Today I wanted to share one of my favorite Ikea hacks: the Ikea Kallax shelf unit. I will show you how to transform the Kallax unit by adding doors and overlays. This shelf unit can work in so many places, you can use as a TV stand, as a buffet or in a playroom.
We use in our dinning room like a console table. It holds all the toys in the world and keeps everything out of sight. It’s also super easy to do it. All you will need is the Ikea Kallax shelf unit, the Ikea Kallax inserts with doors, overlays and hardware of your choice!
When Sophia started playing more and having so many toys, I was in desperate need of storage. I had some baskets where I would put her toys away every night, however, it was still in sight.
I bought the Kallax Unit a while ago and used just the top part as my entry way table. The rest of the unit was in the garage and my husband wanted to throw away.
Since was still in really good shape I decided to give it a try and put the whole unit together. I took a trip to Ikea and bought 8 doors for the unit. I really like the look of the unit with the doors and I really love that I was able to hide all the toys away!!
If you love Ikea Hacks and decorating on a budget don’t forget to check out my Ikea Malm Dresser Hack, the Ikea Vittsjo Coffee Table Hack and the Ikea Farlov Sofa Review for more ideas!
Ikea Kallax Hack Before:
Ikea Kallax After: Adding Doors and Overlays
Brass Mirror (size small) | Brass Knobs: Here & Here | Pineapple Lamp (old), similar: Here & Here | Chanel Book | Elements of Style Book |
1. Ikea Kallax Hack: Adding Overlays
Overalys are decorative panels for furniture, you can use it to adorn many types of furniture and they have a specific line for Ikea furniture!
I choose the Greek keys (4 total for the unit above) design and just used glue dots to add to the doors (if you are doing the overlays, make sure that you add it before installing the doors, I had to remove the doors to add the overlays).
It was super easy and it definitely gives the unit a more expensive look!
2. Add the Ikea Kallax Inserts
You will need 6 Ikea Kallax inserts with doors. They are basically a little cube made specifically for the Ikea Kallax shelves with doors. The doors are already pre drilled for the hardware.
Attach the inserts to the Kallax unit according to instructions. Pay attention to the direction that the door will open and location of the knobs to ensure that they are aligned per the picture above (the knobs should meet in the middle).
3. Add knobs
Lastly, I really wanted to add a little more glam to the unit and make it look less Ikea-ish. I added these gold ring knobs that I had from a previous project, they fit perfectly and added that gold touch that I love.
Total Cost:
- Kallax Unit : $79
- Kallax Insert with Door: $136.00 ($17 each, 8 needed)
- Overlays: $75 (4 needed)
- Ring Knobs : $28.48 (8 needed)
Update
Since this is still one of my popular posts, I wanted to share a couple more pictures of the Ikea Kallax hack and how I use it in my new home.
Also, this unit is holding up extremely well, even after being moved around two times and with two crazy toddlers that bang the doors all day long! Feel free to ask me questions in the comments!
I hope you enjoy this hack as much as I do and don’t forget to check out my other Ikea Hack the Malm Dresser Hack!
With Love,
Ceres
Ikea Kallax Hack | Ikea Vittsjo Table Hack | Ikea Malm Dresser Hack
As seen on:
https://terlaluoke.com/15-ikea-kallax-hacks-on-a-budget-you-need-to-try/
I’m officially obsessed! I want to do this so badly!
Xo, Nina
Law of Fashion Blog
Author
Thank you so much Nina!! It was super easy!
Me too
Author
Thank you!!!
This is awesome Ceres!!!
Author
Thank you doll!! ?
Love this idea! Did you use the high gloss KALLAX unit or just the regular white?
Author
Umm I think is just the regular white.
Love this and I’m trying it myself, did you order the 1/4″ overlays or the regular 1/8″ thickness? Thanks 🙂
I wanted to order the knobs but shipping was added to each of them and it was almost as much as paying for the actual knobs 🙁 how did you get around paying for shipping on each one individually or did you pay for it?
Author
Wait, from amazon?
Author
So weird! I actually got those a while back! Maybe just google brass ring pulls? There are tons of places that sell. ?
Very good idea! I’m in love with the pineapple lamp!!! Thanks for the link 😉
Author
Thank you!! That pineapple ? lamp is my fav!!!
This is so beautiful! I want to do a smaller one for the same purpose – toy storage…curious how you organize the interior with toys? Debating on covering my kallax with doors or drawers or both.
Author
Hi Kelly! Thank you so much! for the smaller toys I used baskets, for books and bigger toys they went directly into the cubes. Hope that helps!
Ceres
Hi! I’m think of doing this in my playroom – love the idea!!!! I have a long wall so I really want 2 of the kallax units. I’m thinking it may be too much with the overlays on all doors…would it be weird if I only put the overlays on the middle 8 doors and then either put white baskets or something on the others? Hmmmm. Let me know if you have any ideas!
Hi Ceres! What I’m really fascinated with is your wall unit for tv! Is this an IKEA hack also? If so, would you share? I love it!
Thank you! Susan
Author
Hi Susan!! It’s actually a built in original from the apartment! ?
Hi Ceres,
This is really lovely. I have a smaller kallax unit that I use for record storage and it currently has more of a mid-century look, but I’ve move it into a room where a glam look is really more appropriate. I’d like to try this. Do you recall if you used the 1/4 or 1/8 thickness on the overlays?
Author
Hi doll!! How exciting! I used the 1/4. 😘
Where can i buy overlays?
Author
from Myoverlays.com
Did you have to drill new holes so the knobs would fit? Great hack!!!
Author
No, I used the same holes! Thank u!!
Where Can I buy the overlays? It looks beautiful
Author
Hi doll, they are linked in the post. They are from overlay.com 😘😘
Hi Ceres,
I am in love with your work. Can you please tell me which size overlay did you use and did you cut i? I can’t seem to find a matching one on their site. Please
Thanks
Ruth
Author
Thank you doll! I linked the exact one in the text. I will check again. No, I did not cut it. These are made for the ikea furniture so you don’t need to cut it. The only difference in size is the thickness. I use the thinner one 😘😘
Hi Ceres,
I am in love with your work. Can you please tell me which size overlay did you use and did you cut i? I can’t seem to find a matching one on their site. Please
Thanks
Ruth
Hi
I love the finish on your unit! The link for the overlay doesn’t seem to be working for me. Could you tell where you got them please?
Love this!where is the mirror from? The link doesn’t appear to be working.
Author
Hi Elle, I fixed the link. But you can also copy and paste this one: https://rstyle.me/cz-n/cdht66b48gx
Mine is the small 😘😘💕
Love that mirror! Where did you get it? The link you provided did not work. Thanks!
Author
Hi Beth, I fixed the link. But you can copy and paste this one here. https://rstyle.me/cz-n/cdht66b48gx
Mine is the small 😘😘
Great design! Did you have to cut the overlay? I only see ones built for rectangles. If so, how did you cut it?
Author
Hi neena! I didn’t cut it. It’s made to fix the Kallax unit! 😘
Hey Neena, this is the one you want I think: https://www.myoverlays.com/product/overlays-greek-key-double-kit-ikea-kallax-expedit-door/
I purchased the one you linked and it doesn’t work 🙁 It’s 7 x14 and if cut in two, it does not fit the kallax properly. You should update your post before anyone else spends $$ to buy the wrong one. This is the correct one https://www.myoverlays.com/product/overlays-greek-key-double-kit-ikea-kallax-expedit-door/
Author
Oh no! so sorry, I did not realize I had the wrong one. Were you able to exchange it? Thank you so much for letting me know. I fixed the link!
Love the idea, looks beautiful and classy.Best of all, great storage space. Thank you for showing how it can be done, will definitely give it a try.
Author
Thank you Priscilla! 😘
Your site is now my fave.
Author
Awwweee thank u Jane! 😘😘
Love the idea!! You wrote that you only used 4 overlys for 8 doors .so i only need to order 4 ? Thank you. Maya
Author
Hi Maya, I believe they come in sets of 2. Just make sure when u buy it 😘💓
Does anyone have a picture of their home replica of this project?
Hi! Does the Kallax have a back to it? Did you add a back? Or leave it open?
Thanks,
Angel
Author
Hi Angel! The Kallax uniu doesn’t, however, the inserts with the doors do. So when u add the inserts everything will be closed off 😘💕
I was wondering where the coral reef glass decoration was from! I love it and I have been searching everywhere for one!
Author
It’s from homegoods!
Did you paint the overlays or just use them as they came? If so, what paint did you use?
Author
No paint needed. They march the Ikea Kallax perfectly!
This is gorgeous!
Author
Thank you!!
I want to do insert the doors in the same directions that you have them inserted, but when trying to insert the two middle ones, the screws for the hinges interfere with each other since there are hinges being screwed into both sides of one panel. Did you just offset the hinges of one of the inserts?
Author
no, mine are on the opposite side. they do not interfere with each other