There are many IKEA pieces that enjoy much popularity and have reached a cult status. One of the more recent additions - compared to the likes of BILLY and KALLAX - to this hall of fame is the IKEA IVAR cabinet. Made with pine wood and boasting a very simple and straightforward design that we’ve all come to expect of IKEA, it’s only natural that there would be plenty of IKEA IVAR hacks out there to take inspiration from.
The IVAR range was first introduced in 1967 as a shelving system under the name BOSSE. And while the shelves are still available today, most of the IKEA hacks focus on the IVAR cabinets instead.
‘IKEA IVAR is the perfect canvas for creativity,’ says Jana Cagin, founder of Prettypegs, a company specialising in customising IKEA furniture. ‘Its untreated wood, ideal dimensions, and affordability make it easy to personalise.’
However, if you don’t yet own the IVAR cabinet and shopping at IKEA is not the most convenient for you, there are other retailers that sell similar style of cabinets also made with pine wood that you could invest in instead.
Run, don't walk if you want to snap up this pine cabinet from Debenhams - it's currently cheaper than the IKEA IVAR design itself, priced at £75.
If you're looking for an alternative to the IVAR cabinets, VidaXL's pine wood sideboards, like this one sold through Robert Dyas, are the closest match.
But Amazon sells the VidaXL pine wood sideboards, too. Including this size that looks almost the same as the single IVAR cabinet.
But without further ado, these are some of my favourite ways to update and personalise the IVAR cabinet beyond recognition that I’ve come across.
1. Create a floating sideboard
Turning the IVAR cabinets into a sideboard is one of the most popular hacks – and it’s also a fairly easy DIY project. But since the cabinet comes without any legs, one of the options is to affix it to the wall and create a floating sideabord that is perfect for small living room ideas.
‘Transform the IVAR cabinets into a sleek, floating credenza,’ says Alex Stubbs, Flitch interior stylist. ‘Mount the cabinets on the wall, add a custom wood top, and finish with minimalist handles. This clean, floating effect is especially great in smaller spaces, as it frees up floor space.’
And finishing it off with a coat of paint also won’t hurt.
2. Paint a pattern
Speaking of paint ideas, you don’t have to use it just to cover the whole surface of the IVAR cabinet. You can get a lot more creative than that and paint a pattern instead.
Whether you opt for trending yet timeless stripes and make it part of a stripe drenching scheme or go for something more whimsical and fun for an IKEA playroom idea for your little one, the world is your oyster.
3. Match it with the wall
Colour drenching has been one of the biggest home decor trends of the last couple of years – and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. So why not incorporate your IVAR cabinet into your colour drenching scheme by painting it the same colour as the wall, especially if it is such a deliciously beautiful and on-trend burgundy shade like the one Tanisha Cannings of @butforlove on Instagram has used on her IVAR cabinets and walls.
‘I recently tackled a hack project with IKEA IVAR cabinets. I wanted something that was uniquely my own, which is what transpired the project. I didn't have a strict vision for the final product – just trusted the process and stopped when it felt right. This was surprisingly easy and incredibly therapeutic. For me, the journey of transforming simple pieces into something special is just as rewarding as the end result,’ Tanisha says.
And if you’re looking to recreate Tanisha’s colour drenching look, she's used the shade Sommelier by Sherwin-Williams. But I think that Etruscan Red from Farrow & Ball's newly dropped paint shades would be the perfect alternative. This shade was by far my and Ideal Home’s Editor-in-Chief, Heather Young’s favourite from the new range.
Etruscan Red is an earthy take on the usually bold colour red. It's rich and warm and perfect for the current trend of dark reds and burgundies.
4. Cover with a reeded finish
Reeded and fluted finishes are not only the most trending styles for wall panelling in 2025. They also make for a great way to elevate simple pieces of furniture like the IKEA IVAR cabinet.
And while you can largely DIY this by purchasing wooden slats or a reeded panelling kit, Prettypegs offers a range of products specifically designed to hack IKEA’s IVAR cabinets, including fluted panelling like this one to cover the plain doors with.
‘Since not everyone is a DIY expert, we created Prettypegs, allowing anyone to customise their IVAR effortlessly with stylish add-ons,’ Jana at Prettypegs says.
5. Add interesting handles and legs
Switching out the handles and potentially even legs on any piece is one of the easiest ways to upcycle furniture. And it’s the perfect way to hack an IKEA piece as they often come with very simple and not very stylish handles, as well as no legs.
And since the IKEA IVAR comes with no legs or handles, this hack is perfect for it. You may have noticed that even Tanisha’s colour-drenched sideboard boasts a set of chic wavy handles and sphere-shaped legs which you can get from Prettypegs again.
Plank Hardware make some sophisticated, as well as funky and playful handles, many of which can also be purchased at B&Q. If you're looking to inject some colour into your IVAR cabinet, adding knobs like these lilac ones will do the trick.
At £16.40 for a single leg, these are by no means cheap. But they look so stylish, instantly elevating any piece of furniture they're added to. And they're hard to find elsewhere.
Anything curvy and wavy is loved in interiors at the moment. So if you'd like to recreate Tanisha's wavy handle look, these Etsy one are the perfect match.
6. Adorn with wallpaper
Another way to add some colour and pattern to your IVAR cabinets without the use of paint is going for either decorative stickers or wallpaper if you have any smaller pieces leftover from a previous project.
But if you’re after something a little more tailor-made to the IKEA IVAR cabinets, Prettypegs has teamed up with wallpaper company Photowall, creating a series of peel and stick wallpapers with the perfect dimensions for the IVAR cabinets. My personal favourite is the Morning Light layer design, as pictured above.
7. Elevate with cane inserts
Rattan and cane inserts on furniture have been trending for the last couple of years. And just like Jenn Liu of @jnn.liu.liu on Instagram has pulled off an IKEA KALLAX hack, turning it into a customised bar cabinet for her living room, complete with chic cane inserts like these from Etsy, you can do something similar with IKEA IVAR.
Meg Monde (@megmonde on TikTok) has given it a go and the result not only looks super sophisticated, but it’s also beyond recognition compared to the original. Who would have thought this was once a budget-friendly piece of flatpack furniture?!
@megmonde ♬ Let Me Blow Ya Mind Showmusik Remix - Showmusik
This shows that you never have to settle for plain and boring. There are so many ways to upcycle what you already own and so many IKEA hacks to take advantage of, whether that’s IKEA BILLY bookcase hacks or ways to elevate the IKEA IVAR. Which one was your favourite?
