Our Favourite IKEA Hacks

Turn your home into a blogger’s dream and update your interior with these quick DIY projects and easy-to-follow IKEA hacks

If you’re forever watching blogger’s home tours on YouTube and lusting after their gold bar cart and marble furniture, then you’ve stumbled upon the right feature. Furniture and homeware in Hong Kong can rack up a rather hefty bill, so we’re all for saving a few pennies and embracing the DIY life. Read on for our favourite IKEA hacks and do-it-yourself inspo that might just be the interior refresh that you’ve been looking for.

Read more: 10 Home Décor Items Inspired by Pinterest that You Can Find in IKEA

These Hollywood Regency style furniture pieces can easily sell for upward of several thousand Hong Kong dollars, and while we may not have the kind of cash to hand, what we do have is the time to transform these affordable IKEA units into instagram-worthy home inspo. Armed with just a can of primer and some spray paint, you’ll have yourself a brand new (expensive looking!) coffee table in just two quick coats.

You’ll need:

• A can of primer
• A can of gold spray paint
• Masking tape

Shop it:

VITTSJÖ Shelving Unit
VITTSJÖ Nesting Tables

Read more: Best Homeware Stores in Hong Kong

Who would have thought that gluing a fluffy rug to a standard chair could produce something so statement? Whether you’re looking for a new office chair or keen to add a new feature to the living room, this hack is another which requires no skill, just some spray adhesive and a lick of gold paint. Easy.

You’ll need:

• A can of spray adhesive
• A can of gold spray paint

Shop it:

LUDDE Sheepskin Rug
TEJN Faux Rug
LEIFARNE Chair

Read more: 7 Ways to Make the Most of a Small Space

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP7ljSGDy8v/?taken-by=ikeahacksdiy

Marble is a timeless interior trend. Sure, it was ‘all the rage’ back in 2016, but you’ll find that marble pieces forever crop up in homewares stores because it always looks chic (is perfect for flat-lays) and is relatively easy to match – but it can also be incredibly pricey! This quick hacks makes for a great feature to the entrance way to your flat or a unique work space. Simply purchase some marble contact paper (Etsy sells it by the roll, and is quite cheap) and cut to size for a quick furniture fix. Bonus: if you get bored of it, the paper is removable!

You’ll need:

• Marble contact paper
• Scissors

Shop it:

VITTSJÖ Laptop table

Read more: Where to Buy Furniture and Homeware in Shenzhen

If you’ve spend hours pining over beautiful bar carts that you can’t afford, we can sympathise. There is an array of flashy options floating around homeware stores in Hong Kong, but holding a hefty price tag, we’re sadly not always in a position where we can fork out on the ultimate hostess essential. Opt for a more affordable option, that with a few tweaks here and there, will hold a candle (or a cocktail) to the original designs. Once again, a can of gold spray paint is your best friend in updating a regular IKEA kitchen trolley.

You’ll need: 

• A can of gold spray paint
• Marble contact paper
• Drinks and glassware of your choice

Shop it:

FLYTTA Kitchen Trolley 
GRUNDTAL Kitchen Trolley
UDDEN Kitchen Trolley

Read more: Where to Get Custom Furniture Made in Hong Kong

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRVnjcgj7wc/?taken-by=ikeahacksdiy

At just $70 per lantern, we’re having to hold ourselves back from going a little terrarium crazy here. A cool little trick for if you’re bored of buying block candles, head over to The Flower Market or browse your local florist for cacti, succulents and other cute plants to pot.

You’ll need:

• Soil
• Stones/pebbles
• Charcoal
• Plants of your choice. Make sure that they are the right size and be sure to choose plants that do well with humidity (eg. succulents and cacti).

Shop it:

BORRBY Lantern

Read more: Our Go-To Handymen in Hong Kong

Tips for spray painting metal furniture:

• Use an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down the furniture and remove all traces of dirt, dust, and if it’s an old piece, rust.
• If the initial paint is flaking off the surface, use a wire brush or sandpaper to remove.
• Use a primer to create an even surface, spraying multiple light and even coats.
• Cover parts of the metal surface you don’t want to paint with masking tape.
• Hold the can 10 to 12 inches away from the metal surface and spray in a sweeping motion.
• Allow the paint to dry for at least an hour before applying a second coat.

Looking for where to buy spray paint? Try your local DIY and paint stores, or alitivetly check out 513 Paint Shop or Write the Future online.