The IKEA Hack That Uses High Ceilings To Create More Storage

Small space storage is one of the most desired things in a home and one of the trickiest to master. With a lack of existing closets and cabinets, homeowners often turn to other solutions like freestanding cabinets, armoires, and wardrobes to make up the difference. But in a small space like an apartment or tiny home, the lack of floor space and a fear of looking too crowded can make these solutions less than ideal. Luckily, the internet is filled with great design hacks for making inexpensive IKEA units look like built-ins. One suggestion for mounting the renowned retailer's cabinetry in high places may be the storage solution you are looking for.

This popular design hack uses the otherwise dead space above doors or windows for much-needed extra storage by installing a set of IKEA's BESTA cabinets, which come in both doored and open versions at differing price points. By mounting the sleek, square cabinets directly to the wall near the ceiling, you gain out-of-sight storage up and off the floor, making the room feel more open than many other IKEA storage solutions. It works especially well if your ceilings are already high.

You can purchase BESTA cabinets of various sizes individually or in sets of three, allowing you to customize your span and array of cabinetry. While the doored versions will run you anywhere from $100-400 dollars each, you can also purchase individual frame cabinets without the hinged doors for around $50. These are the most budget-friendly pieces and can be left open for visible storage. They can also be filled with baskets or fronted with fabric or curtains to hide their contents.

The cabinets come in classic white, natural wood, or black, making them great for any design scheme. You can also paint them whatever color you desire, including other wall shades to camouflage against the existing walls or accent colors in your room to make them stand out. Many people install them slightly lowered from the ceiling to form an additional shelf for more storage or decor above. The effect is very reminiscent of built-in cabinetry when placed in a row along an entire wall.

The space above doors and windows is often a forgotten one, but in a small home, any real estate can be customized to offer more room for storage or decor. Sturdy L-bracket shelves are a great option for above doors or windows, or along the ceiling in other areas of the room. They provide a great place for storage bins or baskets, books, linens, or other items you want visible but not taking up any valuable floor or closet space.

The high cabinets draw the eye up, making the room seem larger than it is. While BESTA cabinets can be used in any room for more storage, these cabinets work nicely in a bedroom for storing out-of-season clothes or bedding. Try hanging a small row in a bathroom above the entrance for some discreet storage for extra linens. Open cabinets mounted high on the wall are also an especially attractive way to display plants that you can allow to drape down. No matter how you decorate them, these cabinets allow you to get useful, functional storage out of space that usually goes to waste.