1. USE THE BILLY BOOKCASE TO CREATE ART DECO-INSPIRED BUILT INS
Renovator Tamara Smith @mygrandparentschair) decided she wanted a bright, elegant-looking living room storage piece but on a budget. And for that, she experimented with this IKEA storage hack. She chose a bare wall in this space and removed the baseboard along the bottom of the wall so the shelving could sit flush.
2. DESIGN A BESPOKE LIBRARY AT HOME
Designer Claire Douglas re-invented the Ikea BILLY into an eye-catching and bespoke IKEA shelving hack that looks like a library. She experimented with the positions of the flatpack units before fixing them to her wall. She then added MDF strips over the joining to make it look thicker. And then, she filled the gaps down the sides of the wall. For the base, she added a skirting board that concealed the individual bookcase bases. She also added pre-drilled shelf holes and inserted MDF panels with poly filler.
3. CREATE A COZY SLEEPING SPACE IN THE KIDS' BEDROOM
Designer Johanna Hollstrand @villaalvsjotransformed a minimalist sharing kids room into a wonderland using IKEA BILY. She bought the BILLY and picked up their PLATSA (40x60x60) and eight HJÄLPA drawers. Even the mattress is from IKEA. She erected the frame from the IKEA frames before adding a top shelf in oak veneer. The rest was site-built with MDF boards and a curtain rail attached to the ceiling.
4. FASHION A STYLISH DISPLAY CABINET
If proof were needed that the BILLY bookcase is a versatile piece that you can elevate to a super-chic piece of furniture, then this is it. Jen Rothbury, of @crack_the_shutters, created a beautiful display cabinet with her IKEA BILLY bookcase hacks for a fabulous narrow hallway idea.
5. CREATE AN INCREDIBLE LIBRARY WALL
If you're blessed with ample space, creating a library wall will add to your elegant living room's aesthetic. 'When we first saw the scale of this room we knew it deserved a library wall,' says Sarah from @s.e.w.athome. 'But being over five and a half meters wide, we also knew we couldn't afford fitted cabinetry, so we took seven BILLY bookcases with height extenders and Oxberg doors, and we set to work.'
6. TRANSFORM IKEA BILLY BOOKCASES INTO A SLEEK AND STYLISH MUDROOM
7. MAKE BUILT-IN SHELVES WITH TWO IKEA BILLY BOOKCASES
With metallic wallpaper and lighting - and some creative styling – the BILLY bookcase can be taken from basic and bland to a thing of beauty, as can be seen with this innovative living room storage idea.
8. CONSTRUCT A CHIC KITCHEN CABINET
Because bookcases can make for great kitchen shelf storage too! 'When searching for the perfect display cabinet for our dining nook, we wanted something that felt high-end and embodied a timeless, traditional design,' says Katie of @ouracaciagrovehome.
9. ADD CONTEMPORARY WALL UNITS AROUND YOUR FIREPLACE
For a modern, sleek storage and TV mounting idea, take a basic IKEA BILLY bookcase and elevate it with new handles and modern black paint.
10. CRAFT BEAUTIFUL BUILT-IN ALCOVE SHELVING
Fitted alcove shelving for a living room corner can be very expensive but, with an IKEA BILLY bookcase hack, it's affordable as well as stylish.
11. SHOWCASE A STUNNING FLUTED VANITY UNIT IN YOUR BEDROOM
Get a celebrity-worthy dressing room with this high-style IKEA BILLY bookcase hack on a low budget. Robyn, of @the_house_acc, created this stunning fluted unit for a covetable glow-up.'I used two BILLY bookcases and two Ikea Oxberg glass doors,' says Robyn. 'I used Frenchic Paint's Black Jack for the doors before adding reeded adhesive film to create the on-trend fluted glass effect.'
12. ELEVATE THE IKEA BILLY BOOKCASE WITH A MODERN RUSTIC SHELVING MAKEOVER
Ruth of @mrs_macs_home is a dab-hand when it comes to Ikea hacks, and we love this clever BILLY bookcase update and how it allows adding so much texture and interest to this neutral living room.
13. TRANSFORM A BILLY BOOKCASE INTO A BOHO-LUXE RATTAN KITCHEN DRESSER
With a little imagination and a lot of rattan roll, you can take an IKEA BILLY bookcase from boring to showstopping. Add Oxberg doors and replace the middle section with rattan. Then paint the dresser in your color of choice. For decorating the bookshelf, consider adding ceramics and vases inside.
14. CREATE ARCHED SHELVING FOR HIGH-END BUILT-INS
For the small home office, a great storage idea is a BILLY bookcase. 'Firstly, we had to figure out how many BILLY bookcases and how many height extensions we would need for our space,' says Rachael of @firsthouseonfinn. 'For our nine-foot ceilings, we needed two height extensions per bookcase, so a total of four BILLY bookcases, and eight height extensions. It took a day just to put all of these together.
15. PRODUCE A WALL-MOUNTED DISPLAY UNIT
Would you believe this design-driven wall display unit is a collection of IKEA BILLY bookcases? Not only does it add functionality, it also creates a cozy living room space.