You Wouldn't Guess This Glamorous Vanity Was A DIY From IKEA Furniture

In the land of repurposing furniture and giving it a new career, Ikea is both King and Queen. We love the versatility that DIYers display in transforming their environments. For instance, upgrading simple cabinets with high-end hardware replacements or magically assembling a fancy shoe closet with Ikea BILLY bookcases are two great examples of home decor creativity. We would say that if getting a vanity has always appealed to you — but the ones you've had your eye on were out of reach — you'll appreciate this DIY project. With TikTok's help, reenvision a vanity using an Ikea ALEX desk, add a movie star-style lighted mirror and cute chair, and voila.

Do an online search for fully assembled makeup vanities, and you'll, of course, see a variety of products that range in price and quality. There are price variations beyond this, but we've seen similar makeup vanities from around $500 to $2,250 and up. When we price out this desk-based DIY vanity, we can make it work for just over $300. 

Several models of ALEX desks and desk parts are available on Ikea's website. The one featured in this TikTok video is 55 inches wide and has two sets of drawers — available at Ikea for $240. But, a narrower version is 47 inches wide ($155 at Ikea), with one set of drawers and legs on the other side. Whatever you end up getting, be prepared to spend a few hours assembling all the pieces of your desk. Most Ikea products leave the labor to you, allowing them to maintain their lower prices.

Once you've assembled the drawers, secure the desk on top. Then add the finishing touch, a vanity mirror encircled by soft lights. This white HOMPEN mirror ($100 on Amazon) is a good color match. Another model, the BEAUTME Hollywood Vanity Mirror, is also white and can be optionally mounted on the wall ($100 on Amazon). If you're looking for seating ideas, you could get super creative with this little square velvet ottoman ($40 on Amazon), but you may need something a little taller. This white OFIKA swiveling office desk chair ($47 on Amazon) is close in price but offers a sleek and comfortable place to sit. And the cool part is, if you ever decide to retire your vanity, it can immediately return to its original job as a desk for a dedicated home office.