This $25 IKEA Bowl is the Secret Sauce Behind Countless DIYs — They Look 2x the Price

One of the most useful pieces in your home is a bowl — particularly the kind that can serve just about any purpose. Whether holding a beautiful salad with fresh-from-the-farm lettuces or displaying decorative ceramic orbs, bowls can perform plenty of tasks. However, these shallow vessels are also surprisingly perfect for DIY projects — especially if you choose the BLANDA bowl from IKEA.

Not only is the BLANDA available in various styles (including wood, metal, and glass), but the practical piece also plays a starring role in many of our favorite DIY projects. So, the next time you head to IKEA (or order online), you can’t make a mistake by ordering a BLANDA serving bowl. Here are nine AT-approved projects to show you just how great of a purchase it is. 

Yes, you read that right. Making a high-impact, luxe-looking side table out of bowls from IKEA is possible. Place sets of the BLANDA bowls with the rims facing each other to create spheres — you can design a side table using one, two, or three orbs stacked atop each other. Finish the top with plywood, and you have a swoon-worthy piece. 

Do you love the shiny, silver look of chrome? Combine the metal BLANDA bowl with a stainless steel water bottle to make an eye-catching chrome light. Whether you need task lighting in the kitchen or crave a different style of bedside table lamp, this project is perfect. If you ever change your mind, you can uncouple the pieces to use them as originally intended. Another idea is to purchase a stainless coffee kettle for the base instead.

Like the side table, take two bowls and create a sphere. Do that four times, and you have the base for a coffee table. Stain the orb legs to match your decor, and then add a top of your choosing to create a focal point for your living room. No one will believe your coffee table base used to hold salad. Make three legs instead of four if you prefer a more unique shape.

Can’t find the lighting of your dreams? BLANDA bowls to the rescue (again). Drill a hole into the bowl of your choice — either metal or wood — and accent it with other bowls or paint it for a completely custom-designed light fixture. You’ll also have to buy supplies for hanging and supporting a light bulb, but the result is stunning. 

Another perk of IKEA’s BLANDA bowls is that they come in three sizes — 5”, 8”, and 11” — to suit your needs. To make a planter, choose bowls of two different sizes, paint them, glue them together, and fill with a faux or live plant in a leakproof container. This pedestal planter could hold other decorative items like raffia spheres or seashells.

This project turns the glass BLANDA bowl into an adorable mushroom lamp by coupling it with the KARAFF carafe. Spray the clear glass with a stone-effect spray paint, and add a puck light to finish the project. You may have to build multiple lights because you may have trouble figuring out where to put this adorable specimen. Combine the BLANDA with a LAMPAN base and LED light for a different version to make another cute mushroom lamp style.

Several of the BLANDA bowl ideas center around lighting, but making a fire bowl can provide soft illumination with the ambience of a flame. Select a metal bowl in whatever size suits your needs, and then add pebbles and an ethanol container to create a mini table fire station. If you’d rather not have a shiny, metal bowl, you can spray-paint it to match your home’s color scheme.

Banish the boob lights and opt for a double BLANDA bowl beauty instead. To create this graphic fixture, connect the bases of two bowls of varying sizes to create a stylish ceiling light. Once you add the electrical housing and light bulb, you’ll want to say goodbye to all your other ceiling lights. Paint the bowls white to blend them with your ceiling, or spray them another hue to instantly create statement pieces.

Sinks can get expensive, but a stainless BLANDA can serve as a bathroom sink in a pinch. Instead of setting one into your vanity, fit the bowl on the counter. You’ll have to do some DIY work to drill a hole and fit plumbing, but the final project is simply stunning. Converting a bowl into a sink is an especially creative and satisfying weekend project.