28 Ikea Desk Hacks That Will Inspire You All Day Long

A good desk can be so useful at home, and it’s easy to come up with the perfect solution with inspiration from these clever Ikea desk hacks.

Whether it gives you somewhere to work from home (which is becoming more popular these days), somewhere for your kids to do homework or somewhere for you to write all those Christmas cards, you will always have a use for a desk.

You don’t necessarily have to go for an off-the-shelf desk, especially if it is a certain space that you are trying to fit it into. An Ikea desk hack might inspire you to create exactly what you need.

We’ve gone through hundreds of Ikea desk hack ideas to narrow them down to what we believe are the best ideas in this list of 25 desk hacks.

It’s something we love doing, but if we can help you find inspiration for the perfect piece of furniture in your home, that makes our Ikea hack hunts so much more fulfilling!

Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest to see tons of great Ikea Hack ideas and home decor inspiration.

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Hidden Ivar Cabinet Desk

hidden desk in ivar cabinets hack
Source: Ikeahackers

When you’re short on space, it’s time to get inventive!

We love this hidden desk, using Ikea Ivar cabinets, that doubles as a sideboard when not in use. The Ivar cabinet is a very versatile piece of furniture that can be hacked around to create many different things.

The green finish is also a lovely touch!

Built-In Ikea Alex Desk Hack

built in ikea desk hacks
Source: Painting By The Penny

There’s more to this project than just the built-in desk, but that’s what we’re focusing on here. They have taken an Ikea Alex set of drawers and upcycled them into something much more appealing.

The use of color to bring everything together into a cohesive look is so clever.

With a Murphy bed built into the same set of units, this is a very effective use of space.

Simple, Natural, Elegant Ikea Desk Hack

Natural looking desk set up with Kallax hacks
Source: Jen’s Gathering Nest

This is such an inspiring, elegant place to sit and work. We love the simplicity of it!

They have used two Kallax units with specially made, hessian-covered doors. Then they have fixed a simple wooden worktop between them for desk space.

I particularly love the landscape painting sitting front and centre!

Ikea ALEX Wooden Top Desk Hack

Ikea ALEX Wood Top Desk Hack
Source: Desire to Inspire

A simple one, this Ikea desk hack consists of two ALEX sets of drawers with a worktop laid on top. Despite its simplicity, it is still a good-looking desk and storage is included!

All that’s left to do is accessorize!

Ikea KARLBY Large Desk Hack

Ikea KARLBY Large Desk Hack
Source: Ikeahackers

If you need a little more space on your desk (ok, a LOT more space!), then why not fix two Ikea KARLBY worktops together and lay them on top of trestles to create the epically large desk in this hack (or is it a meeting table!?)

If you have the space, why not make the most of it?

Ikea BARKABODA Dark Masculine Desk Hack

Ikea BARKABODA Dark Masculine Desk Hack
Source: Designer Trapped

From the dark wood BARKABODA worktop to the dark brown leather chair and the black ALEX drawer units, this sumptuous Ikea desk hack oozes masculinity. I love how the pink orchid just about saves it from being a bit too masculine!

Great antique-style rug on the floor too!

Ikea ALEX Slim Wood Wrapped Desk Hack

Ikea ALEX Slim Wood Wrapped Desk Hack
Source: Undeclared Panache

Somtimes you only have space for a slim desk and this Ikea desk hack is a stunning way to provide it. An ALEX desk drawer set is wrapped in timber and set on stylish hairpin legs to create a beautiful and functional desk.

Ideal for a hallway, behind a sofa or just because your room isn’t quite large enough for a full size desk.

Ikea Mash-Up Functional Desk Hack

Ikea Mix Up Functional Desk Hack
Source: Beauty and the Chic

We love the fact that four or five different Ikea products are making up this multi-faceted home office set-up. It includes ALEX, LACK, LINNMON, KALLAX and other Ikea accessories. Everything is in white to tie it all together so you wouldn’t know they were all from different ranges.

It’s so well thought through I doubt you’d ever be short of storage or worry about being organized. Well accessorized too!

Ikea INGO Chic Modern Desk Hack

Ikea INGO Chic Modern Desk Hack
Source: Matsutake

This Ikea desk hack is A great design, especially as the overall cost is unbelievably low. An utterly unremarkable INGO table has been transformed into something any interior designer would love.

Ikea MICKE Colorful Drawers Desk Hack

Ikea MICKE Colorful Drawers Desk Hack
Source: Lovely Indeed

It’s easy to add a pop (or lots of pops) of color into any scheme with colored acrylic adhesive sheets. This fun Ikea desk hack uses a MICKE set of drawers to provide the flat-fronted surfaces for the acrylic. Even the Eames Eiffel chair has been given the colored acrylic treatment.

All that’s left for you to do is choose the perfect colors!

Ikea NORDLI Plywood Wrapped Desk Hack

Ikea NORDLI Plywood Wrapped Desk Hack
Source: Growing Spaces

You only need a certain amount for space to sit at a desk if you’re only there to use your laptop. This workstation has several levels of NORDLI drawer units wrapped in plywood, with a plywood desk at the end.

The plywood wrapping gives the whole piece uniformity and is the perfect backdrop for all the colorful accessories and books.

Ikea BESTA Space-Saving Desk Hack

Ikea BESTA Spacesaving Desk Hack
Source: Ikeahackers

This genius Ikea desk hack uses a BESTA unit to house a folding desk top for the ultimate space-saving desk space. The bonus feature is that the legs are made of a picture frame to display a great print when the desk is folded up!

Ikea HEMNES Elegant Double Desk Hack

Ikea HEMNES Elegant Double Desk Hack
Source: Jones Design Company

As more and more people work from home, the need for two desks in a household will become more of a necessity. This great Ikea desk hack uses three HEMNES drawers and two worktops to create an amazing double desk space.

That is a LOT of storage space in those drawers! Now, who gets the chair with the sheepskin rug!?

Ikea LERBERG Rustic Reclaimed Door Desk Hack

Ikea LERBERG Rustic Reclaimed Door Desk Hack
Source: Content in a Cottage

We love this Ikea desk hack which uses an old wooden door on two LERBERG trestles. It may not have been intended as a desk, but I think it’s perfectly acceptable for that purpose, not to mention AMAZING!

Great styling with all the pieces on top, as well as the old suitcases below.

Ikea LINNMON Hairpin Legs Desk Hack

Ikea LINNMON Hairpin Legs Desk Hack
Source: Style Me Pretty

Hairpin legs always make a table look great and this Ikea desk hack is so simple and quick. Just a LINNMON desk top with four hairpin legs screwed on underneath. You can get hairpin legs in various finishes such as copper, gold, black, silver, etc.

A super-simple but super-beautiful desk!

Ikea ADILS Pallet Desk Hack

Ikea ADILS Pallet Desk Hack
Source: Shelterness

For cost, I don’t think you can beat this Ikea desk hack that consists of a pallet (free from any timber merchants) and four Ikea ADILS legs (about $4 each). We love the in-built storage shelf in the pallet!

Just make sure you sand down all the pallet edges to ensure you don’t get splinters!

Ikea FINNVARD Double Trestle Desk Hack

Ikea FINNVARD Double Trestle Desk Hack
Source: The Everygirl

The FINNVARD trestle is an excellent desk support due to its useful shelf and height adjustment. You can use it to create a simple sit down/standing desk setup. This Ikea desk hack is probably not used in that way, but is still a gorgeous double setup with three FINNVARD trestles and two wood worktops.

Even the chairs and sheepskin rugs are from Ikea… somebody has an obsession! (yeah, I know, not as much as we do!)

Ikea METOD Epic Standing Desk Hack

Ikea METOD Epic Stand Up Desk Hack
Source: Kelli Anderson

This Ikea desk hack is quite a project, but we had to put it in due to it’s genius design. The section with the computer raises up on actuators to become a standing desk! That’s not all that is great about this desk with a stunning black and white scheme and tons of cabinet storage.

What I most loved about this desk is the right area dedicated to lovely-looking things!

Ikea MALM Pull Out Desk Hack

Ikea MALM Pull Out Desk Hack
Source: Ikeahackers

We seem to be on a roll of genius ideas. This Ikea desk hack creates a pull-out desk in a MALM dresser that you would hardly know was there. A great space-saving idea that gives you just the right space to work at with your laptop.

Ikea LINNMON Wall Mounted Standing Desk Hack

Ikea LINNMON Wall Mounted Standing Desk Hack
Source: Jason Garber via Flickr

Another great idea for rooms with limited space is this Ikea desk hack, a large wall-mounted shelf. You can make this as wide or narrow as you can spare and have it at any height.

Now where can I get one of those Stay Puft marshmallow men from??

Ikea LINNMON Marble Top Desk Hack

Ikea LINNMON Marble Top Desk Hack
Source: Ikea

You don’t have to stick with a plain desk top. You can in fact have almost anything you desire stuck on top. In this Ikea desk hack, they used a marble effect vinyl adhesive sheet for an elegant finish.

The MOPPE drawers with the pink pop of color is another awesome idea!

Ikea MALM Glam Desk Hack

Ikea MALM Glam Desk Hack
Source: Ikeahackers

Ignoring that stunning ‘Today I Choose Happy’ sign just for now, this is a gorgeous Ikea desk hack using MALM dressers that have been customized with their own hacks to create more depth and texture.

Now back to that lettering on the wall! How could you fail to be inspired by that!?

Ikea KALLAX Organized Office Desk Hack

Ikea KALLAX Organized Office Desk Hack
Source: Rambling Renovators

This Ikea desk hack is all about the storage solution created in KALLAX units above the desk. Sometime, depending on the work you do (or just because you collect stuff, right?), you need a lot of storage. Using the whole wall like this is a great way to ensure it doesn’t all end up on the desk.

Ikea LACK Small Work Desk Hack

Ikea LACK Small Work Desk Hack
Source: Ikeahackers

For those who really don’t have much space for a desk, this is an ideal solution. This Ikea desk hack uses a LACK table with extended legs to create a desk that is just 22″ x 22″.

We also love the dipped marble effect at the bottom of the legs, and why not!

Ikea ALEX Glamorous Double Desk Hack

Ikea ALEX Glamorous Double Desk Hack
Source: ourfauxfarmhouse via Instagram

Well, what can we say, this is just stunning! The desk is made up of ALEX components and a wooden worktop, but the treatment of the rest of the setup and the room’s decor are just so well thought out.

Sometimes it’s not just about a great piece of furniture, but how it’s incorporated into the room and styled. Well done!

Ikea LACK Tiled Desk Hack

Ikea LACK Tiled Desk Hack
Source: nikkiweedoninteriors via Instagram

I’m not going to lie, I’ve done a lot of tiling in my time and this would be a really time-consuming hack to carry out. But it’s so original and show-stopping that we had to include it.

Of course you could get a similar look by just using a thick black marker pen and drawing on all the lines, but that would just be cheating, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t it…??

Ikea KARLBY Gaming Setup Desk Hack

Ikea KARLBY Gaming Setup Desk Hack
Source: Imgur

One for the gamers (just the one!), this Ikea desk hack is actually quite impressive and is still really well styled. It’s just two ALEX drawers with a wood worktop, as we’ve seen before, but the big difference is the use of LED lights to create a dramatic background.

The edison light bulbs are a great addition to the overall look.

Ikea ALEX Gold Desk Hack

Ikea ALEX Gold Desk Hack
Source: Ikeahackers

Adding a touch of gold is a tried and tested Ikea hack; this desk hack is no exception. It’s such a simple hack to carry out but it adds instant elegance and I can see this desk hack becoming one of the most popular!


If you work from home, making it somewhere you want to spend your time is important. These Ikea desk hacks have shown that you can achieve special workspaces with a little DIY, not a huge investment.

Ikea hacks make many opportunities available to everyone, so we love and write about them. We hope you get many ideas and inspiration to create your gorgeous home office with these Ikea desk hacks.

If you want more great Ikea hack ideas, DIY projects and Home Decor inspiration, please follow us on Pinterest where we collate all the things we most like.