I’m a Home Projects Editor, and This Is the Best $20 I’ve Ever Spent at IKEA

Apartment Therapy editors effectively double as (unofficial) IKEA experts, whether that involves uncovering the latest hacks or sharing a batch of new must-see products slated to hit stores. Of course, we’re frequent IKEA shoppers, as well, outfitting our own homes with furniture, decor, and storage from the modern Swedish company. In fact, one editor has discovered what she’d consider her best $20 IKEA find to date, and it’s so versatile and small-space-friendly!

After Sarah Everett, assistant home projects editor, moved into her Brooklyn apartment, she came across IKEA’s MOSSLANDA black picture ledge, a 45.25-inch-long wall-mounted display shelf. “It was kind of an impulse buy,” Everett admits of the piece, which she says actually sat in her apartment “for like a month” before finding a home. The final spot of choice? Her kitchen wall. 

Everett used the MOSSLANDA ledge to carve out a compact storage area in a corner of her kitchen, pictured below, which she’d already styled with a narrow table and large-scale artwork. Here, she placed a few small prints and candlesticks along the shelf for a decorative touch. 

To further maximize this IKEA find, though, Everett explains that she “also used shower hooks that were in my bathroom when I moved in (I gave a good wash, of course) underneath it to hold mugs.” These S-shaped clips perfectly balance on the top of the MOSSLANDA, allowing drink handles to loop through and hang sideways. “Consider it the easiest IKEA hack ever,” she adds.

As for installation, Everett enlisted the help of a local Taskrabbit who’d been completing other repairs throughout her home. He did use a stud finder and more heavy-duty screws than the initial hardware that IKEA provided, but she notes that this was a precaution to support the extra weight of the mugs — you should be fine if you plan to use the MOSSLANDA for its original purpose as a picture ledge.

“This $20 picture ledge from IKEA majorly rescued a blank wall in my kitchen,” Everett says of the finished look. Taking a cue from her project, you could also stack a pair or trio of these wall shelves for extra storage in any room. Even one MOSSLANDA on its own costs just under $20, easily installs, and displays your favorite cookbooks, art prints, records, and more. It’s also available in a smaller 21.75” version for $9.99, plus white or faux pine and walnut finishes to complement your space.