The 5 Best Design Hacks From IKEA’s 2021 Catalog

During a year unlike any other, there’s not much we can rely on with absolute certainty. That is except for IKEA. This week, right on schedule, the Swedish brand released its highly anticipated 2021 catalog to IKEA Family members. To celebrate the company’s 70th birthday, this year’s edition isn’t just crush-worthy interiors and need-to-have furniture pieces (although it’s certainly that, too)—it’s also a sourcebook of sorts, full of design tips, hardworking ideas, and tried-and-true favorites with a twist. We flipped through all 300-plus pages to find the best of the best hacks.

Paint Through It 

If you have a disjointed rental kitchen where the cabinets are disproportionately all on one wall, take a hint from this serene space. Instead of adding more cabinetry to the blank wall to balance things out, IKEA continued the sight line with matching paint.

Bring the Outdoors Way In 

Turns out, IKEA storage can be used for more than sweaters. Now that the temperatures have dropped, create a mini greenhouse by covering your Hyllis shelving system with a new zip-up cover to create a humid environment for your plant babies all winter long. 

Tack on Storage

A clutter-free work zone is crucial in a small space. Adding a wall-mounted shelf to the end of your desk to hold your productivity necessities will keep you on track until you’re back in the office. 

Plan Ahead

For a nontraditional take on a classic gallery wall, use tape and paper cutouts to map out a diagonal shape, before filling it in with your framed photos and art pieces. 

Drape Away

Slanted ceilings may seem hopeless when it comes to curtains, but installing wire above and below the window makes a draped effect that not only blocks out the light but creates a light and airy effect fit for an attic hideaway.

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