This IKEA Hack Turns A Plain Shoe Cabinet Into A Chic Statement Piece

When it comes to furnishing a living space, there are a few stores that come to mind. Of course, one of the most commonly associated with budget-friendly home decor and furniture is IKEA. The Swedish store has become a household name thanks to its high-quality, affordable, and notoriously easy (and only sometimes difficult) to assemble furnishings and fixtures. The problem? Most IKEA items tend to fall on the more minimalist side of the decor spectrum with a neutral color palette of whites, blacks, and grays. That's true even for the best IKEA shoe cabinets — they all look plain. Luckily, it's fairly easy to turn a boring shoe cabinet into a chic statement piece. All you need to do is spruce it up with some lively and colorful contact paper.

With some contact paper or self-adhesive shelf liners, a cutting tool, and a plastic putty knife, you can give any basic IKEA furniture item a splash of personality. Take the BISSA shoe cabinet, for example. Among the more affordable shoe cabinets at $49.99, this piece is a fan-favorite because it keeps shoe clutter hidden without taking up much space. Since the shoe cabinet only comes in white and has a smaller design, it's the perfect blank canvas to add your personal touch to. You can even make it a functional focal point in your foyer or mudroom.

Since contact paper comes in endless patterns and colors, this self-adhesive, commitment-free material is perfect for making quick and easy updates to any standard IKEA shoe cabinet. In turn, it helps liven up your space. Once you find a design that matches your aesthetic, wipe the cabinet clean with a soft cloth and some mild soap and water. Then, measure panels that are large enough to cover the surfaces of the unit, including the doors of the compartments. Carefully apply the panels to all of the surfaces, preventing any bubbles from forming by using the plastic putty knife to smooth them out. Cut off any excess with a cutting tool to make sure the adhesive really sticks to the cabinet. That way, it won't peel off prematurely.

If one pattern isn't enough to turn your shoe cabinet into the statement piece of your dreams, spiff it up even more by using a variety of contact paper. Choose a marble pattern, like Dollar Tree's QC Marble Adhesive Covering, for the cabinet doors, and use faux wood-printed panels on the top, back, and sides of the unit to give it a high-end look. You can also line the interior of the cabinet with floral-patterned contact paper for a surprise pop of color for anyone who opens the compartments. And finally, add metallic or brass hardware to the doors of the shoe receptacle for an extra touch of elegance and luxury.