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Presenting the top 10 IKEA Hacks of the Year 2019

It’s here! The annual list of my top 10 favourite IKEA hacks of the year.

2019 has been a challenging year for blogs. Some well-known blogs ended their run, most notably, Design Sponge, which was one of my go-to design blogs for like ever. I do miss the space Grace and her team filled.

Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are stronger than ever and much of traffic has migrated there.

And IKEAhackers has seen that move too. IH Instagram following grew considerably, from about 10,000 followers two years ago to now, over 78,000 when I started upping my Gram game.

Definitely, things are shifting.

But in case you think this is getting sombre, in the words of the late Ingvar Kamprad, “Most things still remain to be done. A glorious future!”

Ingvar Kamprad quote

The IKEA hacking spirit is alive and well, no matter what platform it appears on.

And again, as we reach the end of the year, let’s celebrate the creativity and effort that went into each and every hack, no matter big or small.

Without further ado, may I present my favourite 10 IKEA hacks from 2019, in no particular order.

Top 10 IKEA hacks of 2019

#10 Ironing board on wheels
Top 10 IKEA hacks of 2019

This is an awesome problem-solution hack. Katja was frustrated by her big ironing board that was blocking access to her cupboards and she had the RÅSKOG cart already in her sewing room, which was gathering clutter. So decided to solve two problems in one hack. See the ironing board on wheels.

#9 Wardrobe for awkward nook
Top 10 IKEA hacks of 2019

The small angled wall made it hard to use the space in Melanie’s guest room / office. It was almost impossible to put in a bed and desk and have it feel right. The built-in PAX made all the difference, sealing off the nook and giving the room a more functional shape.  

#8 DIY cat house
Top 10 IKEA hacks of 2019

A very clever use of the BEKVÄM step stool. Thibault enclosed the space at the base of the BEKVÄM stool to create a cosy nook for their cat to curl in. On the side, a ledge for cat bowls. See the DIY cat house.

#7 Skinny rolling storage cart
rolling cart

I love how Hannah maximised storage in her small laundry room. In between the washer and dryer she had a mere 11″, which could be ignored but no, not she. She inverted a HYLLIS Shelf and turned it into a rolling storage cart that slots right into the space.

#6 BILLY bookcase secret door
secret room

A secret door to a hidden room! Who can resist? Meg had this weird middle room with doors and windows on every wall, making it a challenge to use the space. Their solution was to turn the space into our whiskey and tea library, with a wall of dark shelves. And, in doing so, create a secret door that leads to their home office/guest room. See the secret door BILLY bookcase hack.

#5 SpiderCat walkway
cat walkway

Tanja didn’t have much room in her home for her cats to climb and play. So she made a simple cat walkway out of LACK tables and mounted them to the ceiling. This is a winner in my books because it’s simple, easy to do, affordable and the cats seems to love it. See the LACK catwalk.

#4 Wainscotting on a budget
Top 10 IKEA hacks of 2019

Rosandra wanted to add boiserie or wainscoting to her walls. But in Italy, getting a craftsman to make a real wainscot is very expensive. So she turned to IKEA to create picture frame wainscoting, at a very much lower price.

#3 Stunning PAX walk in closet
Top 10 IKEA hacks of 2019

If you’ve wondered whether you could get the luxe look from IKEA PAX wardrobes, well, now you know you can. Going beyond the usual built-in PAX, Erin made some critical upgrades for a full custom cabinetry look. See Erin’s walk-in PAX closet.

#2 Broken glass lamp

Perhaps not the most visually arresting of lamps, but this was an interesting hack for me and took it into the unusual territory. Russ made it beautiful by breaking it. Watching the break was fascinating. See the broken glass lamp.

#1 Genius sofa armrest storage
Top 10 IKEA hacks of 2019

This is one of the most innovative hacks I’ve seen in recent years. How Javier reconstructed both armrests to store a truck load of things totally blew my mind. And it got me wondering, “When will IKEA make armrest modules with storage?” I know, right? See the armrest with storage.

And that’s my top 10 favourite hacks of 2019. Did I miss out any of yours? Let me know in the comments below.

More like this? Take a look at previous lists:

To see all posts on our annual top 10 IKEA hacks list, please click here.

The post Presenting the top 10 IKEA Hacks of the Year 2019 appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

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