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Upgrade Your Home on a Budget with These Clever IKEA Furniture Hacks

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Last Updated on August 8, 2023 by lindseymahoney

Looking to give your home a fresh new look without breaking the bank? Look no further than these clever IKEA furniture hacks! With a little creativity and some basic DIY skills, you can upgrade your home to look like a designer space at a fraction of the cost.

Incredible list of my favorite IKEA furniture hacks to try at home | Building Bluebird

I have tried my fair share of IKEA furniture hacks and with a little bit of customization, they really feel unique to our home.

There really are no limits when it comes to IKEA furniture hacks and today I have pulled together a few of my favorites to inspire you to try at home!


Budget-Friendly IKEA Furniture Hacks to Try at Home

When it comes to budget-friendly furniture, IKEA is the go-to destination for many homeowners.

With a wide range of affordable and stylish furniture options, IKEA makes it easy to upgrade your home without breaking the bank.

Some of the most popular IKEA furniture options include bookcases, dressers, and shelving units. These pieces are not only affordable but also versatile, making them perfect for DIY projects and furniture hacks.

Billy Bookshelf Built-ins for Kids Room Organization

IKEA Billy bookcase built-in DIY | Building Bluebird #ikeahack
IKEA Billy Bookshelves Hack

I renovated my son’s bedroom when I participated in my second One Room Challenge and tried out the Billy Bookcase IKEA hack to maximize storage in his bedroom.

There are so many different ways to create the custom built-in look using these bookcases and I chose a simple and streamlined look.

With the stay-at-home orders of 2020, this bookshelf has been essential in keeping our lives organized while teaching at home.

Polished Billy Bookshelf Living Room Built-Ins

IKEA Billy bookcase built-in DIY | Building Bluebird #ikeahack
Interior Designer Tips When Staging Your Home

My aunt and uncle used IKEA Billy bookcases to create polished built-in shelving in their living room. This IKEA hack looked perfect when they staged their home to sell.

IKEA Alex Desk with Storage

DIY desk using Alex drawer units | Building Bluebird #ikeahack
Source | The Martin Nest

Jessica from The Martin Nest created this incredible desk using the Alex IKEA desk and it is perfect for homework!

This desk works perfectly for the crazy 2020 school schedule where the kiddos often have to learn remotely.

Dual Desks Using Alex Cabinets

DIY desk using Alex drawer units | Building Bluebird #ikeahack
Source | Living Letter Home

Carmen from Living Letter Home created a two-person desk and gave their IKEA desk chairs a makeover too!

They sprayed the bottom of the chairs gold to achieve the look they wanted for the space.

HEMNES Dresser IKEA Hack with Drawer Trim

Hemnes dresser Ikea hack with trim detailing | Building Bluebird
How to Add Trim to Our IKEA Hemnes Dresser

I saw this IKEA hack on the Vintage Revivals Instagram stories and had to try it for myself!

Using wood glue, I attached a thin piece of trim around each drawer of our IKEA dresser and painted it a cool gray. I absolutely love this easy IKEA hack and shared all of the details on how to customize your Hemnes dresser in a blog post.

Once the trim was attached, I used the Rust-Oleum furniture kit to give it a fresh coat of paint.

Best Ikea Hacks - Hemnes dresser Ikea hack with trim detailing | Building Bluebird
Master Bedroom Makeover

I love the light gray against the deep blue background and the orangeish-yellow pop of color is the perfect color combo!

IKEA HEMNES Dresser Overlay Detail

Best Ikea Hacks - Hemnes dresser Ikea hack with o'verlay detailing | Building Bluebird
Source | Markova Designs

Barbara from Markova Designs gave her Hemnes dresser a makeover by adding these beautiful O’verlays. This simple addition gave her dressers a custom and unique look that I love!

Sektion Cabinet Office Built-Ins

Sektion cabinet built-in IKEA hack | Building Bluebird
Source | House with Home

I am still so blown away by this basement office makeover.

Katie from House with Home took IKEA Sektion cabinets and turned them into custom built-ins that look super high-end!

Tarva Dresser with DIY Caning Drawer Fronts

Tarva dresser with DIY caning | Building Bluebird #ikeahack
Source | House on Longwood Lane

Kourtney from House on Longwood Lane gave the IKEA Tarva dresser a whole new look with caned drawer fronts!

Kourtney has many IKEA hacks shared on her blog but this DIY caned dresser may be my favorite.

Pax Closet System Built-Ins

Source | Chris Loves Julia

Would an IKEA furniture hack list be complete without a Chris Loves Julia project?

Their latest closet is so beautiful and they used the IKEA Pax Closet system! They share how they created this custom look with chunky trim, added drawer fronts, and a fresh coat of paint.

This closet is a dream!

HEMNES Shoe Rack with Fluting

Best Ikea Hacks - Fluting detail on the Hemnes shoe cabinet | Building Bluebird #ikeahack
Source | Champagne Chaos

Annie from Champagne Chaos completely changed the look of her IKEA shoe rack.

The fluting on the drawers looks SO GOOD! I love the custom look of this storage unit and definitely want to try the fluted DIY.

IKEA Ribba Photo Ledge with Scallop Detail

Clever IKEA furniture hacks to try at home
How to add scallops to floating bookshelves

I love all of my IKEA hacks but this one was so easy and added a ton of charm to my daughter’s bedroom makeover. Adding a scalloped detail is a simple DIY and adds so much character to a room!

Grandmillennial scalloped detail with this easy DIY | Building Bluebird

This can be replicated on any photo ledge, not just IKEA specifically. This is an inexpensive DIY to add cottagecore or Grandmillennial style to your home.

Scalloped IKEA Cabinet and Shelving

Clever IKEA furniture hacks to try at home

I also added this scalloped trim to the top of my IKEA bookcase for a sweet, custom detail.


Upgrading your home on a budget is easy when using affordable IKEA furniture to come up with your own unique hacks.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced DIY enthusiast, there are plenty of hacks to try that will transform your space into a stylish sanctuary.

By repurposing and customizing IKEA furniture, you can create a home that reflects your personal style and tastes without spending a lot of money. So, grab your toolbox and get started on your next IKEA furniture hack today!

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