Upgrade Your IKEA Kallax With This Stylish Hack

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Everyone loves an IKEA hack, especially if it uses one of the store's most popular items. For example, you can transform the beloved, versatile, and wonderfully affordable IKEA Kallax cube storage shelf into something totally unique. At only $45 for the white 2x2 configuration, this budget-friendly piece is easy on the wallet, but perhaps not the most inspiring in terms of appearance. The classic silhouette is clean and utilitarian, but you might want to inject a bit of style before displaying it in your home.

The TikTok account @omformo shared in a video how to upgrade a standard-issue 2x2 IKEA Kallax shelf by adding a natural oak wood top, feet, and knobs for a custom, high-end look. Omformo is a German company that sells its own aftermarket IKEA products, but anyone can recreate this warm, organic aesthetic with a bit of creativity. The natural wood feet and knobs are simple enough to buy and install, but the wood top may require a bit more effort. (If you're not looking to start a project, though, you can always order a custom, pre-fabricated piece on a website like Etsy.)

To upgrade your generic shelf unit with this clever TikTok IKEA hack, start by assembling the shelf according to the instructions, then adding two complementary Kallax Inserts into the two open cubbies. Now, you're ready to start dressing up your bland IKEA staple to give it a rich, welcoming vibe.

Natural wood details take the IKEA Kallax from bland to beautiful with just a few simple modifications. When the time comes to add a DIY wood top (if you didn't spring for something premade), consider using a 1x16 board. The actual width of these planks ranges from 15.25 to 15.75 inches, depending on the manufacturer, and since the Kallax is 15.375 inches wide, your local hardware store may be able to simply cut the length to size (30.125 inches for the 2x2 Kallax). Otherwise, you may need to buy a larger board and make two cuts. For a light, natural wood like the one shown on TikTok, use white oak boards and apply a matte sealer. A construction adhesive can attach the plank to the Kallax for a more permanent installation, or you can simply add adhesive stickers to keep it from sliding, as shown in @omformo's TikTok video.

For tapered, light wood legs, the easiest approach is to buy an entire set, like this Amazon option, that includes mounting brackets that can screw into the base of the unit for support (IKEA's wood legs likely need a separate bracket to be compatible). IKEA sells a few wooden knob options, like Tärnestad and Vinnäset, but for ball knobs with small plinth bases like the ones in the TikTok video, this affordable Amazon set is a great match. Screw them into the pre-drilled hole in the Kallax door insert to replace the default knobs. For the cubbies without doors, slide in a natural woven storage basket, like the rattan IKEA Branäs, for a layer of texture and warmth.