20 IKEA Kitchen Island Hacks To Transform Your Space

A kitchen island is one of the most requested piece in any kitchen, as it provides extra space to cook, dine, entertain, or just to get some extra storage.

However, in some kitchens especially in a rental unit, islands are a luxury as they can be expensive to set up and they tend to require a lot of space.

But with a bit of IKEA hacking, it’s possible to build an affordable kitchen island, suited to the dimensions of your kitchen.

You can even make it a portable kitchen island so you can use it in more ways than one.

The key is to use your IKEA kitchen island to its full potential! We’ve collected 20+ amazing IKEA kitchen island hacks that will show you exactly how to do that.

IKEA IVAR DIY kitchen island hack

This DIY Kitchen Island is Actually an IKEA IVAR

Workspace in the kitchen of a rented home is often less than ideal. That’s the challenge facing Ehami, a Japanese DIY Instagrammer who shares her transformations on @ehami123.Living in a rental, Ehami wanted a solution aligned with her approach of using removal and non-damaging methods and materials. Her thoughtful response…

how to build a kitchen peninsula

How to build a kitchen peninsula with IKEA

Add a kitchen peninsula or kitchen island is one of the best ways to add storage space and counter space to the kitchen. Depending on the layout of the kitchen you can opt to have an island or a peninsula. A peninsula may work in smaller spaces where there isn’t…

affordable kitchen island

Just 4 things to make this affordable IKEA Kitchen Island

HY (@yatt_azml) shared her compact IKEA kitchen island hack on Twitter and it caught my eye. She shows how easy it is to make a compact, and affordable kitchen island out of just 4 IKEA items. Her post has since gathered over 9,000 likes with 4600 retweets. She writes, “Wanted…

detachable portable kitchen island

1 big or 2 small units: This portable KALLAX kitchen island is so useful

I’ve always wanted to have a kitchen island and when moving into a new apartment, our small kitchen and limited countertop surfaces gave me the opportunity to create my dream kitchen island. I went for the KALLAX unit because I was looking for an affordable and easily DIYable solution. As…

ikea kitchen island with hidden storage

Kitchen island that hides away a secret compartment

Hidden storage in the kitchen island for, not one, but two foldable tables. We built the house and used IKEA cabinets in the entire house — kitchen, baths, laundry.  We liked that we could install them ourselves. Because we have an open format kitchen, we have no formal dining room.…

movable kitchen island

Make a movable island for flexible use of kitchen space

130lbs kitchen island made movable with casters. We’ve just had kitchen fitters in, and we’re very pleased with our new kitchen. Part of the job was removing cabinets from a short wall on one side. We wanted this area to be flexible rather than more cabinets – therefore the idea…

platsa kitchen

Easy kitchen countertop from an unexpected storage unit

We had space in our kitchen for more counters, but to get the real thing easily cost double or triple this PLATSA hack!  This was incredibly easy to assemble, and bonus we can move it around if we wish for a kitchen trolley (which is also double the cost of…

Rustic kitchen island: This is how I hacked HEMNES

Rustic kitchen island: This is how I hacked HEMNES

Here’s my IKEA hack of a rustic kitchen island made from an IKEA HEMNES dresser. I recently moved to a condo and I had a HEMNES dresser. Either, I was going to have to get rid of or think outside the box to keep it. And, I was tired of…

stenstorp island vadholma rack

Upgrade freestanding kitchen island with a hot new rack

I have had a STENSTORP freestanding kitchen island in black for years. And then … … when the 2019 IKEA catalog came out with the new VADHOLMA kitchen island with rack I was immediately smitten. I trawled Google looking for someone that had managed to fit the new rack on…

Quick, easy chopping station (+ small kitchen island ideas)

Quick, easy chopping station (+ small kitchen island ideas)

Materials: IKEA PS 2014 Standing laptop station String Chopping board Photo: IKEA.com I reversed the upper tray so that the longitudinal hole that is originally meant for cables is covered. Then I added instead, in the hole for cables, a rope with a simple knot to hang the kitchen paper…

Need a small kitchen island?

Need a small kitchen island?

If you don’t have a spacious kitchen but would like to add an island, you’ll love this idea from Sara. It uses 2 LACK side tables (I’m sure we all have one of those tucked away somewhere) and some spare wood. The kitchen island can also be pushed out of…

IKEA Kitchen Island with Seating and Storage: A DIY

IKEA Kitchen Island with Seating and Storage: A DIY

I made a kitchen island with seating for 3 to 4. The IKEA product I settled on was the IKEA KARLBY walnut countertop and HEMNES chest of 8-drawers to create my own unique kitchen island. IKEA items used: 1 Karlby countertop for kitchen island (oak or walnut) 1 Hemnes 8-drawer…

Aptitlig Kitchen Table

Aptitlig Kitchen Table

What I used: – found table frame – 3 IKEA Aptitlig bamboo cutting boards – A left over piece of an old Hyllis hack (see images of the trolley underneath my brand Aptitlig new kitchen island – masonite board cut 18 x 33 inches – drill – nails – rotary…

Coastal Makeover for STENSTORP kitchen island

Coastal Makeover for STENSTORP kitchen island

IKEA items used: Stenstorp Island I loved my Stenstorp Island, but there was one thing that really bugged me. Anyone walking by the kitchen could see all the junk I had crammed on the shelves. I wanted to hide the mess and make the island fit more with the coastal…

Kitchen Island + Dining Table

Kitchen Island + Dining Table

So I just moved to this small apartment and I needed a small dining table but I didn’t find something I liked so I decided to make my own IKEA Hack table. The items I used were these: 1 -KALLAX Shelf unit, black-brown Price: 35.99$ 2 – CAPITA Leg, stainless steel (4 pack)…

Custom IKEA kitchen island

Custom IKEA kitchen island

In this video I show you how I made my new kitchen island, I build it with two cheap IKEA kitchen cabinets. Dans cette vidéo je vous montre comment j’ai fait mon nouvel îlot de cuisine, je l’ai construit avec deux caissons de cuisine Ikéa.

Kat’s Kallax Kitchen Island

Kat’s Kallax Kitchen Island

Ikea items used: Kallax 2×4 shelf 202.758.85, Oppeby tabletop 802.815.05, Kallax casters (x3) 002.886.57, Gerton adjustable leg (x2) 602.616.26, #10×3/4″ panhead sheetmetal screw from Home Depot (x18) I first laid the tabletop on the cardboard on the floor facing down. I measured the Kallax shelf to see where I would…

An alternative kitchen island

An alternative kitchen island

IKEA items used: 2 x Finnvard desk legs My new apartment has a fairly big kitchen, plenty of space for a kitchen island, but I couldn’t afford to splash out on one. I had an IKEA Finnvard desk and after a little brainstorm, figured that the legs could be used as…

Mosaic Kitchen Island

Mosaic Kitchen Island

Materials: IKEA Groland birch kitchen island (item# 401.574.85) Here’s a stone mosaic hack I performed on an IKEA kitchen island back in 2008. I started with the Groland birch kitchen island (item# 401.574.85), which is a very sturdy and admirable solid wood kitchen island. It isn’t particle board, plywood, or…

Adding shelves to the Stenstorp kitchen island

Adding shelves to the Stenstorp kitchen island

IKEA item used: Large Stenstorp kitchen island 2 large Ekby Hemnes shelves This hack installs shelves on the seating side of the island. Why? I don’t like sitting on barstools and I need storage. (BTW – it looks like IKEA may be planning to discontinue the Stenstorp soon.) The Ekby…

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