The Coolest IKEA Hacks We've Ever Seen

You won't believe how high-end IKEA products can look with a little paint, a few tools, and creativity. These unexpected ideas will make you look at the build-it-yourself furniture in a whole new light—and get you pumped to get your DIY on.

Made of pine, this sturdy table has a plain, sleek design and comes unfinished.

BUY NOW $79, ikea.com

Believe it or not, this gorgeous dining room table was once the simple INGO. You'll have to get out the power tools for this hack, but the stunning result is well worth the effort.

See more at East Coast Creative.

BUY NOW Wood Stain, $5, amazon.com

This IKEA favorite might look like a typical step stool made of solid wood. But in reality, there are so many ways to use this versatile item.

BUY NOW $20, ikea.com

Your kids are going to love playing "let's make dinner" alongside you—and you're going to love how affordable this set up is. It's as simple as painting the steps black, drawing on a stove top, and adding some knobs on the front to get the "burners" going.

See more at Mommo Design.

BUY NOW Chalkboard Paint, $10, amazon.com

Hooks can be attached to this simple rail, which you can use to organize just about anything.

BUY NOW $6, ikea.com

To keep electronics from cluttering your counter, you can mount this bar near an outlet along with a basket to hold your gadgets. This blogger even added potted plants for decoration.

See more at Hometalk.

BUY NOW Hanging Basket, $8, amazon.com

For either indoor or outdoor use, this lantern cam hold a large candle inside.

BUY NOW $15, ikea.com

Potting soil, charcoal, gravel, and plants fill the lantern with an earthy brightness. The result is both decorative and super low maintenance.

See more at Thou Swell.

BUY NOW Gravel, $12, amazon.com

Like most IKEA chests, this simple dresser has endless decorating possibilities.

BUY NOW $179, ikea.com

This transformation requires some serious handy work. By making it fold out, the top drawer becomes the main surface for a desk. This blogger was even crafty enough to add her initials.

See more at In My Own Style.

BUY NOW Label Pulls, $30, amazon.com

This rolling, metal cart is a popular a IKEA product because it's useful in literally every room of the house.

BUY NOW $30, ikea.com

This clever blogger used the cart to categorize her beauty routine — and even doctored the side with a bin for her hot tools.

See more at Polka Dot Chair.

BUY NOWWhite Paint, $9, amazon.com

This popular IKEA product can be so much more than a place to put your TV remote.

BUY NOW $15, ikea.com

With a crafty eye and tons of bright paint, the blank table morphs into your favorite classic board games, like backgammon and Monopoly.

Get the tutorial at IKEA.

BUY NOW Paint Set, $18, amazon.com

Made of sturdy pine wood, this dresser is the perfect (and affordable) blank canvas for a bit of creativity.

BUY NOW $60, ikea.com

A plexiglass-covered core door now sits atop the dresser and a pair of table legs, creating the perfect stylish workspace. The bare dresser got a coordinating upgrade with a fresh coat of paint and new pulls.

See more at Addison Meadows Lane.

BUY NOW White Paint $15, amazon.com

This simple shelving unit attaches to a wall to add extra storage to any space.

BUY NOW $50, ikea.com

If you're looking for a chic alternative to your standard vanity, check out this super-glam creation. The blogger paired the EKBY ALEX shelving with old-school wooden legs and a sheepskin-covered bench to create a gorgeous place to spend your mornings.

See more at A New Bloom.

BUY NOW Desk Legs, $5, amazon.com

This plain coffee table is practical, but not very exciting as it is.

BUY NOW $50, ikea.com

It's rare you get something so classy from IKEA's seen-everywhere LACK table, but this blogger pulled it off. By removing the lower shelf and attaching wooden tapered legs, she created a midcentury-style classic that's entirely chic.

Get the tutorial at Triple Max Sons.

This plain ottoman is serves as a practical place to put your feet up, but it's not very stylish.

BUY NOW $159, ikea.com

This blogger took a rough find from IKEA's as-is section and made it shine. By adding some cheerful floral fabric, a boring ottoman became so much more interesting.

See more at Petite Party Studio.

The no-nonsense kitchen island is convenient, if a bit spare.

BUY NOW $60, ikea.com

A fresh coat of gray paint, a chic marble top, and a shiny towel bar makes this kitchen helper as stylish as it is functional.

See more at Oliver and Rust.

BUY NOW Gray Paint, $50, amazon.com

We like this industrial-style light just fine, but it doesn't provide a luxurious look.

BUY NOW $40, ikea.com

A quick coat of spray paint makes the shades look like vintage copper.

See more at Kojo Designs.

BUY NOW Copper Paint, $6, amazon.com

These classic shelving units are the starting point for many makeovers.

BUY NOW $80, ikea.com

A little architectural molding brings a refined sensibility to the shelves. The addition of the rolling ladder furthers the library look.

See more at The Makerista.

BUY NOW Rolling Ladder, $360, wayfair.com

This half-sized version of the classic BILLY bookcase is even more versatile than it's tall counterpart.

BUY NOW $69, ikea.com

The bookshelf hack is kind of like the open shelving version of an island: The back is totally exposed and reveals organized compartments for baking supplies, books, and even snacks.

See more at Golden Boys & Me.

BUY NOW Wood Countertop, $99, amazon.com

Make sure you anchor it to the wall after your makeover. The heavy chest poses a dangerous tip-over risk, causing IKEA to recall it.

BUY NOW $179, ikea.com

File this under overachiever status: Here's a stylish revamp that sports overlays and new handles. Two individual dressers were used to create a multifunctional area for clothing storage in this bedroom.

Get the tutorial at Sarah Hearts.

BUY NOW Brown Paint, $9, amazon.com

Instead of taking up precious counter space, this rack allows you to mount your wine to the wall.

BUY NOW $13, ikea.com

This wine rack can store a lot more than your favorite reds and whites: Squeeze pint glasses with your favorite herbs into the compartments to make a DIY hanging garden.

See more at Curbly.

BUY NOW Herb Garden Set, $57, amazon.com

Sure you could leave this ALEX drawer unit as you bought it, but why do that when you can spice up your office?

BUY NOW ALEX Drawer Unit, $89, ikea.com

By using two ALEX drawer units, an ADILS leg, and a wooden worktop from the hardware store, Nadine from Beauty Ressort created a perfectly spacious workplace for one or even two people to spread out and be productive.

See more at Beauty Ressort.

BUY NOW ADILS Leg, $4, ikea.com

Though these adorable KULÖRT pebbles are no longer available online, you can try the same project with IKEA's broken glass KULÖRT.

BUY NOW KULÖRT Glassplitter, 1.99€, ikea.com

This adorable planter could cost you under $10 to make...including the plant. How can you beat that?

See more at Poppytalk.

BUY NOW Plastic Planter, $2, amazon.com

Basic or not, this side table is less than $9 and there are endless ways to hack it.

BUY NOW LACK Side Table, $10, ikea.com

This plexiglass covered table by Kristina of Ich Designer is beyond chic.

See more at Ich Designer.

Though looking at it it doesn't seem like much, the MALM bed frame the perfect blank slate.

BUY NOW MALM Bed Frame, $149, ikea.com

Best news? Sugar & Cloth's Ashley Rose purchased her MALM bed frame in the IKEA As-Is section for just $90! After sticking some Stikwood to the headboard, it looks so much more expensive.

See more at Sugar & Cloth.

BUY NOW Stikwood, stikwood.com

Even cheaper than the high gloss KALLAX shelves, this unit allows you to think outside the bookshelf box.

BUY NOW KALLAX Bookshelf, $40, ikea.com

It sure doesn't look like a bookshelf anymore and I'm obsessed. Inexpensive, easy to DIY, and functional? Count me in.

See more at Jen Lou Meredith.

BUY NOW KALLAX door inserts, $17, ikea.com

BUY NOW RILL castor, $10, ikea.com

BUY NOW LÄMPLIG chopping board, $10, ikea.com

Leaving this STENBÄR basket plant pot as is would be cute, sure, but when you can add a little something special to make it unique, it's worth doing so!

BUY NOW STENBÄR Basket, $30, ikea.com

Francesca of Fall For DIY made these baskets her own by simply adding legs to them. Seriously, how amazing are these?

See more at Fall For DIY.

BUY NOW Pretty Peg Legs, prettypegs.com

Not only is the MARIUS stool inexpensive, they're also pretty boring, if I do say. But when you spend under $6 on furniture, you can definitely afford to spend a little more spicing them up.

BUY NOW MARIUS Stool, $6, ikea.com

Would you ever be able to tell that this stool by Darleen of Darling Darleen is the same one you just saw? I'm so impressed.

See more at Darling Darleen.

BUY NOW Faux Mongolian Fur, amazon.com

The BEKVÄM step stool is a simple classic you'd likely find in most homes with children or petite adults who need a boost.

BUY NOW BEKVÄM Step Stool, $20, ikea.com

But when you add a few extra pieces of wood like Sina of Happy Grey Lucky, you get a brilliant (and very sophisticated looking) new contraption. This toddler learning tower allows children to safely step up to the counter without having to worry about them falling.

See more at Happy Grey Lucky.

BUY NOW Wood Clamp, amazon.com

This IKEA VOLFGANG chair—or any simple white chair like it, for that matter—could definitely use a magic touch.

BUY NOW VOLFGANG Chair, $69, ikea.com

Even something as simple as spray painting the silver to gold and throwing on some cute faux fur, like Nathalia of The Key Item, it looks instantly more expensive and chic!

See more at The Key Item.

BUY NOW RENS Rug, $30, ikea.com