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12 Uses for IKEA's Lack Shelves

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We put up our first Lack Shelf last weekend in our entryway. It's one of those basic pieces that shows up everywhere: bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, and landing strips. We can't believe we never bought one before, which got us thinking about all the different uses for this uber-ubiquitous shelf. We put together a list (complete with photos) of twelve ways to use the Lack in your home...

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Make a cheap version of this wall-mounted desk. Image via Domino
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Use it in an entryway. Image via Real Simple
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Install open shelving in the kitchen. Image via Domino
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Use it above a bed in a small space. Image via Domino
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Use it in an alcove to create a built-in look. Image via IKEA Australia
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Use it as a console behind a couch. Image via My Home Ideas
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Use it to display a collection. Image via Desire to Inspire
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Make an instant mantelpiece. Image via Real Simple
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Make a built-in office in a closet. Image via Sunset

Other Ideas:

  • Hang it low in a closet or entryway and use it for shoe storage.
  • Make a media console and hang your flatscreen TV over it.
  • Create a floating bar.

Related Links:

  • Top 5: Cheap Furniture Basics
  • New Blog: IKEA Hacker
  • Brand New! IKEA 2008 Catalog

    (Re-Edited from 2007.11.28 - CB)

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    shelving & storage

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    Comments (42)

    Arrrgh! Damn you, IKEA, for not being in St. Louis...

    posted by SpaceMonkeyX on 2007-11-28 14:01:01
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    The pictures are all beautiful, but I seem to remember that Lack's can't hold much weight - which would make the desk especially challenging...

    posted by wannabe minimalist on 2007-11-28 14:20:17
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    SpaceMonkeyX - I completely agree with you. I grew up in Philadelphia with one of the first US Ikea, then lived in the Washington, DC area with 3 Ikeas, but now I live in Memphis with no Ikea, Chipotle, Panera or Trader Joe's. *weep*

    posted by chairgal on 2007-11-28 14:33:37
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    The lack is also too narrow to be a desk...

    posted by pb on 2007-11-28 15:13:02
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    That's funny that you posted my photo of my lack shelves. I sold my house recently and decided there was NO WAY I was taking those damn things with me. They were such a pain to put up, leave so many holes, need to be screwed into wall studs or fall down....etc.etc. I loved them once, but will never use them again. Good luck with yours Sarah.

    posted by kim.desiretoinspire on 2007-11-28 16:30:24
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    so, about that floating desk... is it , or is it not a Lack shelf?
    and if it is , is it safe?
    it could be a very good solution to my desk space problem....

    posted by mmms on 2007-11-28 18:31:04
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    I was looking at using LACK shelves to construct a built-in closet office, similar to the last photo, however each shelf only supports something like 10-30 lbs.

    posted by ingrida on 2007-11-28 19:39:21
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    mms, the floating desk is not a Lack shelf...just an inspirational photo. You would have to use lightweight things if you used it for a desk...no stacks of heavy books. It is also pretty narrow, but would work for a laptop and some office supplies.

    posted by sarah c on 2007-11-28 19:43:45
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    definitely not a lack shelf. i'm using the narrowest ikea board possible for my desk and its still about 1.5 times wider than the lack (which hangs about 3 feet away from me now).

    lack shelves work excellent if you put them into the drywall. our lack shelves hold about 15-20 bottles of alcohol, full, without cringing. granted, we also have "support" underneath, but its mostly decorative.

    here's a photo that was before the support:
    http://www.olya.org/archive/bar/DSC_8013.jpg
    we have two ikea shelf supports screwed in underneath, flush to the shelf. it actually looks pretty good, at least in my opinion. :-)

    anyway. key is proper support; these things are pretty sturdy - but not wide enough for a desk, unfortunately.

    posted by olya on 2007-11-28 22:37:13
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    definitely need an IKEA in St. Lois

    posted by LaDonnaNichole on 2008-01-07 23:11:00
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    We don't have an Ikea in Las Vegas, but thank god we at least have Chipotle, Panera, and Trader Joe's!

    posted by rebecca326 on 2008-01-22 00:53:51
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    just to clarify, the last photo of the desk in the closet is from domino as well. it's from a magazine that i own, anyway, and i may not remember correctly! :) they actually suggested using a length of laminate countertop.

    posted by RVA for the win! on 2008-01-30 08:00:02
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    mmms, if the lack shelf isn't sturdy enough for your desk, here's another idea: http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2008/01/looking-for-slim-good-looking-computer.html

    posted by parhelia on 2008-01-31 10:40:20
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    I use the stainless steel lack shelf as a vanity tabletop in the alcove in my bedroom. I also bought Ikea's helmer (in the gray color) for storage, and hung the lack shelf so that it floats about six inches above the top of the drawers. Add to that a couple of square column lights, a mirror on the wall (all from Ikea), and voila! Cheap, chic vanity. God, I'm a genius. Sorry, it had to be said.

    posted by Wiglet on 2008-04-22 15:43:00
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    Can anyone recommend a different type of wall shelf that is sturdy enough for books? I am trying to free up floor space in our office by using wall-mounted book shelving, but the Lack shelves can't hold enough weight.

    posted by Marrria on 2008-06-15 23:03:23
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    I think Mac & IKEA is a fine combination.

    posted by Daniel P. on 2008-08-03 12:10:40
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    The shelf above the bed looks very uncomfortable.

    posted by hrhprincessfiona on 2008-09-04 14:37:08
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    Didn't you guys already do this exact post before? Like carbon copy?

    posted by jenzoe on 2008-09-04 14:41:41
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    I used standard lack shelfs for my desk for a while. I had keyboard / mouse on a lower one, and a flat screen on one above, and printer above that. Worked fine, but check your weights.

    posted by sweetchuck on 2008-09-04 14:43:18
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    In an Ikea showroom a few years ago, I saw a lovely, skinny vanity table that was made from a lack shelf and a pair of table legs. (Ikea sells a number of them in the desk/table area) The addition of the legs to the wall-mount allowed it to hold extra weight. The showroom was a teen bedroom and there was a mirror of some type hung above on the wall. The stool for the vanity was on casters and doubled as the desk chair. It was a cute solution for a tiny space. I always thought that it might be a good solution for a narrow hall entry where super-skinny table was needed as a landing strip.

    posted by lurker2209 on 2008-09-04 15:06:50
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    lurker...I'm not so sure the addition of legs will actually allow it to hold more weight because the thing is hollow so, even with legs, weight in the center will put a hole in it.

    posted by Enamorada on 2008-09-04 15:20:28
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    Chairgirl i feel the same way...I grew up in Memphis and now live in Little Rock. We don't get any good stores, although we finally got a Pottery Barn Container Store. Honestly though, compared to most places we have some of the best affordable antique shops around though. I just bought a beautiful 18th century English cupboard from Wilshire last weekend for a mere $300 here. I can't stand to furnish my place with anything else but rare finds that tell a story and have character....Ikea bite me.

    posted by LittleRock on 2008-09-04 15:26:56
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    Regarding desk idea ...

    Lack specs ...
    Max. load: 11-33 lbs
    Cost: $19.99

    iMac specs ...
    Weight: 20-25 lbs
    Cost: $1200-2200

    posted by flyzipper on 2008-09-04 15:37:08
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    I also hate the Lack, after having them myself. I make a lot of jokes about them whenever I see them.

    "Those shelves Lack the ability to hold anything."

    posted by tam-tbag on 2008-09-04 15:45:31
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    Never again will I buy the Lack shelves - they are such a pain to install and create huge holes in your walls that are no fun to patch up.
    A better idea for the wall mounted desk would be to use the counter tops that Ikea sells - they can be cut to whatever length you like and then mounted to the wall or have legs added, and can hold a lot of weight compared to the lack shelves.

    posted by twenty twenty-one on 2008-09-04 15:58:07
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    Thank you so much for all these opinions! i'm heading to Ikea next weekend to get stuff for our new place. its great to hear what is and is not a good buy!

    thanks!

    posted by Oneformybaby on 2008-09-04 16:09:27
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    Marrria,

    I used Ikea lack shelves to create my library. The 80 linear feet of shelving holds about 400 books and magazines. Another 60 linear feet form the entertainment center in my living room. The key is to make sure you use appropriate wall anchors. Mine are drilled into concrete and mounted with concrete screws, however at my previous place they were mounted into wall studs. There are a number of wall anchors sold at hardware stores that can be used if you have problems mounting them into studs.

    posted by John H on 2008-09-04 18:27:51
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    Just installed Lack shelves in my studio, above my drawing table. The hold stuff like pencils, brushes, paints, so not much weight, and I love them. They were however, a regular pain in the rear to install. Husband left many holes in the wall, besides the ones we used.

    posted by paintitbright on 2008-09-04 19:19:59
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    Hi John H. Would you happen to have a picture of your library on line? I would love to see a library made with lack shelves as that's something I was looking into doing.

    posted by souk1501 on 2008-09-04 20:57:48
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    I have a lack shelf in my living room above the flat screen...I love it. I used screws called WallDogs....they are supposed to grip into anything and everything and boy, do they ever!! I screwed it into studs on the right and the left and it's been standing strong for two years now. Just remember to put the two small screws into the bottom of the shelf to secure the shelf to the brackets. I didn't have a hard time installing it at all, and I did it by myself...the hardest part was getting the shelf into the brackets while not being able to see where I was. My friend tried the smaller lack shelf, and it pulled out of the wall after a few weeks...the crash scared his roommate to death. Just make sure you use the proper anchors and mark your drill holes before you drill so you don't create extra holes....I got the longest Lack shelf and am only 1/2 inch off from one side to the other! I was pretty proud of that )

    posted by amiencc on 2008-09-04 21:40:03
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    I have used an Ikea lack shelf supported by door stoppers as an extra thin shelf on my expedit book case to support my tv with my dvd player sitting beneath.
    Check it out: http://topia7.com/blog/2008/06/ikea-hack-tv-shelf-with-door-stoppers.html

    posted by topia7 on 2008-09-05 00:09:51
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    We used Ikea's Jarpen shelves with the Bjarnum brackets to create a pantry out of the closet near our kitchen. Here's the end results (I blogged about it too, which you can read about if you're really bored at work). Like others said, the key is to buy the appropriate hardware (aka anchors and screws specifically for your type of walls) and drill into studs whenever possible.

    It was definitely a lot of work to do, but the result was something that we can't remember how we lived without! And, thanks to Ikea, creating a pantry cost less than $500, and will hopefully help our house sell (fingers crossed!).

    posted by kls987 on 2008-09-05 08:52:30
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    Yes, it just depends on the wall anchors you use... My friends have them lining one of their living room walls and are holding tons of books. They look great!

    posted by oandel on 2008-09-05 11:12:34
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    these are fab! and I love Ikea!
    http://xobeau.blogspot.com/

    posted by CornerstoneOutdoors on 2008-09-06 13:01:04
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    I have a Lack shelf high above my toddler's changing table. It holds wipes and a basket of distraction toys and lotions, all out of his reach but within mine when I'm wrangling a squirmy boy. I put a stick-on mirror on the underside, and sometimes he likes to make faces at himself while I'm working on the other half of him.

    posted by LaughingSara on 2008-09-07 12:15:48
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    We have 900 DVDs sitting on 3 Lack shelves. They definitely hold weight.

    posted by aladywhoknows on 2008-09-07 15:39:48
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    oh man, if only my wall studs weren't about 40 inches apart...

    posted by indiasoup on 2008-09-07 17:12:28
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    I have my sofa and love seat arranged in an L-shape. The space around the love seat is very tight so I couldn't use even the skinniest end table. I mounted a Lack shelf on the wall at table height and use that as an end table between the loveseat and the wall. Works perfectly and looks good.

    posted by jitterpup on 2008-09-07 17:33:56
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    As for the desk, I got an ikea Lack coffee table top from the as-is department for $4, and use it as a desk. It's not floating like the Domino "inspiration" photo, since I've used legs. It does however, take up less space than the normal Ikea desks, while still being plenty of space to hold my iMac and a few other odds and ends.

    posted by inertia on 2008-09-07 21:22:16
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    I just did the desk idea the other day. I replaced a huge desk with one of these shelves, stuck a slide-out keyboard tray and wire caddy underneath, and voila!
    http://flickr.com/photos/asurroca/2818896888/

    posted by asurroca on 2008-09-07 22:45:34
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    For those who don't live near an Ikea, the online shopping and delivery option is great. In fact, I live near the Brooklyn Ikea, and it's still more convenient to order online than to go through the store and lug all that stuff around. Also, what I love about ordering online is that you can do it all while you're at home with a tape measure to measure your spaces.

    posted by Jackie on 2008-09-08 01:34:04
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