Decorate Your Basic IKEA TRONES Shoe Cabinet With This Chic DIY Upgrade

People love IKEA for a multitude of reasons. The brand is all about basics for those who crave a simpler life (plus anyone who wants full DIY control over their furniture). Thanks to social media, we found a super cool way to turn a basic IKEA cabinet into a stylish, flattering piece of furniture that you'll want to show off to all your friends. The IKEA TRONES shoe cabinet is already the perfect piece for extra home storage, and now you can make it match your home's decor, too.

If you don't yet have one (or two, or three) of these handy-dandy organizers, here's what you need to know: Each IKEA TRONES unit is a retractable, two-tiered storage cabinet that's about 20 inches (1¾ feet) tall. Using just a few screws, it hangs on the wall to provide you and your household maximum space for maneuvering in and out of your home. It's also a great stackable resource — you can combine as many units as you like while using the top surfaces for small items like your wallet or keys.

If you're always on the go — or if you just want to know how to maximize your storage space — the TRONES cabinet provides both practicality and design opportunities. Instagram user @inspiring_home_details made a few tiny tweaks to their IKEA purchase and elevated its simple look almost instantly. All it took was raffia fabric and some natural wood slats.

If you want to replicate this DIY, you can purchase raffia fabric from your local fabric store or through online retailers like Walmart. (To upgrade their TRONES cabinets, @inspiring_home_details purchased fabric from Natkits.) When purchasing your fabric of choice, remember to order more than you'll need so you can cut and size sections to perfectly fit over each shelf. Once you have your raffia in hand, just hot glue it to your cabinets. If it doesn't feel secure enough, you can also use Velcro to hold it in place.

If you prefer paint over fabric, TikTok user @sworkfitmom has a great method for painting your TRONES cabinets with ease. They recommend using Zinsser's 1-2-3 Primer, then sanding it with 320 grit sandpaper. Finally, use velvet finish paint from Sherwin-Williams to achieve a polished look.

If you want to keep the pulls on your organizer, consider swapping them with something that fits your preferred aesthetic. Instagram user @el_pisito_de_pat, for example, added leather pulls, along with wooden shelving on top of the cabinets.

Like most IKEA pieces, you don't actually have to use your TRONES cabinets the way the manufacturer intended. They can double as both flattering furniture and organizers that hold just about everything. So, if you're not in the market for a shoe rack (or if you already have enough organizers for all your shoe storage needs), consider using another unit as a headboard or staircase console. You can even use the cabinet for laundry room storage.

TikTok user @kelly_hastingss created the entryway of their dreams with just four TRONES organizers, making the total cost approximately $80. You can even make these items your own by adding legs to the bottom or a textured slab to the top.

Another TikTok user, @takinglifebythebarrs, bought their third TRONES unit specifically for the bathroom. Since the cabinet is nice and snug and can hold items that are shoe-sized or smaller, towels can also fit neatly inside. The creator easily added six towels and a few toiletries to one unit. If your kitchen needs organization, the IKEA TRONES unit can even be used for food storage.