This DIYer's Clever IKEA KALLAX Hack Hides The Eyesore Of Clutter In A Stylish Way

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With so many brilliant DIYs proving it's the most versatile piece in IKEA, the KALLAX unit is unsurprisingly a favorite among creative types. With its minimalist storage cube design that accommodates horizontal and vertical positioning, it can be used as everything from an entertainment console to chic record storage. Because the KALLAX is already so flexible by nature, it serves as a great foundation for various alterations, including a neat upgrade from Instagram creator @idoitmyself.be that turns it into a standing cabinet complete with a door to hide your clutter.

One downside to the KALLAX is that the open storage cubes remain naked to the world. While this is fine for using it as a record cabinet, bookshelf, or display space, not all things are meant to been shown. By adding a door with cane (or rattan) webbing, you can inject a unique bit of personality — and more forgiving storage space — into a room while maintaining your privacy. You just need some rattan rolls (like this Laphivieh Plastic Rattan Webbing), a piece of plywood or MDF to make the door, some sandpaper, paint supplies, hardware, and a couple power tools. This DIY is approachable for beginners, and if you cut the wood to make your door at Home Depot or Lowes, you'll only need a drill and a jigsaw, so it can be completed even in a cramped apartment. Just make sure you have plenty of ventilation and wear a mask when cutting or sanding.

As a part of this IKEA DIY upgrade, you could (and probably should) paint both your KALLAX and your door, so the door can be made of either medium-density fiberboard (MDF, an affordable engineered wood) or plywood. Regardless of the material you use, it should be around ½-inch to ¾-inch thick. While the door may be thicker or thinner depending on your desired result, keep in mind that it needs to be thick enough to support the screws for hinges. Measure the front of the KALLAX to determine the dimensions for your door.

Sand down your KALLAX to give the surface grip, and then paint it your desired color. Using a table saw or circular saw, cut your MDF or plywood board to match the measurements taken earlier, or take those measurements to your home improvement center to cut it there. Draw your desired cutout shapes on the board. Rectangles, arches, curves — anything will do. Then, remove these shapes using a no-fuss jigsaw trick for cutting out the middle of the wood. Drill a starter hole inside the cutout shape, and start your jigsaw blade there to cut it out. If you're working with wood, sand the entire piece once to banish any rough spots, but if you're using MDF, you only need to sand the sharp cut edges. Then, paint the board the same color you painted your KALLAX.

Nothing beats the versatile aesthetic of cabinet doors with rattan webbing. Adding it to your KALLAX doors will bring warmth and style and keep the cabinet breathable. To use the cane webbing, first soak the entire roll in warm water, letting it absorb the water for around 30 minutes. This makes the webbing more flexible and easier to work with, and as it dries in place, it stretches tight to prevent unsightly sagging. Then, with a staple gun and ¼-inch staples, attach the webbing to the back of your door over the cutouts. Trim off any excess, and let the cane webbing dry for six hours.

Once the webbing is dry, it's time to attach the door. If you're already at IKEA, grab some UTRUSTA hinges for your door, or you can purchase slimmer options like Murtenze 2 ½-Inch Cabinet Hinges to attach to the outside of the KALLAX cabinet and the doors edge. After you screw the hinges into the door and the KALLAX, add a magnetic catch to hold the door closed and a handle for a finishing touch. With the door, your clutter will be hidden away, but you could also invest in some IKEA KALLAX accessories for even more organized storage.