Bored Panda
30 Times People ‘Hacked’ IKEA Furniture And Shared Their Genius Tips Online (New Pics)

30 Times People ‘Hacked’ IKEA Furniture And Shared Their Genius Tips Online (New Pics)

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Grab your Allen wrenches, thinking caps, and emergency frozen meatball supplies, dear Pandas—we’re going on an adventure.
It’s hard to imagine furniture and interior design without the influence of IKEA, the Swedish home furnishings retailer that has become a global phenomenon. The world would be a very different place without its flat-pack, low-cost, self-assembled, minimalistic furniture. And though the stuff you can buy there is great, some people like to take it a step further.
Enter, stage left: the ‘IKEA Hacks’ subreddit. A popular online community, it unites IKEA lovers from around the globe who have a passion for ‘modding’ furniture and furnishings to create great-looking interiors. Some go the upcycling or repainting route while others combine different IKEA products in unexpected ways. Check out some of the sub's best recent pics and modding tips below.
Once you’ve upvoted your fave hacks (and shared a few of your own!), take a peek at Bored Panda’s earlier articles about the subreddit here: Part 1 and Part 2. And if you’re a fan of IKEA and loved the idea behind the subreddit, consider joining it—they’re a friendly bunch.
Bored Panda reached out to Ariane Sherine, the editor at These Three Rooms. She explained why IKEA is so popular, and shared her furniture trend predictions for 2023. Read on to check out what she told us!

#1 Turned My Nissafors Utility Cart Into A Cat Bunk Bed To Keep The Cats Off Of My Desk While I Work

Turned My Nissafors Utility Cart Into A Cat Bunk Bed To Keep The Cats Off Of My Desk While I Work
252points

#2 Built In And Painted My Billy Bookshelves And It Turned Out Great

Built In And Painted My Billy Bookshelves And It Turned Out Great
241points

#3 Large Planters Are So Expensive, So We Used Filir Trash Cans + Hedges To Build A Patio Privacy Enclosure

Large Planters Are So Expensive, So We Used Filir Trash Cans + Hedges To Build A Patio Privacy Enclosure
233points

Bored Panda wanted to get design expert Ariane's opinion about why the furniture made by IKEA is so ubiquitous and appeals to so many people around the world.

"IKEA furniture is both classic and modern. It has clean lines, unobtrusive handles and is sturdy, reliable, and great value," the editor at These Three Rooms shared with us.

"It manages to be all these things across a wide range of styles. It's ubiquitous partly because of its Scandinavian style—Scandi has been a huge trend in interiors for a long time. It has a calming feel and suits pretty much any design scheme."

#4 My Old IKEA Lamp Was Boring So I Crocheted A New One

My Old IKEA Lamp Was Boring So I Crocheted A New One
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232points

#5 We Used Seven Havsta Cabinets To Create Faux Built-Ins!

We Used Seven Havsta Cabinets To Create Faux Built-Ins!
224points

#6 Upscaled My Old Beat Up Kallax!

Upscaled My Old Beat Up Kallax!
215points

Meanwhile, the expert shed some light on the furniture we'll see trending in 2023.

"Chunky, solid furniture is very on-trend right now," Ariane, the editor at These Three Rooms, revealed to Bored Panda.

"Curved designs are also very popular, such as curved coffee tables and dining tables. In terms of materials, you'll see a lot of chairs covered in bouclé and velvet."

#7 Gerdie And Pudda Make A Great And Cute Cat Bed

Gerdie And Pudda Make A Great And Cute Cat Bed
198points

#8 I Got My Friend Who Is A Sign Writer To Hand Paint Our IKEA Kitchen Units. I Installed The Kitchen Myself And Built The Extension To The House That It Sits In

I Got My Friend Who Is A Sign Writer To Hand Paint Our IKEA Kitchen Units. I Installed The Kitchen Myself And Built The Extension To The House That It Sits In
186points

#9 IKEA Kallax Entry Bench Hack

IKEA Kallax Entry Bench Hack
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186points

The r/ikeahacks subreddit was created all the way back in 2011. But it wasn’t until redditor u/6745408 took over as the moderator that the online community truly began to flourish. They told Bored Panda that the subreddit is “chugging along nicely.”

They also shared a cool IKEA hack they saw on Instagram with us. They said that it's worth an honorable mention and would "make for a nice corner liquor cabinet" or something similar.

#10 I Made A Secret Place For Reading

I Made A Secret Place For Reading
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185points

#11 Finally Almost Done With A New Entertainment/Library

Finally Almost Done With A New Entertainment/Library
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180points

#12 Bought Used Pax With Damaged Back. So We Put Wallpaper To Cover Damages

Bought Used Pax With Damaged Back. So We Put Wallpaper To Cover Damages
172points

During an earlier interview with the moderator, Bored Panda learned more about the subreddit, its history, and how the group changed over time.

“I’m not sure who started it, but one night I was looking for a way to make the POÄNG chair more ergonomic or even less bouncy,” moderator u/6745408 told Bored Panda earlier.

“I found /r/ikeahacks with a few hundred subscribers and a lot of spam and no moderators. I figured I’d request the sub, set up some simple automation to clean it up and find someone to mod it,” they revealed.

The POÄNG chair project never came to fruition. However, the upside was that redditor u/6745408 took over managing r/ikeahacks. This was a huge step in the right direction, as the subreddit began steadily growing under new leadership.

#13 Milsbo Greenhouse!

Milsbo Greenhouse!
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152points

#14 Little Wallpaper Backing For The Billy Does It Quite A Bit Of Justice!

Little Wallpaper Backing For The Billy Does It Quite A Bit Of Justice!
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146points

#15 Kallax Hanging Cat Apartment

Kallax Hanging Cat Apartment
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142points

According to the mod, r/ikeahacks is “a really nice community, for the most part. The ideas people come up with are really great, too.” Pretty much everyone who’s a member of the sub is interested in modding IKEA furniture. While many put their ideas to practice, others stick around for the awesome pics and interior design inspiration.

“Flat-packed furniture isn’t far off from LEGO. Even simple hacks like adding legs to a shelving unit can elevate a piece of furniture. A lot of IKEA furniture is nice enough on its own, but building in shelving units, for instance, can really make a place feel like a permanent space, which is important,” the moderator told Bored Panda back in May.

“When it comes down to it, if your space needs something, you can usually find the parts to create the perfect piece of furniture, even if it takes a little planning and elbow grease,” the mod explained that flexibility and imagination are key.

#16 Besta Hack

Besta Hack
142points

#17 A Lot Of Billies, One Gnedby And Some Doors. Plus Extra Panelling

A Lot Of Billies, One Gnedby And Some Doors. Plus Extra Panelling
139points

#18 Kitchen Pantry, My First IKEA Hack

Kitchen Pantry, My First IKEA Hack
138points

There are only three rules that the community members have to follow. Their posts have to be on-point, fresh, and safe. For instance, if the post doesn’t contain “any useful information for IKEA Hackers,” it shouldn’t be posted in the first place.

What’s more, redditors should avoid reposting old content for the sake of attention and “cheap karma.” Finally, there’s no room for any hacks that are unsafe and could lead to severe injury.

#19 Framed In Some Pax Units For A Walk In Closet

Framed In Some Pax Units For A Walk In Closet
130points

#20 Obsessed With My Tarva Hack 😍 Stain, Sealer, And New Hardware

Obsessed With My Tarva Hack 😍 Stain, Sealer, And New Hardware
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127points
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