21 Best IKEA IVAR Storage Hacks

Sideboard Hack

You don't have to forfeit beauty when maximizing utility. This hack by Antonia at Craftifair combines two Ikea IVAR cabinets to create a chic credenza.

To take each IVAR to the next level, she painted them black. For contrast, she topped them off with a sheet of plywood. To get her new creation off the ground she added four sets of stainless steel legs.

Fake Custom Cabinetry

If your small space is seriously short on storage, this Ikea IVAR hack by Becky from ​Infarrantly Creative will solve your problem. She used 15 IVAR cabinets to fake built-in cabinetry. After painting them white, she upgraded the doors with stainless steel bar pulls.

Entryway Storage Hack

Cheer up a sad entryway with this colorful storage hack by Vera Lenting at Nore Sweetie. She brightened up her dull foyer with three vibrantly painted IVAR cabinets.

Hack a Midcentury Workstation

When Jaymee Srp ditched her laptop for a desktop, she created a problem. Because she didn't have a desk—not to mention a home office, her new computer took over the kitchen table.

The solution? She turned pieces from​ Ikea's IVAR system into a midcentury modern-inspired workstation that Don Draper would love.

Furniture Legs

Besides painting or staining, one of the easiest ways you can turn an IVAR wall cabinet into a brand-new piece of furniture is by adding a set of attention-getting legs. This project by Annelies Vermeulen at Allihoppa is an adorable example.

Turn an IVAR Cabinet into a Table

Dutch blogger, Carina Ligthart from YDEAS, created a fleet of double-duty storage tables for her office and added caster wheels to the IVAR cabinets. 

Toy Box Hack

This colorful hack by illustrator Marie Willumsen is pure child's play. Before painting the two IVAR cabinets, she mapped out her design with painter's tape. 

Pretty Office Storage

Stylist Emily Henderson from Style by Emily Henderson says her IVAR storage unit looks way better painted. She got the job done with a chalky finish paint in a shade that resembles washed denim.  

Washi Tape Project

You don't have to break out the paint or wood stain to give an Ikea IVAR a brand-new look. Vera from Paul's Vera customized her cabinets using bronze washi tape. Her freehand design only took minutes to create. 

Storage Hack

Three Ikea IVAR units create gobs of storage space for a space-deprived apartment. This detailed tutorial by The Wall Whisper shares tricks for painting and installing it. To make the top of the units easier to clean, you can top the cabinets off with a sheet of glass.  

DIY a Chic Bar

Make entertaining in a small space a cinch with this Ikea hack. Catarina from Sweet Magnolia transformed a couple of IVAR cabinets into a bar ready to party. After painting her new creation blue she added a couple of sets of glitzy, gold furniture legs.

Fish Scale Pattern

Little Miss Fix It, at Rum Hemma, figured out an ingenious way to create this fish scale pattern on her Ikea cabinet. 

Before painting, she sketched out the pattern on her computer using InDesign software. After finalizing which colors worked best, she drew the design on the cabinet using a handmade cardboard template. The cherry on top is the pretty furniture legs. 

Trendy Paint Color

Add some stylish storage to any room in your home with this project by Sofie Wrede at Nouw. Her space-deprived makeover includes leather cabinet pulls and purple paint.

Blue Dye Stain

Love wood grain? Here's an idea that shows it off with color. Use white milk paint and blue dye stain to magnify the IVAR's natural beauty. Dye stain is unlike traditional wood stain in that it is made up of mostly organic materials. Also, most dye stains are relatively goof-proof to use. Just apply to unfinished wood and let dry. To intensify the color, add another coat.

Kitchen Hack

Remodeling a tiny kitchen to gain more storage space can be a pricey endeavor. Mike from The Fresh Exchange has an inexpensive solution. This IVAR hack creates more room for kitchen stuff on an unused wall.

Monochromatic Color Scheme

Nothing is quite as dramatic as a monochromatic color scheme. This project by Sadolin refashions two modest IVAR cabinets into a chic credenza.

Invest in New Hardware

The folks at Forge Studio know that when it comes to giving inexpensive furniture a high-end new look, never skimp on the hardware. For instance, their hack uses brass cabinet pulls to transform a painted IVAR into a beautiful wall unit.

Nursery Room Storage

Maiju Saha from Maiju Saw turned an IVAR cabinet into an elegant storage solution for her baby's nursery.

Scandinavian Style

The furniture in this Scandinavian dining room only looks expensive. Rebecca Centre from the Swedish lifestyle blog Homespo gave her unfinished wood chairs and plywood IVAR cabinets a fancy new look with black and gray paint.

Decoupage Hack

This artistic project by Lisa Tilse at We are Scout turns a couple of IVAR cabinets into an insanely chic, bedroom sideboard. This gorgeous hack combines decoupage with chalk paint.

Abstract Mural Storage

The stylists at Ikea Ideas Lab say the best way to enhance your IVAR system is by turning it into a piece of art. This project proves their point by transforming storage cabinets into an abstract mural.