Hello, everyone! I’m Krys Melo, the blogger behind Melodrama. You might recognize me from the “I Did It!” feature in the February issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. The article highlights my IKEA hack, seen above, in which I turned a VITTSJO coffee table into an upholstered and tufted cocktail ottoman. I couldn’t find what I desired in stores, but with an IKEA foundation and a little spray paint, foam, fabric, and buttons, I was able to create the perfect addition to my living room.
We all know IKEA is a great place to find inexpensive furniture for all of life’s stages, but the simple style can sometimes be too minimalist. This is why I tend to take IKEA pieces as merely suggestions. Now I’m no stranger to IKEA hacks. In fact, some of my most popular posts on Melodrama are low-cost and simple but highly effective ways to customize IKEA items.
The first IKEA hack I ever did was turn a EXPEDIT (now KALLAX) bookcase on its side to create a banquette seat for my dining room. I originally thought to use it as a bench seat but decided on adding an upholstered backboard for added comfort. This easy change created a lovely statement piece and added plenty of extra seating in my room.
Another simple way to transform items is with paint. IKEA’s DALFRED bar stools had the modern look I wanted but not the gold-dipped metallic finish I sought. I simply used a highly metallic paint to create the look.
But enough about me! Let’s take a look at some other every day staples from IKEA that can be transformed into useful decor with very minimal effort.
You wouldn’t believe that this copper side table from Poppy Talk was actually made out of a spray-painted IKEA serving tray and an APPLARO outdoor folding stool! Think of all the color varieties!
The LACK coffee table is one of the most popular and inexpensive items from IKEA. Triple Max Tons took away the boxy legs and replaced them with retro-style tapered legs to create a much more stylish look.
This one really blows my mind. Erin from Style Me Pretty completely transformed a LOCKSTA chair with gold spray paint and leather fabric. Now it looks straight out of a trendy high-end furniture store.
Did you know you can decoupage with fabric? That’s just what Little Green Notebook did with this $20 SNILLE office chair. A touch of gold spray paint pulls together the rest of the transformation.
We can’t forget the outdoors! This simple project from Brady Bunch Remodel brings a little midcentury modern style to your plants. They were made by glueing together two Kardemumma pots base-to-base and filling with plants.
I hope this inspires you to think outside the box when it comes to shopping for home decor. With a little imagination even the smallest budgets can achieve big style. Thanks for reading!
Hauser Chem-Dry 