You've likely walked through the halls of an expensive furniture store and left with millions of ideas for your own home. But sometimes what we see and what we want are usually what we can't really afford. However, what if I told you there are ways to get that beautiful, magazine-ready look without spending top dollar? There are ways to do it all yourself. Just read below to find out some of the most amazing Ikea hacks that will totally transform your home and make it look like you spent a fortune on expensive pieces. Only you will know your secret to getting expensive looking furniture on a tight budget.
1. Custom Built-Ins
Custom built-ins are one of the best ways to make your home standout. While they generally cost a pretty penny, there is a way you can do it on a budget. All you need is three Ikea Billy bookcases, that range in price from $40 to $60 a piece. Add on some fancy baseboards and crown molding to blend in with the style of your home and viola – your bookcases look like they've been built in by a professional! You can also add in a sliding ladder for an extra punch.
Image and DIY Instructions: POPSUGAR
2. Marble Table
If you buy a simple table from Ikea you can use your imagination to make it look more expensive than it really is. One idea is to cover the top with marble-printed contact paper, which is available in most hardware stores. From afar, your new table will look like it actually has a marble countertop.
Image and DIY Instructions: homedit
3. Magazine Files
You know those magazine boxes you see all over the store at IKEA? They are usually painted one colour but you can add a little pizzaz but using splatter-paint or marbleized painting that mimics a more natural style. They will help your bookshelf come alive with color.
Image and DIY Instructions: Holly Sparkle
4. Bed Frame
You can dress up your inexpensive bed frame from Ikea with some Stikwood adhesive wood panels that will give it a reclaimed wood look. All you will need is a rotar saw to help you get the length of the panels right, but that's about it. Your new bed frame will look welcoming and cozy.
Image and DIY Instructions: Sugar & Cloth
5. Pendant Lights
If you are buying pendant lights for above your kitchen island or somewhere else in your home, why not dress them up with a little spray paint? You can use copper paint to give you a look that will make people think you spent hundreds of dollars on each light. Unless you get up close to them no one will know the difference.
Image and DIY Instructions: Kojo Designs
6. Nursery Dresser
If you are designing a nursery in your home you likely are tight on money – considering you should probably be saving for your new bundle of joy. So all you have to do is purchase a relatively cheap dresser from Ikea, paint it a soft or bold colour and add in some new hardware that suits your style. You will be left with a dresser that looks way more expensive than it really is.
Image and DIY Instructions: Thistlewood Farms
7. Kitchen Cabinets
Replacing kitchen cabinets can be a very expensive job. If it's custom cabinetry look you are going for, check out
Semihandmade doors, which are made to specifically fit Ikea cabinets. They come in pretty colours that make your cupboards look luxurious.
Image: Azure Magazine
8. Media Stand
Kitchen cabinets aren't just for the kitchen anymore. Why not purchase some inexpensive cabinets from Ikea, place them on the floor and add a top surface to create a beautiful, unique media stand for your living room. No one will ever be able to tell they are actually kitchen cupboards.
Image and DIY Instructions: POPSUGAR
9. Floating Credenza
An Ikea shelf unit is the perfect piece of furniture to use for a credenza. You can hang it on the wall, top it with a stained panel of wood and add on some of your favourite decorative items for a beautiful and unique floating credenza.
Image and DIY Instructions: Nalle's House
10. Night Stand
One of the easiest Ikea hacks to date has to be the side table converted to a nightstand. All you have to do is purchase a cheap, small table, cover the top with some cool contact paper – such as rustic, wood-coloured piece, and sit it beside your bed. Add a book and a lamp and you have yourself a one-of-a-kind nightstand.
Image and DIY Instructions: Why Don't You Make Me?
