18 Ingenious Ikea Billy Bookcase Hacks

By
Deirdre Sullivan
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Deirdre Sullivan

Deirdre Sullivan is an interior design expert and features writer who specializes in home improvement as well as design. She began her career as an assistant editor at Elle magazine and has over a decade of experience. Deirdre contributes content for brands including The Spruce and Realtor.com, and has been a featured speaker at various conferences.

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Updated on 11/16/20
Billy bookcase with shelf paper on the inside

The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

When it comes to hacking great storage, no other Ikea furniture product works a room like the Billy bookcase. The Billy bookcase is pretty straightforward to build right out of the box, or you can get creative and make elaborate storage that looks great.

Here are 18 of the best Billy DIY bookcase hacks ever.

  • 01 of 18

    Epic Billy Storage Hack

    BILLY bookcase wall door mega storage

    Scrap Hacker

    The Billy bookcase is one of those Ikea products that you buy for your dorm room and hold onto for years after graduation. The ScrapHacker had four Billy bookcases from his student days, but they were not a good fit for his grown-up apartment. Did he kick them to the curb? Nope. Learn how he used them to create a brand-new floor-to-ceiling storage unit.

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  • 02 of 18

    Billy Bookcase Dresser Hack

    IKEA BILLY Bookcase to Drawer Hack

    Infarrantly Creative

    Becky, the DIY blogger who pens Infarrantly Creative, was faced with a challenge: Create something super unique using a Billy bookcase. Knowing that the unit was a trim 11-inches deep, learn how she transformed it with scrap wood and paint into a small dresser perfect for tight spaces. 

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  • 03 of 18

    Billy Bookcase Curio Cabinet

    BILLY Bookcase Curio Cabinet
    IKEA Hackers

    Stores like Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel sell glass-front bookshelves for thousands of dollars. Erik Linn was able to create several curio cabinets for his abode using Billy bookcases and Grytnas glass doors for significantly less. The Grytnas glass doors are not sold in the U.S., but no worries. Ikea sells glass doors specifically for the Billy called Morlinden. 

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  • 04 of 18

    Billy Kitchen Storage Hack

    BILLY bookcase kitchen island storage hack
    11 Magnolia Lane

    Peruse the photos of the work by Amy at 11 Magnolia Lane, who used a Billy bookcase to transform an unloved eat-in counter into a functional kitchen island with much-needed storage space. She loved the final result so much it inspired her to makeover the entire kitchen.

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  • 05 of 18

    Billy Bookcase Eyesore Solution

    Hiding ugly air conditioner with BILLY bookcase
    Design Evolving

    Mara Greenwald from Design Evolving had an eyesore air conditioner in the middle of her living room. Ikea's products are known for being able to cover up eyesores, like hiding an electrical panel, and one day she realized her Billy bookcase was big enough to conceal her problem. 

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  • 06 of 18

    Expansive Billy Built-In

    Expansive BILLY Built-in

    Store Front Life

    When it comes to good-looking storage solutions, nothing is dreamier than a custom built-in. El Granto and Kristin, the handy DIYers behind Storefront for Life, share how you can create beautiful customized storage for only $400 using Billy bookcases and trim.

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  • 07 of 18

    Billy Library Ladder Hack

    BILLY Library Ladder Hack

    The Lilypad Cottage

    What's the point of having floor-to-ceiling storage if you can't easily reach all of your stuff? Kelly from The Lilypad Cottage blog thought the same, so she came up with this built-in DIY library ladder that rolls in front of her Billy bookcase. 

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  • 08 of 18

    Billy Built-In Bench Seat

    BILLY Built-in Bench Seat

    Southern Revivals

    Jaime, the DIYer behind the Southern Revivals blog used Billy bookcases to make the most of two walls in her home office. The wall features a cozy bench seat. Take a look at the entire office makeover.

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  • 09 of 18

    Billy Media Center Hack

    BILLY Media Center Hack

    Imgur

    View photos of the build of this entertainment center along a bedroom wall using several Billy bookcases. It comes complete with impressive mood lighting.

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  • 10 of 18

    Billy and Besta Hack

    BILLY bookcase brass lighting

    Centsational Style

    See how Kate from the Centsational Style blog used two tall Billy bookcases and components from Ikea's Besta collection to create lovely, free-standing storage. The unit was topped off with molding for added dimension. She also added brass hardware and lighting.

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  • 11 of 18

    Billy Entryway Hack

    BILLY Bookcase Built in French Doors

    The Accent Piece

    Vertical storage gave Suzie's entryway a much-needed décor lift. Her husband used three Billy bookcases to get the job done. Find all the details in a four-part post on The Accent Piece blog.

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  • 12 of 18

    The Cat's Meow Hack

    BILLY bookcase cat tree

    IKEA Hackers

    You can whip up the ultimate jungle gym for your kitty using a tall and slender Billy bookcase. You'll find more photos of this project by Cave Lion on Ikea Hackers. This hack will keep your mountain lion climbing the walls rather than snoozing the day away on your furniture.

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  • 13 of 18

    Billy Bookcase Borgsjo Hack

    BORGSJO Hack Using BILLY

    Avery Street Design

    Laura Irion, the interior designer behind Avery Street Design, used pieces from Ikea's discontinued Borgsjo series to make this storage masterpiece. The good news is that the Swedish retailer has added lots of new components to the Billy series so that you can still recreate Laura's design. 

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  • 14 of 18

    Arched Billy Bookcases

    BILLY bookcase arches

    Juniper Home

    Built-in arched bookshelves are one of those lovely features spotted in multimillion-dollar homes. Interior designer Jenny on her blog Juniper Home shares how you can create this expensive look using MDF and Billy bookcases. Take a look at all the details, including her inspiration piece.

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  • 15 of 18

    Billy Bookcase Tip

    polyfilla BILLY bookcase

    littlekokomo

    The Billy bookcase is both affordable and adjustable. The holes that make its shelves a cinch to adjust can look off-putting. The Little Kokomo blog has a quick fix that uses a putty knife and Polyfilla.

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  • 16 of 18

    Billy Console Hack

    BILLY bookcase dining room built-in
    Make Do And DIY

    Right smack in the middle of Make Do and DIY's Linda Duffy's dining room was an ugly radiator. She created a cover for it using wood and two Billy bookcases. Now, she has a stylish sideboard with built-in storage.

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  • 17 of 18

    Floating Billy Bookcase Hack

    floating BILLY bookcase
    IKEA Hackers

    Furniture can make cleaning floors more of a chore. However, off-the-floor ideas, like floating shelves or these floating Billy bookcases, make vacuuming and mopping easier. Even better, it looks cool. You can learn how to do it at Ikea Hackers.

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  • 18 of 18

    Pretty Billy Bookcase Hack

    BILLY bookcase fabric makeover

    IKEA Hackers

    Some people think that Billy bookcase's simple looks are pretty dull. To make over the bookcase, work the backing. Sure, you can use peel-and-stick decorative paper to brighten up the backing, but did you know that you can do the same with fabric? You will need decoupage glue to apply.