The success of an IKEA piece is usually its simplicity – shapes are understated, colours muted and materials honest.
These same qualities make them ripe for up-cycling. A plain pine stool can take an uplifting coat of colour and a familiar sofa can be transformed with a more generous slip cover.
The trick is not necessarily to disguise an IKEA piece entirely, but to make it feel more at home among older, richer or more decorative things.
1. Repainting
Anything made from solid pine – which constitutes a large part of IKEA's catalogue – is ripe for repainting.
This FLISAT wall storage from IKEA's children's collection – a treasure trove in itself if you approach it with an open mind – has been painted green to match the wallpaper behind, whilst in the medieval thatched cottage in Hampshire below, the homeowner uses a painted BEKVÄM Step Stool to help her climb into the fabulous box bed.
If you have any of IKEA's laminate pieces – much of their larger furniture is finished with a laminate coating and acrylic paint – then a light sand and shellac-based primer is a non-negotiable. Otherwise your paint will flake right off.
A sample pot of paint is enough to cover around one square metre – plenty for small storage or little side tables – and can be picked up from luxury paint brands such as Farrow & Ball, Little Greene and Mylands for £5.75.
2. Layering with bigger statements
You don't have to gut a piece of IKEA furniture to elevate it. Layering with a bigger statement gives you a great high-low mix that you often find in the most stylish homes.
An affordable jute rug such as IKEA's LOHALS rug makes a great base for something a bit more animated, like the Tate & Darby scalloped number used above. Layering rugs is a bit of an overlooked styling trick, but it's easier – and invariably cheaper – to cover up chilly floorboards with a mix of rugs and runners, than to find a suitable XL piece.
In her studio below, illustrator Emily Sutton has transformed an IKEA staple – the HEMNES daybed – by draping it with an antique French blanket and a vibrant mix of cushions.
3. Reupholstering
IKEA furniture is almost always upholstered with slip covers, which are easy to whip off and replace with something that feels more bespoke.
Brands such as Bemz have capitalised on this, designing slip covers that fit IKEA pieces and totally transforms their look and feel. There are hundreds of patterns, colours and materials available, and you can choose an ultra loose-fit cover with a pretty ruffled pelmet that creates a more country-adjacent silhouette.
4. Add interesting detailing
Part of IKEA’s affordability lies in the flat, unfussy construction of its furniture. Adding a little detailing over the top can make even the most basic pieces feel more expensive.
Decorative trim or simple panelling can give a plain cabinet the look of traditional joinery. Paint everything in one colour afterwards to disguise the joins and create a convincing finish.
The same is true for swapping out handles. The standard IKEA versions are usually deliberately unobtrusive, but replacing them with something weightier or more decorative can make a cabinet, chest of drawers or kitchen door feel far more considered. MG&Co.'s playful designs are a good place to start.
5. Upgrading the packaging
In the same vein, a growing suite of kitchen brands such as Plykea, Husk and Reform specialise in doors, drawer fronts, worktops and panels that fit IKEA kitchens, so you can save on the carcass and spend on the bits you actually see everyday.
Norfolk-based Naked Kitchens makes it even easier to order. If you’ve used the IKEA planning service to build your kitchen, you can simply share your planner link and they'll build you a quote.
The high-end IKEA edit
HYLTARP 3 Seater Sofa Cover
BEKVÄM Step Stool
HYLTARP 3 Seater Sofa
STRANDMON Armchair Cover
HEMNES Day Bed Frame
Rachel Edwards is the Style & Interiors Editor for Country Living and House Beautiful, covering all things design and decoration, with a special interest in small space inspiration, vintage and antique shopping, and anything colour related. Her work has been extensively translated by Elle Japan and Elle Decor Spain. Rachel has spent over a decade in the furniture and homeware industry as a writer, FF&E designer, and for many years as Marketing Manager at cult design retailer, Skandium. She has a BA in French and Italian from Royal Holloway and an MA in Jounalism from Kingston University. Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelaed
