This Clever IKEA Hack Turns Shoe Clutter Into Chic Built-In Storage

When you're trying to maximize storage space in a tight hallway, your family's constant shoe clutter can prove to be one of the biggest challenges. Regular shoe racks, while effective, often take up too much space in a narrow entryway. Of course, it's no secret that IKEA's STÄLL shoe cabinet, with its super-shallow depth of just 6 ¾ inches, is a compact storage solution that's ideal for situations just like this. However, if you want your furniture to look chic and original, you need to try this clever hack that utilizes spare baseboards and paint to totally transform the look and make it slip into its surroundings as a built-in feature.

If you want to elevate the look of one of IKEA's best shoe cabinets, mounting the shoe cabinet and creating a DIY board and batten frame is a great option. For the design on the wall, use wood slats or 1-by-4 lumber. This hack from YouTuber Cozy DIY Home requires a sander, a saw, a drill, a nail gun, a STÄLL shoe cabinet (or more, if they'll fit your wall), paint that matches your current wall color, and enough wood to make a board and batten design above your cabinets.

Start by assembling your shoe cabinets with IKEA's provided instructions. Then, mount the unit (or units) to the wall in your entryway, putting multiple cabinets side by side. You can use a little wood filler to hide the gap between the two cabinets. Prime and paint the shoe cabinets so they blend in seamlessly with your wall. Alternatively, you could paint the units a bold color so they pop in your small entryway. Next, measure equal spacing between the boards for a clean installation above and around the shoe cabinet. Using a level to keep the boards straight, attach the baseboards to the wall in a board and batten pattern with a nail gun.

If you don't have trim or leftover baseboards or aren't comfortable cutting them to size yourself, you can measure the wall and go to your local hardware store to have them cut boards for you. Once the boards are secured to the wall, use wood filler to cover any gaps, and then sand them down. Finally, paint the boards to match your walls and shoe cabinet. And just like that, you have a stylish shoe clutter solution and one of the most straightforward alternatives to a DIY thin entryway table that will fit in virtually any space.