Of all the home spaces that tend to get the styling shaft, closets often find themselves at the forefront of neglect. But they also have the potential to provide a sense of tranquility when given some extra attention. Plus when you know what’s in your wardrobe, you’re less likely to spend money on things you don’t need or have a meltdown when you can’t find the outfit you’ve been saving for a special occasion. How can you overhaul your closet without a fully custom build-out? Fake it till you make it. Check out these IKEA closet hacks that spark joy in the pursuit of streamlining even the most jumbled spaces. 

For a Bit of Reflection

In designer Chloé Mason Gray’s experience, three-and-a-half months was a bit too long to wait for a replacement front for a mirrored Pax wardrobe in this Mexico home. She thought it would be a breeze to have the fronts custom-made elsewhere, so she purchased the unit sans mirrors and began her search for glass. “It turned out that hardly anyone makes ones with the particular thickness needed for this closet,” says Gray. But the time it took to find a fabricator was worth the wait: When her client wakes up each morning, he’s greeted by the reflection of the unique Cerami plaster walls. 

If You’re Starting From Scratch 

Domino’s own Julia Stevens and her roommates finally found the perfect NYC apartment. The only problem? Not a closet in sight. They converted the hallway by the entryway into their affectionately termed “walk-in closet” with IKEA’s Mulig clothes bars at $7 each. Six in total for the project only set them back $36. The racks stretch from 23 to 35 inches, so they expanded the top row to fit longer dresses and the bottom row for shirts and pants. Each roommate has her own section, with the option to share.

To Add Extra Room for Activities

Instead of a dresser that would take up valuable real estate, Judith Achumba-Wöllenstein’s IKEA closet hack meant installing a wall-mounted Boaxel system in her preteen brother-in-law’s room. (Bonus: More room for TikTok dances!) The showstopping red frame was another practical choice. “Because the wardrobe doesn’t have doors, all we needed to do was screw the MDF wood frame to the ceiling and to the side of the walls,” she explains. 

For a Complete Overhaul

When you have the luxury of a walk-in closet, make sure that every square inch lives up to its reputation. Erin Kestenbaum did just that with the help of IKEA’s Pax wardrobe system, which she outfitted with recessed lighting, crown molding, blue paint, and gold hardware. Sure, it’s a big to-do, but the results will be worth it. 

To Incorporate Extra Drawers

Sometimes your closet simply doesn’t have the room for your collection of knickknacks. And when that happens, you should slide in this chest of drawers from Full Time Fiesta. This idea takes an Alex drawer unit and paints it in an ombré design for a fun finish that’ll stand out among the rest of your possessions. Use it to store scarves, jewelry, and other accessories all in one place. 

Shop More Closet Savers Here

Pax Wardrobe Frames, IKEA ($250)

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MULIG Clothes Bar, Ikea ($7)

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Alex Drawer Unit, Ikea ($89)

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Pax Hinged Doors, IKEA ($75)

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Buying an IKEA sofa is a rite of passage—it’s practically written in the starter apartment handbook. After a few moves or a couple of wine spills, that new-sofa smell wears off and you’re left with the question: To keep or not to keep? We vote keep. Like any beloved product from the Swedish retailer (think: Besta cabinets, Pax wardrobes), you can easily customize any one of the company’s couches. The easiest IKEA sofa hack? Reupholster it. Before you reach for the sewing machine, keep in mind that there are a number of companies out there making stylish, ready-made slipcovers for IKEA couches. Then again,  you can always go the easy DIY route. Either way, these six makeovers will convince you to play dress-up.

Give It a Dye Job 

Designer Robin Heller had swapped the legs on her Söderhamn several times to give it a refresh, but when she moved into her Baltimore dream home, she had a vision of tie-dye for the nine-year-old sofa. She turned to a brand called Upstate to bring that idea to life. It made a custom cover hand-dyed in swirls of yellow, pink, red, and blue that has not only become the focal point of the room but cleverly disguises messes. Bonus points for the matching curtains. 

Create Your Own Fabric

IKEA’s Ekebol sofa was seemingly designed for tiny spaces: It has built-in shelving, removable cushions, and can squeeze into tight corners. The only catch? Its washed gray fabric isn’t quite as inspiring. Pro DIYer Lana Red gave her piece a floral flair by wrapping it in a bold print she designed herself and sent to Spoonflower for manufacturing.

Go High-Low

Swathing a basic sofa in ultra-luxe fabric is a surefire way to elevate the piece. Christene Barberich likens her re-covered Vallentuna sleeper sofa to “1960s atomic Italian modernism.” The funky printed velvet fabric in question is Princesa by Gaston y Daniela and was fitted by Brooklyn-based Y&C Upholstery.

Customize It From Top to Bottom 

When Black and Blooms blogger Sara Toufali and her boyfriend moved into their sunny Los Angeles apartment, they realized their dark gray Söderhamn sectional was dampening the mood of the bright and airy living room. Instead of scrapping the four-seater, Toufali worked with Comfort Works to create a custom cream-colored slipcover. They also switched out the metal legs for pinewood ones that picked up on the warm honey tones of the many rattan planters.

Cover It in a Flash

Self-professed “Scandiphile” Rebecca Thandi Norman, one half of the pair behind the blog Scandinavian Standard, upgraded her Söderhamn sofa with a made-to-order slipcover by Bemz in pale pink. The process, as Norman outlines, is super-straightforward: Request a few fabric samples and place your order—and it arrives at your doorstep six to eight weeks later.

Box It Up

This isn’t an upholstery trick per se, but you might want to level up your DIY skills after learning that this IKEA sofa hack saved a new San Francisco resident $5,000. Designer Erin Roberts was tasked with fitting an L-shaped sofa in a living room corner. When she couldn’t find the perfect fit and custom options clocked in way over budget, she rolled up her sleeves and made her own. All it took was two love seats connected by a matching corner table, all encased in a cherrywood frame. It looks built in, but luckily for the renters, the sofa is free-floating just inside the platform.

Get the Look

Söderhamn Sectional, IKEA ($1,249)

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Friheten/Klagshamn Sleeper Sectional w/Storage, IKEA ($999)

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Plant-Based Dye Kit in Rose, Upstate ($48)

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Söderhamn 3-Seater Sofa Cover, Bemz ($349)

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The post These Chic Custom Couches Are Really IKEA Sofas in Disguise appeared first on domino.

Ivar, Pax, Kallax, Billy. These IKEA storage systems might come to mind when you want to declutter your home for good. But for the frequent mover or small-space dweller, the front-runners can fall short when you realize you barely have room for a dining table or that the cabinets in your galley kitchen just won’t cut it. When nothing seems to fit, we turn to the Swedish retailer’s modular marvel: the Besta. Whether you stack them, paint them, or mount them on a wall, it’s easy to make these units your own. From a color-blocked filing system to a minimalist book nook, these IKEA Besta hacks are the absolute best.

Besta Frame, IKEA ($65)

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Besta Shelf Unit With Doors, IKEA ($157)

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A Besta Breakfast Nook

Kendra Joseph, the Bay Area–based designer and founder of Rise Up Home, combined two Besta base units in this kitchen corner, topped them with a waterfall of wood, and painted the bottom with Benjamin Moore’s Midnight. The result is a $300 banquette that makes room for everything from morning coffee to midnight snacks. 

A Facebook Find

Jacky Mack, a DIY dabbler based on the Dorset coast of England, came across her Besta unit on Facebook Marketplace—for free. She initially planned to use just the doors for another project in her living room, but after measuring the base, she found out it was the exact width of her king-size mattress. She plopped a long cushion on top, and now the benchlike cubby lives at the foot of the bed and corrals extra pillows in between sleeps.

An Artful Perch

As an artist, Agi Raw couldn’t resist tackling a few hands-on projects in her 580-square-foot Berlin apartment. As well as creating foam picture frames and tiling a nightstand, her IKEA Besta hack included adding a slab of stone to fancify the unit in her main living space. Extra seating, ample storage, and a spot to display objets d’art are all part of the masterpiece.

A Jewel-Toned Moment

Kelly Mindell’s colorful take hinges on the plywood frame she added to the top and sides of the original item. The wood is infinitely easier to paint than the original glossy surface. The seasoned DIYer gave the piece a vintage touch by swapping the drawer fronts with cane inserts.

A Fluted Seat

For her daughter’s bedroom, Chelsea Foy sandwiched a Besta unit in between two bookcases to create a cozy window seat. The Lappviken doors she chose have a smooth finish that allows wood glue to grip onto them, which was key to her plan to cover them with 3/4-inch wood half-round trim.

A Picture-Perfect Pass-Through

Ashley Rose made her IKEA Besta hack look truly built in by covering the open space underneath it with a toe-kick and buying fresh doors from Norse Interiors.

A Marble Marvel

Leftover marble scraps from this Brooklyn kitchen renovation came in handy in the living room. Designer Crystal Sinclair had the offcuts honed to fit on top of the Besta cabinets that line the TV wall.

A Chunky Support System 

Sarah Sherman Samuel’s cabinet looks like it’s sitting on the ground, but the two Besta units are actually hooked into the wall with suspension rails. Using an orbital sander, she flattened the top and bottom of four wood balls and screwed them to the bottom of the furniture so they look like proper feet. To get a flat plane on the balls, the designer recommends holding the sander as still as possible. If your floors aren’t level, sand a bit, test it out, sand a bit, test it out, until it’s perfect.

A Floating Bedroom Credenza

Ashley Rose wanted to give her daughter’s bedroom a more mature look while still making it easy for her to put toys away. She used the shell of the high-gloss Besta shelf as her base and upgraded the top with a panel of aspen, cut down to size and stained at her local hardware store. 

A Family Room Bench

Designer Laura Melling went for a custom millwork look in this family room by pairing crisp wood paneling with a configuration of mounted Besta modules. To take her wall-to-wall storage solution one step further, Melling incorporated a gray felt bench in one corner that can double as a reading nook for little ones or a bonus seat for guests.

A Daybed for Days

Sarah and Wes Day of This Maine House wanted to create a space near their kitchen where they, along with their little one, could comfortably lounge post-dinner. A daybed-and-bench combination with soft closing drawers proved to be the perfect fix. The couple went outside the box with brass cabinet knobs from Schoolhouse Electric and five coats of Sherwin-Williams Inkwell paint.

A Little Side Action

Here, Sarah Sherman Samuel used her Besta storage unit as a building block for a larger credenza made from birch plywood, and incorporated sleek side channels into the design for added stability. It’s easiest to build around the Besta if you assemble it upside down. For every joint, she used wood glue and a ton of screws.

A Color-Blocked Cupboard

Ashley Rose’s other big IKEA Besta hack comes in the form of a rainbow-infused credenza. Before assembling the doors, the blogger coated each front in spray paint, adding a clear shellac coat on top to seal the vibrant hues.

A Shaker-Shiplap Scene

Erin Broege of The Heart and Haven used a Besta TV unit as a divider between her shiplap built-in shelving units. She swapped out the original doors for Semihandmade’s supermatte white Shaker fronts in order to seamlessly merge the piece with the farmhouse-fresh look of the built-ins.

An Adult-Approved Toy Cabinet

DIY blogger Angela Rose also opted for a natural finish with Semihandmade fronts. To complement the design of her newly completed mural, she chose the brand’s Cove doors by Chris Loves Julia and bone knobs from CB2. Semihandmade’s cabinet fronts come with the hinge cup hole already drilled. When you’re drilling to make pilot holes for the screws, be sure not to drill all the way through the door.

The post 15 IKEA Besta Hacks to Incorporate Sneaky Storage Just About Anywhere appeared first on domino.

Renovations are pricey—those involving the heart of the home, even more so: According to the Real Remodeling Costs calculator on Houzz, the average cost of a kitchen remodel rings in anywhere from $13,700 to a whopping $44,100. So when you find little shortcuts that can save a few bucks, it’s best to go ahead and take them. Maybe it’s peel-and-stick tile for the backsplash you’ve always wanted or heading to a certain Swedish retailer for your new cupboards. The problem is, IKEA cabinet doors aren’t always the most stylish…and that’s where these companies come in. 

The brand’s cult following has spawned an entire generation of companies aimed at dressing up pared-back basics. You can get slipcovers for your Söderhamn sectional and legs for your Besta—though we’re most interested in the zhuzhed-up fronts that will transform the most basic of cabinetry. If you’re planning an upgrade involving IKEA cabinet doors—even if it’s not for a few months—these makers will convince you to ditch the sledgehammer. 

Plykea

Pairs best with: The Metod system. 

The price point: It varies but is estimated at $877 for a small kitchen to $6,153 for a large kitchen. 

What it’s known for: If a colorful dinnerware collection is as bold as you’re willing to go, these are the fronts for you. Plykea offers three different materials—each customizable in a number of hues—but is best known for its classic Scandi style: simple, timeless, and categorically minimalist. They’re best served as is, sans decorative pulls or knobs. 

Birch Ply Doors, Plykea

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Formica Faced Ply Doors, Plykea

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Kokeena

Pairs best with: The Sektion and Godmorgon systems.   

The price point: Since everything is tailor-made to your space, you’ll have to reach out for a custom quote. 

What it’s known for: Traditional but make it eco-friendly: The Portland, Oregon–based brand is so committed to sustainability that it’s one of the core values of the company. (It uses low- to zero-VOC paints and varnishes and relies on recycled plant fibers to round out its materials.) This means you can’t go wrong with any of the polished wood doors, but don’t sleep on the Townsend Home collection if you’re craving a deeper dose of color. 

Sage Cabinet, Kokeena

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Moss Cabinet, Kokeena

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Reform

Pairs best with: All IKEA kitchen systems. 

The price point: Individual pieces range from $76 for drawers to $1,504 for side covers. 

What it’s known for: The eccentric rich aunt of the kitchen cabinet family: There are luxe finishes, yes, but they’re paired with funkier features like color-blocked fronts and little round handles. This is because of the numerous architects and designers Reform routinely collaborates with, from Norm Architects to Cecilie Manz; it’s high-end on a budget. 

Frame Cabinet Fronts, Reform

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Basis Cabinet Fronts, Reform

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Superfront

Pairs best with: The Metod system. 

The price point: Expect to shell out between $39 for a tiny drawer and $293 for a larger cupboard. 

What it’s known for: This collection is all about prints. Pick between fish scales, geometric shapes, and stripes to add a bit of texture in place of cookie-cutter IKEA cabinet doors—or mix and match your lowers and uppers for some real pattern play. 

Geometric Fronts, Superfront

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Fields Fronts, Superfront

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Husk

Pairs best with: The Metod system. 

The price point: Husk quotes by kitchen not individual items—it calculates between $1,704 for a small space and $6,344 for bigger sizes. 

What it’s known for: If you suffer from serious shopping indecision, start here. There is exactly one front style, making for the ultimate no-fuss design. But that doesn’t mean the products are boring: You’ll have your choice of 19 colors, going from rich jewel tones to soft neutrals; just don’t overthink the details. 

Giallo Kashmir, Husk

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Nero Ingo, Husk

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Semihandmade

Pairs best with: The Sektion and now-discontinued Akurum systems. 

The price point: From $12 to $190, depending on the size and style. 

What it’s known for: The Instagram-famous kitchens you see in all your favorite design stars’ homes. Semihandmade has teamed up with both Sarah Sherman Samuel and Chris Loves Julia for different lines, culminating in an offering that has those classic vibes—e.g., natural-colored wood and Shaker silhouettes—but also includes a few more playful options.  

SSS Desert Grey Beaded, Semihandmade

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Supermatte Night Sky Shaker, Semihandmade

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Holte

Pairs best with: The Metod system. 

The price point: Starting at around $1,431 and topping out at $6,450. 

What it’s known for: For anyone looking for something punchier, don’t sleep on Holte’s vivid orange fronts and half-moon–shaped steel pulls (the cobalt shade is also a favorite). There are 120 total colors and six different handles, so if you’re on the hunt for something truly bespoke, you’ll find it in the mix. 

Cobalt HPL Front, Holte

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Mint HPL Front, Holte

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The post 7 Brands to Shop for Your IKEA Cabinet Doors Upgrade appeared first on domino.

When a San Francisco newcomer tapped designer Erin Roberts to furnish their future living room by the day they moved in, Roberts enlisted a small workshop in Los Angeles to bring her custom renderings to life. The wait times associated with one-of-a-kind pieces (we’re talking five months, at best) weren’t going to work with the homeowner’s tight schedule, but a semi-custom IKEA Söderhamn hack would.

Roberts searched high and low for an in-stock, testable sectional, but there weren’t any in the exact L-shape she wanted. So she decided to combine the budget-friendliness of IKEA and the streamlined minimalism of the Japandi aesthetic. Her vision: two love seats connected by a matching corner table, all encased in a cherrywood frame. Despite hiring out the actual construction, Roberts insists the base is totally DIY-able. “I didn’t have the space or the bandwidth to do it on my own time,” she says, but she told us exactly how to achieve professional-level results.

Drop It Low

The key to determining what style sofa works for this type of project is all in the height. The low-slung seat of the Söderhamn was already platform level at 5.5 inches high. “You need to know it won’t look weird when you take the legs off,” explains Roberts. When it comes to the upholstery, Japandi’s signature elements are calming colors and sleek lines, so keep it neutral and the tufting to a minimum.

Roberts opted for a cherry base to warm up the cool white fabric without taking away from the light and airy atmosphere. (The wood was also readily available at her favorite workshop, so supply chain worries begone!)

Don’t Give Yourself Any Wiggle Room

“IKEA is supposed to be an exact science, but the reality is, no two measurements are the same,” says Roberts. Don’t trust the online descriptions, and measure for every wood piece yourself to avoid redoing your work. 

Keep the frame as snug as possible, with only 1/8 inch of leeway on all sides to allow for the sofa to slot perfectly into place. “If the frame is too loose, it ruins the look,” says Roberts. “An estimated fit takes away from the idea of one cohesive piece.” A few screws at each seam will hold the wood foundation together.

Fake the Built-In

Luckily for renters, the sofa is secretly free-floating. By setting the Söderhamns inside platform bases that are half an inch taller than the legs, you get the illusion of a built-in—without any additional holes in the wall (or the upholstery). Plus the all-around frame means that the configuration possibilities are endless; Roberts knew it wasn’t sustainable to have to source another new sectional when the client moved in a year. “If a room has a more open layout, I want the back to be just as streamlined as the front,” she explains—and the effect will be instantaneous.

SÖDERHAMN Sofa, IKEA ($949)

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The post How an IKEA Söderhamn Sofa Hack Saved One Renter $5,000 appeared first on domino.

Most people who buy a mid-century house with a sloped roof and 1970s interiors would resign themselves to a Brady Bunch–esque existence. Not Johanna Leung. Since January 2022, the interior designer and mom of two has chronicled the hands-on updates she’s made to her family’s Montreal digs on Instagram. Today the home has what she calls a “maximalist, modern English cottage” vibe. 

That includes the 140-square-foot space her daughters (“Irish twins, 10.5 months apart”) have shared since the youngest was 6 months old. Leung embarked on a grown-up reimagination of the bedroom for Olivia (now 5) and Amelia (6), and spent as much time increasing storage and function as she did adding whimsical, old-world touches. There are not one but two IKEA hacks, gorgeous hand-painted details, and a bed nook most adults would envy. Here’s how the designer DIYed the whole thing in four months.

Find Your Niche

After years of use, Leung knew the closet’s quirks all too well. “Deep, but not deep enough to be a walk-in,” she recalls, it was a waste of precious square footage. It did have one perk, though: It happened to be the same size of a twin mattress. Enter the sweetest bed nook—for Amelia—we’ve ever seen. The designer kept the existing structure of the closet but removed the drywall around the doors. She then constructed a built-in bed frame from 2-by-4s, leaving room for pull-out IKEA toy boxes beneath, upholstered in fabric. “At the end of the bed, we still had about 10 inches, so I built shelves for Amelia’s books,” Leung adds. The accordion-door recess above the original closet stayed, too, as a home for extra toys and stuffed animals.

There’s Always Room for an IKEA Hack

The addition of Amelia’s bed nook meant sacrificing hanging clothes storage—but only temporarily. Leung built a platform along the wall opposite her daughters’ beds and secured two IKEA Pax wardrobes to the base. Decorative molding and DIY doors with fabric-adorned cutouts make the budget buy feel entirely custom. Her creativity didn’t stop there; she fashioned curtain panels from Zara Home bedsheets (that glow in the dark!).

Set Up for Shared Room Success

By placing the beds in opposite corners of the 10-by-14-foot room, Leung managed to give Olivia and Amelia each some personal space, while the floor between them is a communal place to play. It stays relatively clutter-free thanks to that stretch of built-in wardrobes.

Pile on the Patterns

Large- and small-scale patterns mingle throughout the room, and Leung didn’t restrict herself to using the materials in traditional ways. A prime example: The “wallpaper” inside the bed nook is yet another bedsheet. (The designer simply applied liquid starch to the clean wall and hung the fabric.) The other walls feature real floral wallpaper by Sandberg but paired with a strip of azulejo tile you’d typically find on Portuguese exteriors. “It was definitely very, very challenging to mix anything with the azulejos!” Leung confesses. “But Olivia picked this wallpaper, and surprisingly, I thought it was a good match.” 

Trick Out Builder-Grade Windows

To give the basic windows a more traditional look, Leung installed hinged shutters on the lower halves to block out the light. Above, she crafted cornices from plywood, 2-by-4s, and batting. Stapling peacock-print upholstery fabric to the structure was the finishing touch.

It’s the Little Things

Much of the room’s magic is rooted in layers of decorative details, like the Bloomsbury Group–inspired, hand-painted trim on Olivia’s antique bed—a Facebook Marketplace find—and the wall’s tile trim. But the accent that impressed the kids most was the black-and-white–striped awning with scalloped edges hanging over Amelia’s closet bed. “I wanted to make it feel French because my daughters love the movie Ratatouille,” says Leung. True to form, Mom knows best: “They say it’s like living in the movie!”

The post A Cottagecore IKEA Hack Made It Possible for Two Sisters to Share a 140-Square-Foot Room appeared first on domino.

If you’ve been following Leanne Ford since the beginning, you might be able to guess her favorite IKEA product. Or should we say, products. Before she was the authority on easy-breezy spaces, Ford was a fashion stylist and creative director. While renovating her historic Pittsburgh schoolhouse-turned-home, she looked to IKEA to outfit the kitchen—and when a magazine got wind of the transformation, it changed everything for her. The year was 2013, the magazine was Country Living, and the IKEA items in question were the Grimslöv cabinets and Karlby counters. 

“It was the kitchen that launched my interior design career,” remembers Ford. “I bought the cabinets, appliances, and countertops at IKEA—it was all I could afford.”

The Grimslöv Cabinets and Karlby Counters

With subway tile bringing a modern touch to the room, Ford picked the more traditional, Shaker-style IKEA cupboards for some balance. (The Grimslöv collection is no longer available, but the Axstad line is an almost identical swap.) “I wanted something classic and affordable,” she explains. “Butcher block and simple white cabinetry? Check!”

The reason that this kitchen doesn’t look like it was done on a budget is the accents. “I added vintage around it to disguise the IKEA feeling,” says Ford, pointing to the antique baker’s table that functions as the kitchen island. The glass cabinet in the corner was original to the home, and with a lick of white paint, it fits right in with the new additions. Complemented with sleek pulls, the combination is relaxed and warm. Consider this space proof that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the designer’s signature look. 

Get the (Similar) Look

Axstad Door, IKEA ($95)

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Karlby Countertop, Ikea ($129)

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While Ford may have moved on from flat-pack kitchens, the room will always hold a soft spot in her heart. If you’re a first-time homeowner, we suggest taking a page from her book and lifting this cabinet-and-counter combo for your own space. Who knows? The next interior design career that’s launched could be yours. 

The post The Best Thing Leanne Ford Ever Bought at IKEA appeared first on domino.

Cut back on the Sephora purchases all you want—without the right organizational tools in place, a cramped counter or vanity can easily become your worst enemy. For anyone struggling to control the chaos, a clever IKEA bathroom hack can be the saving grace your sanctuary needs.

These 14 smart solutions are reminders you don’t need to renovate to experience your space in a whole new way. Whether your weakest link is under the sink or your tiny, drab shower, these ideas make the most of the Swedish retailer’s cult-favorite products.

The Linen Ladder

To get the look she wanted with minimal space, Debs from Bang on Style transformed the side piece of an Ivar shelf into a chic storage situation with this easy-to-duplicate DIY. To make it work for her specific needs, she added pegs (which were actually wood dolls she found at a craft store) and a Tjabbig basket as a place to stow smaller towels or TP rolls. 

Ivar Side Unit, IKEA ($25)

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Tjabbig Basket, IKEA ($8)

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The Towel Rack Tray

Wandering the aisles of IKEA while pretending you live in the different vignettes is the ultimate source of inspiration, but the next best thing is just beyond your keyboard. Under the Rooms tab of the brand’s website, we found this scene, where something as simple as a $2 tray and a towel rack becomes a storage solution for bathroom bits and bobs. 

Skogsviken Towel Rail, IKEA ($13)

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Skogsviken Tray, IKEA ($2)

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The Luxe Vanity

Mallory Fletchall’s original vanity was essentially just one large cabinet, so keeping the clutter inside to a minimum was tough. The Reserve Home founder scrapped the entire structure for a cabinet box with two deep drawers, a faux marble countertop, and a vessel sink (all of which adds up to around $295 from IKEA). Then she bought dividers and organizers that the company designed specifically for the slim cupboard, so nothing is ever out of place.

EKBACKEN Countertop, Ikea ($80)

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SEKTION Base cabinet, Ikea ($132)

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The Facelift

Kara Whitten refaced this formerly black unit by adding new natural wood fronts and small dowels, held together with Liquid Nails glue. The one side of the vanity is still dark, but she plans to paint it cream so it blends in with the warm timber.

GODMORGON sink cabinet, Ikea ($500)

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The Farmhouse Vanity

When this IKEA Hackers contributor was quoted $1,000 for a custom vanity, they decided to trim down the side panels of a Silveran cabinet (which was on sale for $88) instead so it would fit the depth of their existing sink. Benjamin Moore’s Mopboard Black paint and wood legs elevate the furniture, literally and figuratively.

SILVERÅN Sink cabinet, Ikea ($89)

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The Wall Unit

The Skadis pegboard isn’t just for offices—add on a bunch of ready-made accessories, such as shelves, containers, and letter holders, and you can use it to store everything from foundation bottles to moisturizers to toothbrushes. 

SKÅDIS Pegboard combination, Ikea ($37)

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The Over-the-Door Hanger

Designated for mattress support, the wood slats of the Luröy bed base can find a new purpose on the back of a door. Casually drape washcloths over the ledges, as DIYer Kristina Steinmetz has done, or add baskets to house products. All she needed was two wall hooks.

The Towel Rack

To soften a black and white scheme, U.K.-based blogger Nomita Vaish-Taylor of Ebadee upgraded her two-prong rack with a copper acrylic spray paint (similar to this type). Total hack time: 10 minutes.

The Trolly

The Raskog cart can double as a mini mobile catchall for essentials—no serious upgrades required. A Beautiful Mess’s Elsie Larson organized hers by using the top shelf for small, everyday items like lip balm; the middle for bins filled with nail polish; and the bottom for spare towels.

The Built-Ins

When Helena Nord had to replace all the storage in her bathroom due to water damage, she decided to take advantage of the room’s height. The L-shaped design she came up with uses basic white cabinet fronts and maximizes every square inch around the sink and newly poured concrete countertop. Now she doesn’t have to bend down all the time to grab toiletries. 

The Sink Shelf

Disguise unsightly pipes under your bathroom basin and transform an awkward nook into a functional storage spot with two of IKEA’s genius corner shelving units. Suddenly having a pedestal isn’t so bad.

The Ladder

Originally intended as a part of the Ivar shelving unit, this pinewood side piece takes on new life as a makeshift ladder in German blogger Antonia Schmitz’s tiny city bathroom, where it serves as a beautiful place to display makeup brushes and plants.

The Elevated Doors

Finished in a white block pattern by Superfront, this two-drawer vanity isn’t necessarily a lesson in making room for storage, but it is one in bringing style to what little room you have with a simple upgrade.

The Hanging Baskets

In the instances where extra cabinets or storage will soak up precious square footage, take to the wall. The Nodrana set of two blue handwoven baskets can corral awkward sink or shelf spillover, whether it’s hairbrushes or hand towels. No toolbox? No problem. IKEA’s Skoghall renter-friendly self-adhesive hooks are doubly safe for tiled walls. All five pieces total $16.

SKOGHALL Hooks, Ikea ($7)

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NORDRANA Baskets, Ikea ($10)

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The Wallpaper Shelf

For those more comfortable with a drill, IKEA’s simple white wall shelf (for less than $3), the Burhult, can quickly be transformed from bland to punchy with a patterned wallpaper or can of bright spray paint. Combine with Sibbhult brackets (or a colorful climbing rope) and it’s primed to put toiletries on display.

Ask Domino

Erika Ver, the blogger behind Peony + Honey, is no stranger to IKEA hacks (she’s successfully completed around 10 projects, including her bathroom vanity). Here, she answers a few of your burning questions to help you get started on tackling your very own. 

What tools are essential for most bathroom IKEA hacks?
A miter saw and a brad nailer are most essential. The former is great to cut any type of slats or trim work, and the latter is so helpful for easily installing the trim. I use the Ryobi miter saw and the Dewalt 20-volt 18-gauge brad nailer, which I’ve found to be the lightest cordless option on the market.

Any advice on how to avoid common mistakes when working with IKEA pieces?
I always prime any IKEA furniture with my favorite BIN enamel primer. This will save you from having to sand down that shiny IKEA finish but will make sure your paint sticks to the surface!  

Do you have a go-to IKEA product you’d recommend for others with a small space?
I’m obsessed with the Godmorgon bathroom vanity. I love the floating look, and it really lends itself to all kinds of hacks since it’s supermodern with clean lines.  

This story was originally published on November 13, 2018. It has since been updated.

The post 14 Bathroom IKEA Hacks That Actually Work in Small Spaces appeared first on domino.

In her new cookbook, The Dinner Party Project, private chef and creator of Nosh With Tash, Nastasha Feldman, doesn’t show you how to fold napkins or steam your tablecloth before company comes over. Instead she teaches you the important things: How to gather the right crowd, find the perfect setting, and arrange a menu that everyone will be talking about for weeks—or until the next shindig, anyway.

In this excerpt, Feldman explains the anatomy of a great dinner hang, whether it’s your first time having friends over or (like her) your hundredth. Party on.

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After a decade of doing private chef work, teaching approximately one zillion cooking classes, and throwing a few hundred dinner parties, I’ve accumulated a lot of thoughts on hosting, de-stressing dinner parties, and making easy dishes taste really good—all of which I’m very excited to share with you. I’m here to remove the anxiety of entertaining and help you find a hosting style that works for you.

If you’re a person who likes rules and guidance, welcome to this delicious breakdown of how to use this book. If your eyes are bugging out of your head looking at the quantity of words on this page—skip to the next section. There are four steps to getting your dinner party on.

Step 1: Pick Your Peeps

Most of the recipes in this book are for six humans. So let’s do some simple math: If you have six people, all the food will be gobbled up, but if you have a more intimate group of three, then hooray for you, you’ll get leftovers! Find a group of people (close friends, fun neighbors you want to get to know better, cousins you just found out you have via genetic testing, friends of friends, coworkers—you get the idea) who want to dinner party regularly, knowing some will tag in and out, and get on a schedule. Dinner party people are everywhere.

Step 2: Pick Your Place

Your house? Do you have a big enough table? The beach? A neighbor’s porch? A stoop? Everyone takes a turn? Your location may dictate the kinds of food you serve. If you’re going to be in a park, you’ll want foods that are all easy to transport and good at room temp; if you’re gathering around a coffee table, you’ll want a meal that can be eaten on one plate, and so on.

Step 3: Pick Your Style

There are three ways to do this:

Solo

• If you’re at all nervous, pick a few dishes that are great at room temperature so you can prep them ahead of time and not stress during the party. All the salads and vegetable dishes in this book are great at room temp.
• DDD: Delegate Drinks and Desserts to your guests.
• Remember: Having a dinner party is about connecting with your people, having a good time, and not being rushed—it’s not a Top Chef audition. Take the pressure off by making a meal that feels manageable and fun. If that means making one dish from this book and getting everything else premade, that’s A-OK.

Collab Cooking

• Make sure everyone gathers at least two hours before dinner to account for cooking time.
• Decide ahead of time whether you’ll be providing all the ingredients yourself or whether people will shop for the dish they’ll be making.
• Divvy up the recipes and tasks based on people’s skill sets:

The Person Who Lives There: This person will put out the ingredients and necessary tools before everyone arrives. They’ll also be responding to the inevitable questions about where knives, sugar, and olive oil live. And they’ll play sous chef to the Speedy/ Experienced Cook (see below).

The Organized One: This person might not be the greatest cook, but they’re a scheduling wizard. They’ll read through all the recipes for timing and transitions and make a master schedule for the night. They track when something needs to go in or come out of the oven, and they keep everything moving. You got a type-A freak show in your crew? This is their jam.

The Speedy/Experienced Cook(s): Give them the most complex dish—in many cases this will be the main because it has the most moving parts, but take a look at the recipes in your menu to decide. If this person needs help, pull in the sous chef aka the Person Who Lives There.

The Nervous/Newer Cook(s): Give them the salads, easy appetizers, drink mixing, vegetable washing, herb chopping, and any other odd jobs.

The Person Who Doesn’t Know How to Boil Water: This person has two critical roles to fill: Making sure everyone is well hydrated with beverages (adult and otherwise) at all times, and cleaning up. Ideally, this human washes, dries, and puts dishes away immediately, so they’re not taking up space and can be used again.

Potluck

While you can easily send a text or email and let people self-assign, here are a few tips to make your potlucking experience easy-breezy.

• It’s best if the person who lives where the dinner party is prepares the recipes that are best served hot or are clumsy to transport.
• Appetizers, salads, sides, and room temp desserts are great things to ask people to bring.
• DDD.

Step 4: Pick Your Menu

This book has lots of ways to help you decide what to make for dinner. You can use the “What Should I Make for Dinner?” flowchart to take you from “What the Fork Should I Make?” to “Your New Favorite Herby Meatballs” in under two minutes.

The Dinner Party Project by Natasha Feldman, Amazon ($33)

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From The Dinner Party Project by Natasha Feldman. Copyright © 2023 by Natasha Feldman. Reprinted by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

The post I Throw Dinner Parties for a Living—Here’s the Formula That Works Every Time appeared first on domino.

Paint is easily the most popular tool people use to hack their IKEA furniture, but that doesn’t mean painting is easy. The process requires more than just a drop cloth and bristle brush. For the job to look truly professional, you’ll have to take after designer Rebecca Plumb, who added a whole wall of storage to her dining room using the Swedish retailer’s popular Billy bookcase and Sektion cabinets, now painted in Oakmoss by Sherwin-Williams. “I wanted it to be this little jewel box,” says Plumb. 

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Billy Bookcase (31 1/2 x 11 x 93 1/4″), IKEA ($119)

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Sektion Wall Cabinet Frame (30 x 14 3/4 x 30″), IKEA ($72)

The thing that makes painting IKEA furniture tough is the stuff’s seemingly impenetrable laminate finish. The key, as Plumb figured out, is sanding, painting, and drying on repeat (in her case, four times to be exact). “And then it took about another week for it to completely cure,” she explains. So budget your time accordingly and then read her tips for how to paint the Billy bookcase and Sektion cabinets, below.

Don’t: Buy High-Gloss Doors

To start out, avoid picking any IKEA pieces that only come in a high-gloss treatment, as it naturally makes the surface hard to fuse with paint. For the lower part of the library-slash-barware storage wall, Plumb opted for two shallow Sektion upper kitchen cabinets with the Veddinge door style because it is the most paint-friendly front. The upper portion is made up of a tall Billy bookcase flipped upside down. 

Do: Leave More Time Than You Think You Need Between Coats 

Per her painter’s recommendation, Plumb first applied Sherwin-Williams’s Extreme Bond Primer on the doors after lightly sanding them and wiping them down. “My biggest tip is to give yourself time—basically 24 hours between each thing at least,” says Plumb. To make the whole process easier on herself, she laid out all the fronts in her garage on a large table and primed everything else as is, installed. 

Don’t: Use a Paintbrush 

After sanding the doors again once the primer had dried, Plumb proceeded with covering them in the Oakmoss color in a semigloss enamel finish—using an electric handheld sprayer. The one she bought isn’t necessarily fancy (it’s under $200), but she estimates it saved her around 10 hours of work. “It’s much cheaper than hiring someone, and it gives you way better results than a brush,” she says. 

Do: Bring the Heat

A high-temperature room helps paint dry faster, so while you want to do the painting part in a cooler space (that way nothing dries too fast), when you are done with your coat, leave it in a dry, warm spot. Plumb went so far as to put a heater in her garage to help speed up the process. “I’m in California, where it’s pretty dry, but for someone [living in] a humid climate, it would take longer,” she warns. 

Don’t: Buy One Type of Sandpaper

Sanding in between each coat of primer and paint helps create a slight grit that the next layer can bond to, but after applying the first coat of paint, switch from a tougher sandpaper (around 120 grit) to a finer option that acts more like a polisher (about 800). This way it won’t leave scratch marks. 

Do: Frankenstein the Sides for a Bespoke Look

The rest of making an IKEA bookcase look truly built in has to do with all the pieces around it. With her engineering-savvy dad’s help, Plumb added vertical trim in between the shelves to beef them up, plus the base was lifted up on 2-by-4s to accommodate the rest of the space’s thick molding. “It has to be almost sealed to the wall,” she explains. Another custom moment: She left a small gap near the windows so the curtain panels can extend behind it. It’s the little things—spacing, tools, prep work—that count.

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Oakmoss, Sherwin-Williams

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Merrick Library Light, Hudson Valley Lighting ($782)

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Sawtooth 3/4 in. x 5-1/2 in. x 96 in. Base Molding, Home Depot ($35 per piece)

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Sisal Wallpaper, York Wall Coverings ($320)

The post The Dos and Dont’s of Painting IKEA’s Billy and Sektion Bookcases appeared first on domino.