dresser 2x RAST nightstand TOSTERUP handles 3x Photo: IKEA.com Step 1 On the right side piece drill completely through top two holes and the 3 holes that the drawer guides fit in for the top two drawers. Create new…

Hackin’ the Lack into a rustic coffee table

Hackin’ the Lack into a rustic coffee table

Items Used: LACK, IKEA Coffee Table Steps to hack a rustic coffee table Measured original table top. Bought one (1) 12″x 8′ knotty pine. Cut to size. Sanded, stained and sealed pieces (one (1) side and edges.) Joined with pocket holes every 6″ (roughly). Drilled pilot holes on all four…

Nailhead Console Table: An entryway table luxe upgrade

Nailhead Console Table: An entryway table luxe upgrade

The size of the IKEA LACK console table is right for entryways and hallways. But it’s just a bit, how should we say it, meh? It’s certainly not the furniture piece to make an impression and say “hello” to your guests when they arrive at your doorstep. Orchid rethinks the…

Angled wardrobe door for closet or sewing cabinet

Angled wardrobe door for closet or sewing cabinet

The problem with most of the walls in my apartment is they have roof slopes. Which is as good a reason as any to build my own furniture. And for my latest project, I turned the IKEA PAX into an angled wardrobe. I wanted to make a sewing cabinet for…

BILLY Wrap-Around

BILLY Wrap-Around

IKEA items used: 4x BILLY 80cm Shelves + 3x BILLY 40cm Shelves + Top Extension Units + 1x GERTON Beech Table Top. 6 or 7 lengths of 89mm x 39cm pine to help with construction. Bit of paint. STAGE 0 : We needed bookcases in the spare room and chose…

Stunning Nautical Ikea Rast Hack for the Beach House Lover

Stunning Nautical Ikea Rast Hack for the Beach House Lover

IKEA items used: Ikea Rast I recently decorated my sons nursery from a boring plain room into a cute nautical themed bedroom. I was on the hunt for beautiful nautical pieces to put in his bedroom but I struggled to find anything I loved. I do love nautical rooms but…

POÄNG Gravity Recliner

POÄNG Gravity Recliner

Items used: 1 Poäng chair 1 Poäng ottoman 2 5/16 inch pins drywall screws (does not have to be drywall screws, they were just what I had available) My chair and ottoman were already assembled as I have had it for some time now. 1. Replace the cross support for…

NORDLI hack: Drawers hiding useful tables

NORDLI hack: Drawers hiding useful tables

IKEA items used: IKEA Nordli modular drawer chest A simple hack for IKEA Nordli modular drawer chest. Now each drawer not only has storage space it can also hide a useful table. Follow the instruction and make your own by laser cutting a wood panel. What you need: Wood panel…

LACK side table with CAPITA legs

LACK side table with CAPITA legs

IKEA items used: LACK Side table, birch effect CAPITA Leg, stainless steel 4 pack Size 6 1/4” Table #1 Trim legs to desired height Legs are hollow trim with care…low pressure Install legs to table top as per Ikea instructions Table #2 Attach CAPITA Legs to bottom surface of table…

IKEA EXPEDIT turns into beautiful blue sideboard cabinet

IKEA EXPEDIT turns into beautiful blue sideboard cabinet

Open shelving to sideboard cabinet with doors. I used to have 2 IKEA EXPEDIT shelves in my living room, one next to the other. I actually really liked the look of it, but after almost 2 years I got bored. And I totally fell in love with the idea of…

IKEA IVAR grows up into gorgeous red cabinet

IKEA IVAR grows up into gorgeous red cabinet

This IKEA IVAR cabinet spent some time as a plain IVAR cabinet with white paint and two knobs. It was finally time to give it a makeover and turn it into the red cabinet I’ve always wanted. Materials needed: 1″ x 2″ boards 2″ x 2″ boards 1 x 3″…

Double multi-position Tingby Coffee table

Double multi-position Tingby Coffee table

Materials: 2 TINGBY tables by IKEA (we used the 64x64cm) 1 Pack of FIXA stick-on floor protectors also from IKEA 6x M8 nuts (8mm inside) 3x threaded rods M8 (8mm diameter) each 5cm long Contact adhesive (strong all purpose glue) Keys, supplied by IKEA with each table. Put a drop…

Ekby Valter brackets as legs for a chest

Ekby Valter brackets as legs for a chest

I am so pleased with this hack! I was looking for legs for this G-Plan style chest of drawers which had been part of a Ladderax-type system. I decided to use some Ekby Valter shelf brackets that I had spare. Simply fill the screw holes on the down post that…

Plant screen

Plant screen

I have transformed the IKEA SOCKER plant stand to create some privacy on my balcony. The plant stand originally has rings on it to hold the pots. I removed the rings and sawed 4 wooden boards so they would fit inside the metal construction. I made 2 holes on both ends…

The eX(pedit)-BOX – An arcade coffee table

The eX(pedit)-BOX – An arcade coffee table

IKEA Items Used: Expedit 2×2 shelving unit (white) Algot Metal Shelf Non Ikea Items Used 1 x 21” TV 1 x Raspberry Pi 2x full packs of 10cm panelling 3.5m of 3cm corner edging 2m of 1.cm corner edging wood to make a drawer and drawer inserts The build In…

Klippan Armchair Project

Klippan Armchair Project

IKEA items used: Klippan two seater sofa We are in the process of changing our sofa, and wanted to make use of our old Klippan sofa rather than just throwing it out. We had space for an armchair so decided to shorten the sofa to create an armchair. The tops…

IKEA LACK multi-purpose side table

IKEA LACK multi-purpose side table

IKEA items used: LACK side table (birch effect), wood panel (with red paint), TROFAST (flat box) + sliding elements (they didn’t have them anymore), SLUGGER casters, BYLLAN (laptop holder) and second wood panel some screws and IKEA hooks (not found them). At first I assembled the LACK side table. Then…

Easy DIY TROFAST Doors: Use the TROFAST shelves!

Easy DIY TROFAST Doors: Use the TROFAST shelves!

I had an old IKEA TROFAST frame sitting around that was a remnant from my daughter’s early childhood. Rather than let it continue collecting dust, I decided to give it a total makeover and transform it into something useful once again. The first step was to clean the frame thoroughly.…

7 easy steps to transform an IKEA stool into a cute table

7 easy steps to transform an IKEA stool into a cute table

I propose to you to transform a piece of furniture that almost everybody has in their homes, the FROSTA stool from IKEA. Materials: – An IKEA FROSTA stool – Spray paint – Drill – Cork – Paper tape – Double-sided tape – Sandpaper – Compass Budget: Approximately 40€ Steps: If…

Hickory Trickery (part two)

Hickory Trickery (part two)

If you loved our previous post a few weeks ago, titled “Hickory Trickery“, you will enjoy this transformation too! We’ve harmonized our hacks in an open concept condo. IKEA items used: 3 BESTÅ wall hung shelf units, 6 grey lacquered doors and UTRUSTA push openers. Hickory faced 3/4 inch thick…

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