We are big fans of the Ikea Kallax at jamesandcatrin.com due to the vast array of Ikea Kallax hacks that people have come up with. It is the one piece of Ikea furniture that ticks all the boxes when looking for something to hack.
It is relatively cheap, it is so simple in it’s construction and the basic shape is so adaptable. We have seen so many Ikea Kallax hack variations and they just keep coming!
There are even companies that make products specifically for the Ikea Kallax that help you carry out your own Kallax hack.
Here we have brought a few more of our favourite Ikea Kallax hacks together to demonstrate just what you can achieve with it.
Ikea Kallax Hacks
Ornate Veneered Kallax Sideboard Hack
This stunning Kallax hack from O’verlays is a perfect example of how dramatically you can change the look of the Kallax.
They have used their own overlay panels to create the ornate fretwork on the doors. They have also added some gorgeous, long tapered legs from Pretty Pegs.
You can achieve the wood veneer effect with Ikea’s own Kallax inserts in oak.
Plan Chest from an Ikea Kallax Shelf
We love the originality of this plan chest by Oh Everything Handmade, made from a 4 x 4 Kallax unit. There is a lot of work involved in making the drawers and fitting the sliders, but it gives you so much storage for smaller items.
There is a good mix of modern and traditional in this look and it is a real talking point piece of furniture.
The label pulls are a fantastic touch to really finish the look off.
Ikea Kallax with Low Tapered Legs
Sometimes you don’t need to do a lot to the Ikea Kallax to make a big change. This open Kallax sideboard from Redbook simply uses low tapered legs with brass tips to elevate the Kallax up.
It transforms the appearance into a more traditional piece of furniture and takes the Kallax away from it’s low budget, on the floor look.
Tall Ikea Dark Wood Bar Hack
This one is straight out of an Ikea store from @JanineJacobs, but is a great way to combine some of Ikea’s best pieces of furniture to create a stunning bar.
They have use the Kallax to give some height to the bar and create some wine storage racks. You can make wine inserts like these cross shaped ones by following this video from The Rehab Life or get a grid of nine at New Swedish Design.
Adding some LED lighting strips around the frame of the Kallax would make a stunning effect for your home bar!
Tall Desk or Dining Table Kallax Hack
This gorgeous tall island table featured on Home My Design is a fantastic and original way to use the Kallax 4 x 4 unit.
They have used two of the Kallax units and put large castors on the bottom, then fixed a large table surface to the tops to create a really useful movable island table.
This would be great if you need a space to be multi functional.
Low Ikea Kallax Storage Hack
This is a great way to use the Kallax shelving unit. If you get a tall unit and lay it on it’s side you can create a low storage system that can also be used as a bench.
In this particular example from Couch Style they have added a wooden top to provide a contrast to the white of the Kallax.
It works wonderfully well as a low TV unit too!
Mix and Match Kallax Desk and Storage
We love the set up of this mix and match Kallax desk featured on Kimberley.
They have created a cosy workspace with plenty of storage by combining two different sizes of Kallax units and adding some wooden surfaces to create a desk and overhang.
The best thing about it is the lighting hung from the overhead wooden surface.
Great is you need a desk space but don’t have much room for it.
Ikea Kallax Kids Play Washing Machine and Dryer Hack
Moving onto something for the kids, this amazing Ikea Kallax hack from Limmaland creates a play washing machine and dryer.
Limmaland make several different decals that you can use to turn Ikea furniture into awesome play furniture for kids.
This washing machine and dryer set up is so original and would work really well with the Ikea Duktig play kitchen.
Rolling Craft Table Kallax Hack
Adding some castors to the Kallax unit opens up so many opportunities.
This fantastic craft table from Family Handyman is made up of three Kallax 4 x 4 units to create a solid base and loads of storage.
A Solid worktop is then placed on top to create whatever size work surface you require!
Make sure you use castors that have breaks so you can hold the table in place while you work.
Ikea Kallax Sideboard With Ornate Fretwork
Lux Hax is another fantastic company that offer fascia panels for the front of Ikea furniture. This gorgeous sideboard is a great example of what you can do simply by placing stick-on panels on the front of Kallax furniture.
It is simply made up of a 4 x 2 Kallax unit with door inserts and then these fretwork panels from the Styl Panels range on Lux Hax.
They are easy to apply, being adhesive backed.
Entryway Storage Bench Hack
Another really useful way to use the Ikea Kallax is to create a storage bench for the hallway or entryway. It is perfect for holding shoes with the shelf inserts.
This fantastic storage bench from New Swedish Design uses short tapered legs to add some height, but not too much. They have also added a cushion specially made for the Kallax which you can get from New Swedish Design themselves.
You can create whatever storage underneath you need with the various inserts available for the Kallax.
Mid Century Console Kallax Hack
We love this mid century modern style console by Family Handyman, made from an Ikea Kallax 4 x 1 unit.
They have clad the Kallax unit in wood all the way round the outside surface, as well as the bottom surface on the inside of the sections. This gives it a lovely warm, rich feel and is perfect for the mid century look.
The angled, tapered legs on the bottom really finish the look perfectly.
Stunning Ikea Kallax Sideboard Transformation
You won’t believe from the image that this started off as an Ikea Kallax unit. But check out the tutorial on Ikeahackers to see how they transformed it!
We love the royal blue they have used to paint it and the tapered legs to raise it up off the floor.
The orange interior is a nice surprising touch to finish it!
Mid Century Wood Fronted Cabinet Hack
This is one of our favourite Ikea Kallax hacks and comes from The Sorry Girls (don’t be sorry, it’s amazing!).
They have turned the highly modern Kalla into a mid century classic by adding wooden cabinet doors and gorgeous curved, tapered legs.
The classic reclaimed, curved pull handles are an inspired touch!
They have turned it into a mini wardrobe by removing one of the shelves on the inside and adding a lovely, chunky wooden clothes rail.
Ikea Kallax Kids Room Storage Hack
Another awesome use of the Kallax for kids. This mountain inspired Kallax storage hack from Design Soda is very simple but turns it from plain white Ikea Kallax storage to something exciting!
They used the Ikea Kallax door inserts and painted a simple mountain scape on the front.
This is so easy to do when you get some masking tape set up in the mountain shape and simply fill in the colours one by one.
Ikea Kallax Home Bar Hack
We couldn’t do an Ikea Kallax hacks roundup without a home bar idea! This one is provided by kodzuki on Instagram.
They have taken an Ikea Kallax 4 x 4 unit and added some tapered wooden legs to give it some height as well as providing a home for the robot vacuum cleaner!
The genius touch in this hack is to add some down lighting in the open shelves for the glassware and bottles to give it some presence and make it stand out.
Ikea Kallax Storage With Plywood Doors
The custom made plywood doors for this awesome Kallax storage hack from Ikeahackers are so simple, yet stylish.
They have created a really unique, but good looking storage system that has both open and closed storage.
It’s a great mix that means you can hide the less attractive stuff away while allowing easy access to some of the nice things!
Free Form Door Panels on an Ikea Kallax Sideboard
This Kallax unit, seen on Wonderlamp, has been completely transformed with the addition of some rather unique front panels.
This can be achieved by vacuum forming matt plastic over a random shape.
You would need to get a vacuum forming company to help you out with this, but the results are stunning!
The wave form legs underneath are also fantastic for this futuristic industrial look.
Gerhard Richter Inspired Kallax Hack
This amazing Gerhard Richter inspired cabinet from Ikeahackers is so simple to do.
You will just need the drawer and door inserts from Ikea for the Kallax (or whatever inserts you want to go with). Then choose a pattern and colours that follow the Gerhard Richter style. Then paint!
It’s an amazing effect that will really stand out.
Luxury Kallax Sideboard Hack
Another fantastic Ikea Kallax hack using the Lux Hax panels. This is by katigollop on Instagram.
They have used some gorgeous legs from Pretty Pegs to create the sideboard form and then added the fretwork panels from Lux Hax to the front of door inserts.
They used the right size legs to create the perfect height to sit behind the sofa.
Dark Mid Century Modern Kallax Hack
This mid century modern Kallax hack from Sunkissed in December is a really simple way to add a bit of elegance to the Ikea unit.
They have painted the unit in charcoal paint and added some elegant tapered mid century style legs.
The wicker baskets work so well against the dark colour and the overall effect is so stylish.
We love the Ikea Kallax and hope it lives long in the Ikea product range.
There are so many things you can do with it (sometimes with the help of specialist companies) and we hope you’ve found your own inspiration here.
Show us you Ikea Kallax hacks by sharing right here!