The IKEA Store Inspired Me to Put My Extra Seating on the Walls (See How!)

I spend pretty much all day looking at photos of other people’s homes, in search of inspiration either for a new story or for my own home. But there’s nothing quite like getting your “inspo” firsthand. I frequently attend trade shows and showhouses, and meet with designers and design studios — all to ensure I’m up-to-date on all the latest trends and tricks of the trade. But the next best thing for IRL small-space inspiration? IKEA’s infamous showrooms!

I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from my latest trip to my favorite Swedish superstore. But of all the spaces and styling tricks I saw, this one took the cake in terms of cleverness. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, IKEA tells me to turn my ottomans into wall art! These design “easter eggs” never get old. Check out my new favorite IKEA hack below. And remember: Never skip the showrooms.

At first glance, I wasn’t really sure what I was looking at here; was this a new piece I had missed in IKEA’s art section? But no — this “wall art” is actually a set of IKEA’s ALSEDA stools! 

While footstools might not be my first choice for wall art, this ingenious hack is the perfect example of one of my favorite small-space styling tricks: hiding things in plain sight. These stools are, as their tag says, perfect for game nights and for hosting friends — especially if your space is too small for armchairs. However, I’ve often hesitated to buy similar footstools or floor cushions because I had nowhere to put them when not in use, and I hate when my floors feel cluttered. 

This is the perfect solution: By hanging these woven footstools on the wall, they’re both out of the way of living room foot traffic, easy to access in case of surprise guests, and pulling triple-duty as wall art! The woven banana fiber adds the perfect pop of texture to the walls, and the result is a space that’s livable but still looks chic and intentionally styled. 

If the boho woven look isn’t quite your style though, never fear — you can definitely re-create this look with other kinds of floor cushions. Look for a cushion or a footstool that doesn’t have legs and is low to the ground, so it won’t project too far off the wall. I’d also recommend you stick to round stools or cushions, as square cushions might just look like pillows on your walls. 

IKEA is always my go-to for small-space furniture and decor, but the brand’s showrooms in particular are my go-to for inspiration. You never know what you might find there!