Ikea is awesome for a reason (aside from their Swedish meatballs). They make stylish, modern (functional!) furniture at an insanely affordable price. But there's one problem — besides putting together your Malm dresser and realizing it's missing a screw. Everyone knows an Ikea piece of furniture when they see it. Because they probably have it, too.
Enter, Ikea hacks. Little (or big) ways to change up your Ikea furniture so it doesn't look so, well, Ikea-y. There's no reason you can't have the midcentury credenza of your dreams or the chic bar cart you've always wanted. All it takes is some creativity and a little elbow grease.
We poked around for some of the best, most creative (as well as some easy to do!) Ikea hacks, and what we found was nothing short of downright #furnituregoals. Get those Allen wrenches ready, people. It's time to un-Ikea your Ikea furniture.
Image via hyggeandwest/Instagram
'Marble-ize' Your Bar Cart
Nobody needs to know that your "marble and brass" bar cart really is a Sunnersta Utility Cart with contact paper and spray paint on it. Genius!
Jazz Up Your Dresser
If you've grown tired of looking at black-brown, try sprucing up your Rast dresser with a little wallpaper (or paint) and super-cool knobs. Flea market find? Um, yeah …
Shown here: Rifle Paper Co Queen Anne wallpaper ($140 for 27" x 30' roll; hyggeandwest.com)
Hack Your Baby Gear
You'd be hard-pressed to find a place with more stylish, affordable baby gear than Ikea. But! Their Leka baby gym doesn't come with black and white dangly toys, which are pretty much the only colors your little one can see in the beginning. No matter, though. Easy fix!
Turn a Bunk Bed into a Playhouse
Okay, this takes hacking to the next level. Can you believe this used to be Ikea's Kura reversible bed? Insane!
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O'verlay Your Furniture
If you've never heard of O'verlays — raised designs you can attach to your Ikea furniture — you're doing yourself a disservice. They can transform any Ikea piece.
Get Totally Creative
Okay, so this pic is a little blurry, but that "wall-mounted light" is acutally an Ikea Ekby Valter shelf bracket. Nice thinking!
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Two Drawers, One Desk
Now THIS is a great idea. Put a wood plank on top of two Alex drawer units. How chic would this look in your home office?
Make Yourself Midcentury Modern Shelves
Turn Ikea's Kallax shelves into the record holder — or anything holder — of your dreams. Simply drill some cool-looking legs onto the bottom of the unit, à la The Surznick Common Room, and boom! Instant style.
Farmhouse Your Dresser
Throw a big ol' plank of wood on top of a Hemnes dresser and you've got yourself a great workspace — or a super cute kitchen island.
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Put a Tree Trunk on It
If you ever happen upon a pretty slab of tree trunk, know that it can make an uber-stylish end table if attached to an Ikea Frosta stool.
Think Outside the Box
If you like it, display it! This pendant light is actually the Ikea Gemak colander. (Might want to take the handles off too, but such a good idea!)
Stain (Half) Your Stool
Sometimes a little paint goes half way and still looks amazing. Staining half of your Bekvam foot stool makes for a seriously cool nightstand.
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Go for a Pop of Color
How amazing does this run-of-the-mill Ikea dresser look in a bright plum color with gold accents? Love!
Pattern Your Malm Bed
More people than not probably have a Malm bed. But not many people have ones with a cute floral pattern.
Completely Transform Your Dresser
Talk about a 180. The Ikea Rast dresser is about as basic as it gets. This midcentury modern hack, though? Anything but.
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Go BIG
This incredible mandala-inspired bookcase is made out of Ikea bookcase cubes. Insane!
