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A drawer organiser or two is a must-have if you find yourself constantly rummaging through your drawers and cursing yourself for not tidying them up earlier. They can save precious minutes when you’re trying to locate a specific kitchen utensil as you cook dinner, or the lipstick you had in mind as you rush to get ready in the morning. Plus, you’re guaranteed to get a sense of satisfaction every time you open your drawer and you’re greeted with a calming oasis of organisation.
We use our drawers to store things away and reduce visual clutter, but their usefulness decreases when we start chucking things in them with no sense of structure or arrangement, promising ourselves that we’ll tidy them properly in the future. That’s when a drawer organiser can come in to help you create and maintain order in your drawers, whether they are storing your cutlery, clothes, or office supplies.
Before purchasing any type of drawer organisation system, you’ll need to think about the current contents of your drawers and where you think an organiser would be the most useful. We’ve selected some of the best drawer organisers on the market that will help your day run a little smoother, covering all the bases from your kitchen, workspace and even dressing table.
Buying a drawer organiser is just one of the many solutions to help you squeeze more things into your home – and to help tidy the areas that are hidden away. If it’s your bedroom that you are focusing on, then drawer organisers can definitely solve the issue of having a small chest of drawers. However, for clothes that need to be hung, a wardrobe organiser would be undoubtedly handy.
Here are the best drawer organisers out there for a neat and tidy space.
Tiny kitchen? Small amount of cupboard space? First thing’s first: invest in a kitchen drawer organiser to make more space for dinnerware, oven trays and much more.
Joseph Joseph Drawerstore Expanding Cookware Organisers: £27.99 from Amazon
This adjustable rack from Joseph Joseph is designed to store the bulky kitchen items that are often the biggest source of mess in our drawers. It’s great for storing pans, lids, and baking tins, and comes with scratch-proof wire dividers that can be inserted anywhere along the length of the unit, providing easy access for difficult to reach items.
Uppdatera Pegboard Drawer Organiser: £15 at IKEA
This one’s great for those of you looking for an organisation system that can be easily adapted according to your kitchen drawer’s contents. Alongside a mat to cover the base of the drawer, this set contains 32 pegs which can be placed anywhere on the mat to divide your utensils. Ideal for pots, plates and bowls, the Uppdatera Pegboard Organiser will stop your larger kitchen items from moving around and becoming disorganised.
Lakeland Chrome Plated Bakeware Organiser: £14.99 at Lakeland
Baking trays and tins are often the utensils that end up precariously stacked on top of one another with the imminent threat of toppling over as soon as we shut the drawer. This Chrome Plated Bakeware Organiser from Lakeland is a great option for deeper drawers that can hold larger utensils, and the rack has differently-sized slots so all your cookery can be kept neatly together.
Store your lipstick collection in style and in safety with help from a makeup organiser, specifically these ones below. It’s the only way to keep your dressing table tidy.
Unique Impression Set of 11 Drawer Organiser Trays: £14.99 at Amazon
The transparent design of this 11 piece organiser set is ideal for storing makeup because it gives you a clear overview of where everything is. The compartments come in a variety of sizes, so you can store all your makeup and cosmetics in one place, from eyeshadow palettes to foundation brushes and lipsticks. And bonus, the drawers have been designed with anti-slip silicone feet so that they stay put.
The Home Edit & iDesign Angled Drawer Organiser: £13 at John Lewis & Partners
Opt for this angled drawer organiser if you want a clean, clutter-free look in your makeup drawer. The angled design makes products easy to view and reach for as you’re getting ready, and it’s ideal for keeping your favourite products close to hand. Plus, aesthetic palettes and bottles look great when displayed on this too.
Dragan Extendable Bamboo Storage Box: £17 at IKEA
Place this bamboo storage unit inside your drawer to keep your cosmetics organised in a slightly warmer way than the clear makeup storage units. This one from IKEA looks great in bathroom drawers, plus it works well in vanity units too.
Whether you have a dedicated home office or you work in a corner of your living room, in order to keep on track of paperwork and your growing stationery section, you’ll need a desk drawer organiser. This understated home office storage idea is one that can make a drastic change to your workday.
KUGGIS Insert with 8 compartments: £7 at IKEA
This easily inserted organiser from IKEA is great for keeping your office supplies in compartments, so that chaotic desk drawers can be avoided. The sections are sized differently so they can store smaller stationery pieces alongside notebooks, cables, and headphones. It enables a good overview of your desk drawer so you can quickly locate what you need, and is really affordable too.
EasyPAG Mesh Drawer Organiser: £11.99 at Amazon
Your desk drawer has never looked better with this sleek, mesh-look organiser from EasyPAG. Your stationery will stay neat and tidy, and there will be no more frantic searching for a pen every time you need to jot something down, as a quick glance will give you a clear overview of where everything is.
We’ve got plenty of kitchen storage ideas to share, including the use of a cutlery organiser to help keep this drawer looking neat and tidy.
Maison & White Bamboo Extending Cutlery Drawer: £17.99 at Amazon
With 6-8 adjustable compartments, this bamboo cutlery drawer can be extended to fit a range of differently sized drawers. Perfect for separating your utensils and offering space to keep larger spatulas and tongs organised too.
Addis Kitchen Sense 6 Compartment Drawer Organiser: £10 at Dunelm
This no-fuss cutlery tray is an easy addition to any kitchen drawer, and a fail-safe way of keeping your kitchen utensils organised. There are 6 compartments and the tray has silicone grips at the base so that it stays put when your drawer opens and closes. This is a great affordable option for those of you looking for a simple yet effective way of tidying up your cutlery.
If you are searching for bedroom storage ideas, then an easy way to make space in your chest of drawers is with help from a clothes drawer organiser or two.
Periea Drawer Organiser for Closet: £17.99 at Wayfair
This set from Periea contains 3 drawer organisers, ideal for storing underwear, socks, and accessories. They will provide a home for individual items that would otherwise end up disordered and messy, and allow you to quickly see what pieces are available to wear as you get ready for the day.
DEEDPF Foldable Clothes Drawers: £10.99 at Amazon
Jeans and trousers can be amongst the tricker items of clothing to keep tidy, whether they’re hung up on a rail taking up a good chunk of our wardrobe, or stacked on top of each other in a drawer. These foldable clothes drawers from Amazon are spacious enough to neatly stack jeans and trousers against each other, and provide an alternative method for organising your clothes.
The post The best drawer organisers for a tidy home – for your cutlery, clothes and your makeup appeared first on Ideal Home.
Brits are renowned for loving a soak in a hot bath, however most of us enjoy the invigorating effects of a shower too. The bathroom is often the smallest room in the home, so it’s not always possible to have a separate bath and shower. Thankfully, there are plenty of shower bath ideas that allow you to combine the two options and still make your space feel like a sanctuary.
Part of the appeal with walk-in shower ideas, is the element of luxe it brings. Yet it’s entirely possible to add a sense of luxe to the daily lather with these space-saving shower bath ideas.
Whether your preference is for a freestanding tub or a fitted bath, you can incorporate attractive shower ideas too. Consider stylish shower heads, eye-catching tiles, designer screens or elegant curtains. These are the details that will turn a bathroom from basic to beautiful.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole
Having a shower bath doesn’t mean you’re limited to standard fitted models. If you have your heart set on a freestanding tub, this can still form the centrepiece of your bathroom idea, and incorporate a shower. There are some gorgeous traditional-style shower rails, which can be suspended to allow you to hang curtains around the entire tub to prevent water splashes.
‘We all aspire to the sumptuous free-standing bath in the middle of a large room,’ says Phil Etherden, managing director, The Albion Bath Co. ‘However, consider that most bathrooms, even in large houses, are no more than 12 square metres!’
Plan carefully and you can still create a stunning result. There is a great range of versatile, over-bath shower systems available meaning one can achieve a luxurious spa-like feel which is still practical for family life too.’
Image credit: Future PLC
One way to give your shower bath spa-style luxe is by cladding it with textured stone tiles. This is especially effective if it’s the type you see in high-end hotels such as split face slate or quartzite stone. When it comes to shower storage ideas, this type of surface deserves more than a wire basket stuck to the wall with suction pads. Take things up a notch with a luxurious ledge for displaying shampoo and soap.
This is easier than it sounds, as bathrooms often require a false stud wall to hide the plumbing behind. This then presents an ideal opportunity to include a recess for storage and even atmospheric lighting (adequately IP rated of course).
Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme
Instead of a regular rectangular bath, a P-shaped version is a modern option that enables a more generous shower area, without encroaching too much on the available floor space.
‘A shower over a bath provides an excellent solution for bathrooms where space is at a premium and having a separate shower isn’t an option,’ says Jay O’Neill, Director, Bathroom Mountain. ‘They work particularly well for families where younger children often prefer to take a bath. P and L shaped shower baths provide much more room for showering than a conventional straight bath.
‘Some have screens that are fixed to the top of the bath and this creates a permanent seal to prevent water leakage, whereas those that pivot open have a flexible plastic seal on the bottom that does the same job.’
When you’re considering shower ideas, the height of the shower head is important, whether you’ll be standing in the bath or on a shower tray. This is particularly pertinent if it’s a shower that the whole family will need to use. As glamorous as fixed overhead showers are, this may not be the best choice if it’s where the kids bathe too.
‘When it comes to selecting the best shower to use over a bath, it’s important to first consider how the space will be used,’ says Jeevan Seth, CEO of JTP. ‘Homeowners with pets may prefer a hand shower which can be easily adjusted as required.
‘Those with young children may choose an adjustable rail, so they can easily slide the shower head up and down to suit individual body heights. For family homes or those with multiple occupants, we always recommend a slider rail so the shower is accessible to all.’
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
In a tight spot, instead of boxing in a fitted bath with a side panel, choosing a freestanding tub and situating it in a corner can give the illusion of more space. This style tends to suit a shower curtain idea rather than a screen, which gives a roomier feel too.
‘With a smaller bathroom, the trick is to maximise the visible area of the floor, so use a free-standing bath on feet or a plinth,’ says Phil Etherden, managing director, The Albion Bath Co. ‘If possible, position your bath so it’s the first piece seen when you open the door. Bath tubs are now considered decorative as well as functional, so use the bath as a feature piece.’
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
The height of luxury is not having to wait for the water to warm up before stepping in to the shower. Opting for digital controls allows you to set the water temperature so it’s just right. It also enables you to set a maximum temperature. This is great if kids will be using the shower, as it means they’re unlikely to scald themselves on hot water. It also means you don’t waste a drop.
There’s also a timer and a clock on most models which alerts you when it’s time to jump out. This is great for saving water and energy. Current suggestions are for a four-minute shower to keep your bills down.
Image credit: Bathroom Mountain
A great way to add impact to a shower bath scheme is with a dramatic black and white monochrome palette. It’s also an easy palette to get right. Once you’ve chosen the best location for your shower bath and selected your sanitaryware, you can then choose your wall and floor tiles, and paint shades.
‘Using different sized or styles of tiles can add interest to an interior; it allows for the creation of a pattern without being too busy,’ says Colin Lincoln-Evans, Buyer at Tile Mountain. ‘Colour and finish is a consideration; paler colours will help in bathroom where there is little or no natural light, and gloss finishes help reflect light.’
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
If you like sleek shapes and clean lines, an L-shaped shower bath will give a contemporary look. For a softer style, P-shaped shower baths are curved at the wider shower end. Whichever you opt for, make sure you choose the right screen.
‘Glass shower screens work really well in a shower bath and are available in different shapes to match bath styles,’ says Jay O’Neill, director, Bathroom Mountain. ‘For example an L shaped bath requires a screen with a small return on it so as to prevent splashes. The P shaped baths have curved screens.’
Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme
There are plenty of gorgeous shower tile ideas to choose. If you can’t decide on one style, mixing different tiles can be a highly effective solution. Laying tiny mirrored mosaics across an entire wall adds glamour and provides an interesting focal point.
Teaming these small shimmering tiles with large-scale plain matt tiles creates balance and prevents them overwhelming a small space. A clear glass screen and simple polished chrome fittings are all you need to complement their eye-catching iridescence.
‘When putting together tile designs, there are three main things to consider: colour, texture and size,’ says Louise Swannell, head of creative design at Walls and Floors. ‘Think about the bathroom as a whole and choose a shower tile that complements the entire space. If you have a neutral scheme, you could continue this into the shower. Or opt for a bolder tile to make a feature of the space.’
Image credit: Future PLC/ Rachael Smith
Add a touch of luxury to a family bathroom by including an overhead shower, as well as a handheld shower on a sliding rail. This makes it easier to switch the room from ‘kids space’ to a more grown-up zone when you or your guests want to use the shower.
‘For those looking to add a touch of luxury, a fixed overhead shower will add comfort and create the spa-like feel desired by many,’ says Jeevan Seth, CEO of JTP.
Shower baths combine the luxury of a bath with the functionality of a shower. This makes them a great space-saving solution for smaller bathrooms. Of course, you can install a shower over most types of bath. However new shower bath models are specifically shaped to be slightly wider at the shower end. They are generally P-shaped or L-shaped, so you have more room to manoeuvre without having a separate shower and bath.
Yes, particularly in small bathrooms where it’s not possible to have a separate walk-in shower and bath, as it offers flexibility and saves space. ‘Bar valves and bath shower mixers are popular choices for over-the-bath, as they are practical and easy to use,’ says Kate Lovell, Head of Marketing, Aqualisa. ‘Bath shower mixers can be deck-mounted (to replace existing taps), while providing the added benefit of a shower. They can also include an adjustable rail kit for full shower functionality, be wall mounted or have a handset that can be placed in a docking station.’
If you know how to install a shower head, it’s a task a good DIYer could take on themselves. If the pipework has already been installed by a qualified plumber it’s relatively easy to upgrade an old shower head.
‘Choosing the best type of shower for over a bath can depend on available space,’ says Jay O’Neill, Director, Bathroom Mountain. ‘A ceiling mounted shower can provide a larger shower head but will require additional installation work. A wall mounted shower can be easier to install especially when choosing an exposed shower system.’
‘For a little luxury and convenience we recommend a three-way shower. This comprises an overhead fixed shower head, a hand held shower for convenience and a bath filler, removing the need for mounting separate taps on the side of the bath.’
The post Shower bath ideas: 10 brilliant space-saving solutions appeared first on Ideal Home.
You’d be hard pressed to find a home in the UK that doesn’t include one or more Ikea hacks. Taking a simple flat-packed piece of furniture and turning it into something more exciting and adventurous results in bespoke beauties for your home, that don’t cost the earth. While some Ikea hacks take a little more creative know-how, most are easy, simple and quick to achieve, making them the ideal weekend project.
Transforming an affordable piece of furniture into something totally unique for your home is a savvy way to decorate, ideal if you don’t want to splurge on new furniture. Equally appealing if you aren’t a fan of mass-selling pieces that will result in you having a carbon copy of your friends’ living room or bedroom.
With imaginative upcycling furniture ideas and personalisation, you can transform these simple IKEA pieces into unique and expensive-looking features in your home. Take a look at these striking IKEA hacks that are cheap and easy to do.
Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young
Bespoke a plain chest of drawers with a simple chevron stencil, made yourself or bought online. First you might want to give the whole set a new lick of paint to transform it from bland and boring, to something more on-trend. Next, lightly tape your stencil onto the drawer fronts using washi tape, then stipple on furniture paint using a dry, coarse-haired paintbrush. Leave to dry then finish with clear matt varnish and add smart, leather tab handles.
Buy now: Malm six-drawer chest, £120; For similar leather handles, try Osternas leather handles, £12 for two, all Ikea
Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young
Instead of placing shelf units against a wall, face them towards each other to create a special reading nook. Suspend floaty fabric over a swing curtain pole for a magical hideaway canopy, letting it drape to the floor for a fairy-tale feel. Or if space is tight, swap one unit for the back of a bed head.
If kids are sharing a room, assign a shelf each, hanging individual hooks at the end for and cherished personal belongings or special toys.
Buy now: Billy bookcases, £25 each, Ikea
Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young
This is a great Ikea hack that will give you a designer look in your bedroom, without the expensive price tag. Remove the inside wood panels from wardrobe doors and staple sheets of cane to the backs. There’s no need to wet-stretch the cane- just pull it tight and fix in place. While cane is hugely on-trend at the moment, you could achieve a similar look with a woven linen or soft slub cotton to add texture.
Choosing sliding doors for wardrobes will help save space if it’s tight in your bedroom, plus lidded boxes and baskets can be popped on top for more storage.
Buy now: Hauga wardrobe with sliding doors, £199, Ikea
Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young
Give this simple hack a go for an easy bedroom update by combining two Ikea staples, to make a bedside table. Start by attaching a Moppe chest to the legs of a Tenhult stool using wood glue. Paint the drawer fronts with leftover emulsion or tester pots, in an ombre formation, starting with the lightest shade at the top, with the darkest at the bottom. Leave to dry, then coat with a matt varnish. Alternatively, swap the paint for decoupage paper or pretty wallpaper offcuts to match your scheme.
Keep surfaces clear and tidy by adding a simple pendent or wall-mounted lamp above the bedside table.
Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young
You won’t believe how simple it is to achieve these designer-look cabinet doors. Just use glass film to transform a plain display cabinet into an up-to-date storage piece. Measure the size of your doors, then cut the film to fit. Spray the doors with water and apply the film, smoothing out any wrinkles and air bubbles as you go. Don’t overcrowd the shelves inside, use stacks of bowls, piles of books and objects with interesting shapes to create balance in your display.
The fluted glass film will also help to prevent chips and scratches, plus you could choose to use a stained glass or patterned window film for a truly bespoke cabinet.
Buy now: Rudsta cabinet, £115, Ikea
Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young
This is one ideal for a kids room or playroom. Make tidying up paints and brushes more exciting by giving them a special home. Wallpapering behind a cube shelf transforms it into a fun little house, that little ones will love to keep neat and tidy… hopefully!
If you have skirting boards, add legs to the unit so that the wallpaper starts at the same level as the shelving.
Buy now: Kallax shelving unit, £29, Ikea
Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young
If you have a space that is too small to function as a bedroom, perhaps see it as an opportunity to create your dream dressing area and free up space in your own room too. A wall-to-wall run of chests, painted the same colour and topped with a bespoke-cut piece of wood, will create the ideal space to store all-sorts. Adding a ceiling-hung rail will also make the most of the space and provide a place to hang clothes and accessories.
Adding shelves above the chests would also make a great stop for perfumes and toiletries.
Buy now: Malm six-drawer chests, £120 each, Ikea
Image credit: Future Plc/Tim Young
Another fab idea for a kids room and one they are sure to adore! Get the most from limited floor space with a built-in high sleeper made from storage units, for a child’s room. Here, we added custom-made ply doors to Metod base units and Maximer drawers, both Ikea. A step-stool will help younger kids climb up a cosy-reading nook.
Hanging curtains will turn it into a cosy den for young children.
Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore
This is one of the best bedside table ideas if you’re on a budget or even just lacking space. Take two of the IKEA Mosslanda picture ledges, attach one to the walls as ‘normal’ then take the second and turn it upside down and position on top. Affix this to the wall also, to form a small cubby space to keep bedside essentials to hand, such as books, reading glasses etc.
To enhance the smart nightstand further add an LED strip light, to help shed subtle light on the contents. So you’re not feeling around in the dark looking for things.
Buy now: Mosslanda Picture ledges, £5 each, IKEA
Image credit: Rust-Oleum
Painting Ikea furniture to turn it into a unique and expensive-looking item has been on our radar for quite some time, but adding metal detailing notches a DIY and decorating project up a gear.
This unit has been transformed with Rust-Oleum furniture paint and finishing Wax to provide a matt finish for projects that require more durability against knocks and stains. With corner plates added for extra wow factor.
Position the corner plates on the edge of the drawers pre-drill small holes, to make it easier when screwing in the fastening screws. Take your flat-topped screws and screw into place to secure the corner plates. Repeat this step to add the handles to complete your project.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson
Think outside the box with the much-loved Billy bookcases. Use a single width bookcase attached to the side of a double width version to create an ‘end’ so to speak. This then frees up a side panel on which to mount a cut-to-fit vinyl chalkboard sticker – making it even more versatile and useful.
In addition to providing all the storage a busy household needs, there’s now a memo board to jot down all the necessary family to-do lists etc.
Buy now: Billy Bookcase, from £45, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson
Update a basic pine cupboard with a lick of paint to add personality to a playroom idea. With just a few tester pots and a bit of Frog tape the plain pine unit can be transformed to a welcomed colourful addition to any room that requires toy storage. Wall-mount the unit to maximise floor space for play – ideal for a small kid’s room idea.
Buy now: Ivar Cabinet, £45, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore
Place a sturdy Kallax shelf unit on its side to create a bespoke storage bench with cubbies to sit at the end of a bed. Perfect for basketfuls of shoes or spare bedding, cut foam to size and cover in a co-ordinating fabric to make a comfy cushion to sit on. Add gold longline feet at each end for a luxe finishing touch.
Buy now: Kallax shelving unit, £29, Ikea
Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore
Pushed for space in a small bedroom? Make room for a micro-sized vanity unit with this clever hack. Ikea’s Hemnes shoe unit measures only 22cm deep, so will butt up against a wall taking minimal floor space. With a handy top ledge to store bedroom essentials, there are four pull out compartments for holding clothes and lingerie. Swap standard drawer pulls for chic leather tabs and add a smart mirror on the wall above.
Buy now: Hemnes shoe cabinet, £75, Ikea
Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore
Built-in floor-to-ceiling storage puts alcoves either side of a bed to good use. Give flatpack wardrobes a swish new look by swapping standard doors for an on-trend option with decorative Deco-style fluting and accent gold door pulls.
Co-ordinate bed with wardrobes by adding a full-width headboard in the same colour to give a streamlined shelf for books and other bits. Fill wall space above with a flamboyant wallpaper.
Buy now: Pax standard wardrobe, from £60, Ikea
Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore
Supplement a crowded dressing table with handy wall storage for hair styling kit and beauty products. Fix a couple of Bekvam spice shelves on the wall to hold bottles and tubes, fixing the bottom one upside down to create a hanging rail. Add a few S-hooks so you can hang hairdryer, straighteners and tongs.
Buy now: Bekvam spice shelf, £3.50, Ikea
Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderson
Stick-on fretwork panels are an easy way of giving a simple white chest of drawers a snazzy designer look. Stick directly onto plain white drawer fronts for an understated look or for a colour contrast, try painting drawers a vibrant shade first.
Buy now: Malm chest of three drawers, £60, Ikea
Buy now: Porto fretwork panels for Malm drawers, from £45 for one set, Moonwalk Stickers
Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore
If you’ve no spare room to squeeze in a cocktail cabinet or drinks trolley, why not utilise some un-used wall space instead. Slimline picture ledges sit close to the wall, but are just wide enough to hold glassware and bottles.
Make your drinks station a focal point by painting the wall area behind in a standout colour or go one better and opt for chalkboard paint so you can chalk up your favourite tipples.
Buy now: Mosslanda picture ledge, £9, Ikea
Image credit: Future PLC/Dominic Blackmore
Swap a shabby sheet of corkboard for a Pinterest-worthy office upgrade. Kit out your desk wall space with a sheet of pegboard painted in a soothing shade to match your scheme.
Add a couple of super-versatile Bekvam spice racks, put to use as mini shelves for holding stationery and office bits and bobs. Paint a complementary colour or in a contrast shade for a standout look.
Buy now: Bekvam spice shelf, £3.50, Ikea
Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson
Create the ideal place for youngsters to work from with this simple hack, a winning small home office idea. Dedicate an area of the room by painting a panel section, cleverly mounting two floating shelves to create the illusion of a wall-mounted unit. Complete the space with a wire memo rack, compact desktop and a chair to provide everything they need.
Adding clever magnetic strips helps to store everything from toy cars to pens – brilliant alternative toy storage idea.
Buy now: Lack Shelf, £9, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/ Jo Henderson
The Bekvam birch step stool is a resident hero in most households (everyone on the team has one!). But never before has it been used to such an extent as this. Thanks to two Fonnes wardrobe doors through the middle a simple pair of steps are now acting as a bespoke media unit. This design could also be made using sheets of MDF, salvaged floorboards or scaffolding boards – providing they can safely support the items placed on top, anything goes.
This clever and not to mention affordable storage solution can be updated further with a splash of paint, to disguise the different elements altogether.
Buy now: Bekvam Step Stool, £13, IKEA
Buy now: Fonnes Door, £12, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson
Here’s a fine example of when something so simple becomes something so unique. The IKEA Racka curtain pole takes on a new life as a bespoke hanging plant rail. The simple curtain pole, sold complete with fittings, comes in black, white or grey and can be easily used to create a wall display of plants.
Simply affix to a wall and suspend your macramé plant hangers at different heights to create an interesting house plant idea.
Buy now: Racka Curtain Rod Combination, £7.75, IKEA
Image credit: Future Plc/ Joanna Henderson
The stylish leather cabinet handles are transforming kitchens in more ways than one. Here we’re used the attractive Osternas leather handles to fashion a home-made kitchen memo board. Fix two of the cabinet handles to the wall and slip in a wooden dowel to make a stylish holder for the kitchen.
You could also use this quirky idea to attractively store your kitchen towels, baking paper or foil.
Buy now: Osternas Leather Handles, £10 for 2, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson
Never have natural materials been more popular as home accessories. This clever hack turns a simple storage basket into a designer-look lampshade with very little effort. We started with an IKE Snidad rattan basket, removed the handles and sprayed it black to instantly transform it. You could leave it in it’s natural state to retain a more natural element in your decor.
Drill a small hole in the base to add a bulb and hanging cord and presto – cool basket lampshade complete.
Buy now: Snidad Rattan Basket, £25, IKEA
Image request: Future PLC/ Joanna Henderson
Transform shelving units into a sleek hairpin-legged console table for a hallway or living room. Double-stack the shelving units and attach the metal legs to create a one-of-a-kind space efficient and stylish storage solution for a smart hallway storage idea.
Buy now: Ekby Drawers, £44, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
For this hack, you’ll need a Malm chest of drawers and a bit of confidence with a screwdriver. First attach a set of hairpin legs in your choice of metallic finish – The Hairpin Leg Co has a wide selection. Then paint the strips between the drawers with paint to match – we recommend going for gold for the ultimate glam look.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Max Attenborough
Glam up a table with metallic paint and marble-effect sticky-backed plastic. Carefully remove the table’s glass top, and spray the frame with Plastic-Kote metallic paint, making sure you pick a well-ventilated spot that’s protected with newspaper.
Measure the width and length of the glass top, adding 5mm to each side. Cut your plastic to these dimensions (including the mm allowance). Peel and stick the plastic to the top, allowing the 5mm to overhang. Smooth off with a cloth as you go. Finally, trim away the excess with a craft knife and replace the top.
Buy now: Vittsjo Nest of Tables, set of 2, £45, IKEA
Image credit: IKEA
Being smart with space is always a must for any room, especially in a small home where storage space is premium. Vertical storage helps to keep things streamlined – ideal for brollies and sporting equipment, rather than bulky alternatives.
When affixing to the wall turn the ledges facing inwards, so the lip of the design is not visible from a side view. Choose decorative knobs to attach at the top and bottom of each one. Then using a chosen string or even a colourful flex, securely intertwine around each one to create a fence-like effect.
Image credit: IKEA
If you have the wall space and a cat you adore, why not give them the run the house! Quite literally, with this ingenious climbing wall creation. The team at IKEA have shown us how the picture ledges can be staggered on one wall to create a playground for feline friends.
Affix the picture ledges at various heights and distances on one wall, even line one with slithers of matting to provide a scratching surface. The team have even used wall brackets to dangle toys, to make the attraction more appealing. This is a great idea for house-bound cats especially.
Image credit: IKEA
Got a makeshift home office desk? Add a makeshift desk draw to keep it free of clutter. Attach two picture ledges on their sides to the underside of a desk. Leave enough with space in between for a storage box, to run along the ledge – to slide in the same way as a pull out draw would. (The IKEA team suggest left 23.5 cm).
Image credit: Rust-Oleum
Give your home office a stylish feminine makeover by spray-painting your desk with rose gold paint. Remove the glass top from your desk, and take the frame to a well-ventilated area. Clean the frame with a damp cloth, then leave to dry.
Spray with primer, leave for four hours, then spray with metallic spray paint. Leave to dry for 24 hours, then place the glass back on top an admire your brand-new desk.
Get the look
Buy Now: Vittsjo Desk, £30, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/ Philip Lauterbach
Need a large rug but don’t have a large budget? Follow the lead for this clever homeowner, who, desperately wanting a floor covering to cosy up her bedroom, had this genius idea! To save money, this savvy homeowner took nine £1.90 Ikea mats and sewed them all together to make a larger rug.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore
Repurpose basic Ikea kitchen storage idea into a wall-hung system for your workspace. Give a scoreboard and a spice rack a complete overhaul with a simple lick of paint that tones in with your colour scheme.
The spice rack transforms into a shelf, while Stugvik bathroom holders become storage for bits and pieces that can clutter up a drawer. Simply tap a nail into the wall to hang them up.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore
Build a storage headboard by stacking Ikea Trones shoe cabinets and fixing to the wall for safety. This DIY headboard idea can be useful to store bedding, pyjamas and out-of-season clothes where they are easy to grab. Changing the sheets just got a whole lot easier!
Buy now: Trones Shoe Cabinet, £22, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC
Give an untreated wooden desk organiser a luxe makeover by staining it with finishing wax. Give the drawers a wipe over with a damp cloth and leave to dry. Using a paint or wax brush, apply finishing wax all over the item, then immediately wipe away any excess using a clean rag. How much wax you remove is up to you – we applied plenty to give a lovely deep colour. Leave to dry, and then buff to a soft sheen.
Image credit: Future PLC
Cover the shelves of the unit with newspaper and tape down with masking tape. Wipe down the frame with a damp cloth and leave to dry. Spray with a metal primer spray, then spray with a metallic spray paint. Leave to dry before applying a metal sealer.
Buy Now: Fjalkinge Shelving Unit, £115, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
You really can’t beat Ikea for affordable storage, as these homeowners know well. However, finding the glass shelves of this shelving unit a little impractical – especially when it came to gathering dust – they decided to switch them out. These cut-to-fit plywood shelves are a sturdier alternative.
Buy now: Vittsjo Shelving Unit, £65, IKEA
Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore
Give the kids their own tidy areas by painting wooden stools in bright colours. Ikea regulars will instantly recognise these as the Bekvam step! Once dry, space each along the wall – mark vertical lines just the width of each seat from just below the top step. Use the same colour to create a panel up the wall for a fun finish.
Image credit: Future PLC
Simply cover the chest of drawers in a wallpaper of your choice. Begin by painting the sides and top of the chest of drawers with a furniture paint that has a chalky finish.
Next, remove the drawer handles and cut your chosen wallpaper to fit flush to the edges of each drawer front. Use a ready-mixed wallpaper paste to stick the wallpaper onto the drawers. Finish it off by adding smart ceramic knobs.
Image credit: Future PLC
Choose a fabric in a co-ordinating shade to the bedroom wallpaper idea – used to transform your chest of drawers. Measure the height and width of your headboard, double the amounts and add 2cm more on each side to allow for a hem.
Cut your chosen fabric to size and machine-sew a 2cm hem. Fold it in half widthways, then sew fabric or ribbon ties a third of the way from the top, and then the same again from the bottom. Slip the cover over the headboard and tie at the sides.
Image credit: Rust-Oleum
We love this funky spin on Ikea’s simple Ivar cabinet. Cut four wooden spindles to length using a handsaw to make legs. Sand, then cover with Rust-Oleum pink neon spray paint. Apply several light coats. Once dry, attach the legs to the cabinet.
Buy now: Ivar cabinet, £45, Ikea
Buy now: Rust-Oleum neon pink spray paint, £5.45 for 150ml, Homebase
Image credit: Future PLC
Give wooden stools a dipped effect by painting them in two shades. Sand the stool all over, then clean it thoroughly to remove all traces of dust. Apply masking tape around the legs where they meet the struts. Paint the top part of the stool white and leave to dry. Turn the stool upside down and remove the tape. Apply fresh tape to protect the new paint, then paint the bottom part of the stool in a mid-grey shade and leave to dry.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore
Repurpose picture ledges as a jewellery organiser and put all your favourite treasures on show. Make tangled necklaces and missing earrings a thing of the past with the ultimate jewellery organiser as a smart bedroom storage idea. Turning the shelves upside down will double storage space: screw hooks and eyes into the front and back edges for hanging necklaces and earrings, leaving the flat top surfaces free for make-up and accessories.
Image credit: Future PLC
Use a plank-effect wallpaper to give a sideboard a weathered look. Remove the sideboard’s handles, then sand it down all over. Wipe away the layer of dust, then use a ready-mixed wallpaper paste to stick washable wallpaper onto the sideboard’s front, sides and legs. Apply a decorator’s varnish to protect the wallpaper, then leave to dry. Stick laminate flooring to the top of the sideboard with a high-strength contact adhesive. Paint the sideboard’s original wooden knobs to match your chosen wallpaper and screw them back onto the sideboard.
Image credit: Future PLC
Cover this simple coffee table with textured laminate planks. Choose a pale laminate – you’ll need at least six planks. Measure the table top and shelf, and cut the planks to size. Lay the planks on the table top and on the shelf below to work out how to arrange them to fit. Stick the planks down using a high-strength contact adhesive.
Ikea hacks are when you take a piece of Ikea furniture and adapt it, update it or re-work it to become more useful, beautiful and unique. By customising items than perhaps might have been intended for something else, you create a bespoke piece of furniture or storage solution, using the in-expensive and easy-to make Ikea bones. There are 1000’s of hacks from all over the world, so you’ll always find something to inspire a new project or upcycle. Searching on social media using the hastag IkeaHacks is a good place to start, or try re-creating one of our above ideas!
There as so many ways to reuse Ikea furniture, and it’s a great way to make something really special for your home. Most second-hand stores or sites will have a bevy of Ikea hand-me downs crying out to be made into something more beautiful, so you don’t even have to buy brand-new, before taking on an Ikea Hack. Try to completely free your mind of restraints, and just because Ikea have suggested you use their furniture in a certain way, doesn’t mean you have to do it!
A lick of paint, a change of knobs, or a covering in wallpaper are all inexpensive ways to give your Ikea furniture a new look.
The easiest way to make your IKEA bookcase look more expensive is to give it a style makeover! Take any IKEA piece of furniture, change the handles and give it a coat of on-trend colour and it will instantly feel bespoke – and therefore more expensive.
Changing the handles can make all the difference, and gives you the freedom to make it totally personal – our guide to how to fit a door handle has some top tips if you want to give this a try.
All of these imaginative IKEA hacks are a great way to update your home on a budget.
Try adding backs to open shelving, or removing backs from closed shelving! Try using spice rack shelving for storing and displaying books instead, picture ledge shelves flipping upside down, as slim bedside tables and shelving units turned on their sides and use a bench storage. Completely play with orientation and don’t accept that a shelfs purpose is it’s only use, your imagination can take it anywhere!
Additional words: Holly Walsh
The post IKEA hacks – 45 ways to give their best sellers an easy update appeared first on Ideal Home.
