Transform The Versatile IKEA KALLAX Into A Kitchen Island With Bonus Storage

Ah, the IKEA KALLAX — it seems like everyone has had one of these boxy shelves in their home at one point or another. And while you may have outgrown some of your IKEA furniture staples, there are so many fun ways to bring new life to those old pieces. Between brilliant IKEA STALL hacks that make your storage look luxe and affordable DIY desks made from IKEA dressers — the possibilities are plentiful. So, what about the KALLAX? Well, if you're looking for an IKEA bookshelf hack to maximize storage, then transforming your KALLAX into a kitchen island with insertable drawers is the DIY project for you.

Using the KALLAX in your kitchen is a fun and easy way to spice up your kitchen island and give it a custom touch. By playing around with different colors, backing materials, and countertops, you can make an island storage solution that's perfect for your aesthetic. For this transformation you will need a KALLAX that has eight shelves and an underframe, enough wood slats to cover one side of the shelf, a custom-cut countertop in a material of your choosing, some KALLAX insert drawers, and a drill.

Start this project by building your IKEA KALLAX per the manufacturer's instructions. Next, take your wood slats and nail them to the back side of your bookcase using a hammer. You can paint the slats a color of your choice or leave them as-is for a more natural look. Next, attach your adjustable table legs to your table top, and place the entire structure on top of your bookshelf — this serves as the countertop of your island. The table top will have some overhang, so you can easily store bar stools or chairs underneath.

Now your new island is mostly complete, but to take it to the next level, you will want to add some drawers. IKEA already makes drawer inserts for this bookshelf, so you can go ahead and install those per the provided instructions. Alternatively, if you don't want to mess around with more tools and finicky drawer slides, you can instead place storage boxes in some of the bookshelf spaces. Other ways to customize this hacked bookshelf island include using marble contact paper on your table top to cover the wood and give your island an elegant look. For a more advanced DIY, you can opt to buy marble countertops that are cut to size and attach them to your island using silicone adhesive. With this option, you can also carry the countertops down the sides to create a waterfall island.