IKEA's iconic flat-packs don't just offer convenient, budget-friendly furniture, they also make the perfect foundation to let your creative ideas run loose with a clever IKEA hack. These easily customizable furniture pieces offer storage solutions to suit every need, and one of their more common uses in the home is as a space to store a record collection.
Those familiar with the Swedish homeware giant will know that IKEA's vinyl storage hacks span a large catalog of the brand's furniture. From the HAVSTA to the BILLY to the KALLAX, the adaptable nature of these shelving units makes it easy to create bespoke record storage that fits virtually every space in the home. Whether you want a free-standing unit for your favorite vinyls or wall-to-wall shelving that incorporates a designated shelf for your record player, the freedom is yours with an IKEA hack.
If you're anything like us, you have an ever-growing vinyl collection that deserves to be displayed instead of hidden away, plus you'll also need a convenient strategy to file and organize your records so you can find the album you want when you want it. So, to inspire your next project, we've rustled up a list of some of the best IKEA record storage hacks from leading DIYers and home renovators who share their creative ideas on Instagram. These IKEA hacks are all relatively easy to do yourself, and they don't only offer the ideal space to store your vinyl collection, but inventive, decorative ways to display it, too. Consider them the perfect place to preserve and display your collection.
1. Create Built-In Media Shelving With HAVSTA Units
Storing your records within a wider media library is often the best way to create the perfect room for relaxing. Bea Copeland (@bea.copeland) had a vision for wall-to-wall shelving in her TV-free living room that would incorporate her books, vinyl, as well as her favorite decor, and an IKEA built-in hack was the obvious answer.
Using four HAVSTA shelving units and a HAVSTA sideboard for a window shelf, Bea created bespoke shelving with a designated spot for her record player. The customizable inner shelves can be easily interchanged and switched around as her collection grows, and the units themselves fill her wall perfectly. 'Maybe IKEA designs it this way but the fact that the vinyls fit in there felt like a real win,' she explains. 'They just fit like a glove.'
Bea was especially keen to create a space free from screens inside her home. 'This room is really about reading and listening to music,' she explains. 'It gets great sunlight in the morning and the afternoon and I wanted to make it all about non-digital entertainment, and so the vinyl in there was always part of the plan.'
Collecting her records from garage sales, estate sales, and from her parents and displaying them on her new shelving has really sparked a new interest in Bea. 'I didn't get into vinyl until I had it set up like this,' she says. 'Every time I have people over they always put something on, and my nieces always want to know how it works, so it's really become a conversation piece.'
Price: $19.18
Quantity: 1-Quart
2. Use an IKEA BILLY bookcase to make a stylish display cabinet
Take a leaf out of this designer's book and make your vinyl collection part of a larger display by using IKEA Billy bookcase hacks. 'I took the Billy bookcase and gave it a complete overhaul to become a bespoke statement shelving piece,' says Melanie Lissack, founder of Melanie Lissack Interiors. The result is built-in storage that maximizes space in her living room.
For a decorative touch, Melanie added Art Deco-style wall lights down the center of the bookcases and wallpapered the back of the units in a cracked-gold design by Harlequin via Style Library. The unit offers the perfect place to store a vinyl collection as well as books, ceramics, vases, and plants for a design statement. We love these brass sconces from Amazon for adding stylish lighting to IKEA built-ins.
Price: $79
Material: Brass
3. Create a retro look with the IKEA KALLAX
It's no wonder IKEA Kallax hacks are so popular — they're versatile pieces and can be used for bookshelves, bench storage, and display units to name a few. Their cubby holes are also the perfect size for record storage.
'The records fit so perfectly in the little cubbies,' says Christina of cuddlepill.com. 'We were able to place my partner's record player (he was very excited about this purchase) on top. It was a nice touch to the retro feel we had going with the speakers. The only thing that we weren’t sold on? The fact that everyone knew this was an IKEA piece and that it looked kind of basic.'
To give the piece some character, Christina decided to make the Kallax storage her own by adding some legs. 'I fell in love with the Svea 150 legs at Pretty Pegs – they were the perfect match for our Kallax system and immediately brought it to life,' she notes.
4. Make a chic record player unit with IKEA KALLAX
The beauty of the KALLAX is there are so many variations available, and you can even harness their modular nature by building them up as you please. For IKEA record storage hacks, we especially love the KALLAX in its console form as the tabletop offers the perfect spot for your record player, and the doors can hide your more unsightly things like wires and cables.
One of the best designer IKEA hacks comes courtesy of Romina Halewat. She used the classic KALLAX to create a multifunctional (and almost retro) statement piece in this Berlin apartment. 'We just added a wooden board on the lower side, and then mid-century table legs,' says Romina. After curating the records and adding in the speakers, she decorated the shelf in shades of blue to match her vase. With the help of the vinyl shelves on the wall, it makes the perfect media corner.
5. Upgrade an IKEA VITTSJO shelving unit for an ultra-chic vinyl storage hack
This creative and super-stylish IKEA shelving hack found the perfect balance of prettiness and practicality. 'The purpose for our nook: Sit. Relax. Enjoy music,' explains DIY blogger Scott of yellowbrickhome.com. 'We knew this would be our funny little room to play our records, read a good book, and hang with the pets.'
To make this happen, Scott decided on an IKEA vinyl storage hack to display his collection. 'After painting the room Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal, we finally assembled an IKEA Vittsjo unit that was originally intended for our future kitchen renovation,' Scott adds. 'They’re inexpensive and well made, but because records are heavy, we needed to reinforce the glass shelves they come with for something that can bear the weight.'
To do this, Scott set about reinforcing the lower two shelves with plywood. 'We added wood shelving not only for the warm look it provides but again, to give us enough support for all of our records,' he says.
Price: $289
Material: Birch
6. Go wall-to-wall with the IKEA KALLAX for a vinyl storage showpiece
Got a vast vinyl collection? Make it the main feature in the room with a wall-to-wall IKEA KALLAX hack for a show-stopping living room storage idea. The owner of this cool space, @mugidingdong wanted an eclectic storage space to showcase their impressive collection. 'Kallax is a classic choice among vinyl collectors, as the size fits nicely,' he says. 'We added the legs so that we can clean it more easily – plus it looks nicer, too.'
And why stop there? Create a music poster gallery wall idea above your IKEA record storage hack for the ultimate funky finish.
7. Channel a vintage vibe with old school speakers and IKEA KALLAX
If you don't need a huge amount of space to store your records, this small IKEA vinyl storage hack is ideal. Invest in the four-cube shelving unit from IKEA, add mid-century modern legs, and finish with some vintage-inspired styling. The result? The perfect unit record storage idea for a small space.
'We needed a record stand for an old (broken) record player my partner found at a garage sale and had been tinkering with all summer long,' says Alicia of curbly.com. 'Using an IKEA Kallax shelving unit, and a set of Pretty Pegs legs, we created a record stand that’s made up of simple lines and a little mid-century character.' This simple but effective hack is the perfect self-contained storage, and the retro-style speakers really complete the look.
8. Hang your IKEA KALLAX vinyl storage for a unique focal point
OK, this might not strictly be a hack, but this is a unique and stylish IKEA office idea and offers a great way of storing your vinyl with an affordable IKEA product. Rather than the usual shelving unit on the floor, try hanging a Kallax on the wall. This way, you'll create a practical solution for your vinyl storage whilst also making a talking-point piece.
'This is a smart, small yet airy studio with an industrial feel, where making use of height frees up floor space,' says Grant Robertson, interior design leader at IKEA. 'High up on the wall there is a row of cabinets for things you don’t need daily, like files and bedding, and for things you use more often, like records, a wall-hung shelf is a space-saving solution.'
FAQs
What is the best IKEA box for vinyl?
If you want to store and proudly display your vinyl records, consider the IKEA KALLAX 4 as it's practical and versatile, and can be molded in any form you wish. 'During the renaissance of vinyl as a medium, people quickly worked out cheap and easy ways to make it look good,' says Luke Arthur Wells, an interior stylist and DIY blogger who specializes in IKEA hacks. 'IKEA's KALLAX, for example, is the perfect size for vinyl storage, so you'll see some great hacks using this as a base.' As Luke points out, the cubes of the KALLAX are the perfect size for storing records, and it offers ample space to organize and display an extensive vinyl collection on the top surface, too.
