14 Easy IKEA Desk Hacks that’ll Boost Your Productivity

No one works best in a boring, uninspiring space. But it’s a myth that a beautiful workspace takes a wad of cash. In fact, a simple trip to IKEA can equip you with everything you need to create an incredible desk that’s both comfortable and practical.

Here, you’ll find gorgeous work spaces — some in home offices, others tucked into the corner of a living room — that display some seriously clever IKEA furniture used as a desk. IKEA’s basic furniture styles, like you’ll find in the ALEX, KALLAX and EKET lines, just happen to be perfect for upstyling into just about whatever you can envision. Whether you’re looking for something simple or a complete office suite, there’s an IKEA desk hack for that. 

An elegant slab of stained live edge wood adorns the IKEA ALEX filing cabinet in this small but elegant home office by @hartnettcj

A long piece of birch plywood rests atop two separate IKEA EKET cabinets in this beautiful home office by @1930s_semi_charmed_life. The peaceful green hue of the cabinets combines with natural wood tones throughout, for a mid-century modern aesthetic. 

@Seasonsincolour used several pieces from the IKEA PAX collection to create a fantastic homeschool spot for her kids. Eagle-eyed viewers may even spot IKEA KALLAX cubes affixed to the wall above the desks for extra storage. 

A white IKEA ALEX filing system works perfectly as an IKEA desk hack in this chic dining room office by @back.to.brick.14. Blue velvet chairs mirror the ones at the dining room table for a cohesive look. 

Homeowner @reno_by_the_beach wants for nothing in this exquisite home office full of IKEA desk hacks. The white desk and matching cabinetry provide an ample space to get things done. 

When two desks overreach their space limit, it is time to add a third surface into the mix, like this workstation, which could work well for two teenagers or roommates. The extra tabletop on this IKEA desk hack provides an additional area to spread out when needed, along with serving as a divider between the work zones.

For those who are tight on square footage, floating desks are the perfect option to maximize your room to create a functional office space. In this IKEA desk hack, two desks are fixed to the wall, saving up space to allow for other functions in the room.

This Ikea desk hack is ideal for those who need a little extra space, but want to keep a minimalist feel. Simply pull it out when extra work needs to be done, and tuck it back under the desk when you’re finished.

To create a sleek workspace for two, Holly and Brad Lauritzen strategically spaced three gray ALEX drawer units and topped them with a beech GERTON tabletop. Organizational pieces—like white file folder drawers—and decor elements—like chalkboards—up the practicality factor of this desk.

To squeeze a desk into a small space—like a studio or an already-crowded family room—follow this tutorial by Lauren Koster. She simply wrapped the shelf (which conveniently comes with two drawers built in!) in stained oak, then added hair pin legs.

To create this insanely inspired IKEA desk hack, Chelsea Foy, the blogger behind Lovely Indeed attached HILVER table legs to a LINNMON table top, then added a set of Micke drawers for storage space. But the next step is what really sets this DIY apart. Once the desk was fully assembled, Foy added colorful adhesive vinyl to each drawer to add cheer.

This giant desk makes for an impressive statement piece in any home office, but the real draw is all of the storage space. To preserve floor space in a small room, Jennifer Flores used an IKEA desk hack to take advantage of the vertical space by securing EXPEDIT bookcases to the wall above the desk.

Emily Lex used three IKEA desks, a wooden countertop, and some pretty brass pulls to craft a desk for two people in a garage apartment. The result is a sleek and inviting workspace that looks custom-built.

Steph Bond-Hutkin combined some very basic pieces—a LINNMON desk top, a peg board, and BEKVAM spice racks—to serve as the foundation for an incredibly adaptable workspace for homework and crafts, then added a pop of mint green paint (Taubmans’ Sweet Pea) to give the desk plenty of spunk.