The Best Ikea Kallax Hack With Doors & Overlays

IKEA Kallax Hack, Ikea kallax shelf, Ikea kallax, Kallax shelf

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite Ikea hacks: the Ikea Kallax shelf unit. I will show you how to transform the Kallax unit by adding doors and overlays. This shelf unit can work in so many places, you can use as a TV stand, as a buffet or in a playroom.

We use in our dinning room like a console table. It holds all the toys in the world and keeps everything out of sight. It’s also super easy to do it. All you will need is the Ikea Kallax shelf unit, the Ikea Kallax inserts with doors, overlays and hardware of your choice!

Ikea Kallax hack with doors and overlays.

When Sophia started playing more and having so many toys, I was in desperate need of storage. I had some baskets where I would put her toys away every night, however, it was still in sight.

I bought the Kallax Unit a while ago and used just the top part as my entry way table. The rest of the unit was in the garage and my husband wanted to throw away.

Since was still in really good shape I decided to give it a try and put the whole unit together. I took a trip to Ikea and bought 8 doors for the unit. I really like the look of the unit with the doors and I really love that I was able to hide all the toys away!!

If you love Ikea Hacks and decorating on a budget don’t forget to check out my Ikea Malm Dresser Hack, the Ikea Vittsjo Coffee Table Hack and the Ikea Farlov Sofa Review for more ideas!

Ikea Kallax Hack Before:

Ikea Hack Kallax Unit



Ikea Kallax After: Adding Doors and Overlays

Ikea Kallax with overlays and gold hardware


Brass Mirror (size small) | Brass Knobs: Here & Here | Pineapple Lamp (old), similar: Here & Here | Chanel Book | Elements of Style Book |

 

Ikea Kallax Hack with brass pulls

1. Ikea Kallax Hack: Adding Overlays

Overalys are decorative panels for furniture, you can use it to adorn many types of furniture and they have a specific line for Ikea furniture!

I choose the Greek keys (4 total for the unit above) design and just used glue dots to add to the doors (if you are doing the overlays, make sure that you add it before installing the doors, I had to remove the doors to add the overlays).

It was super easy and it definitely gives the unit a more expensive look!

Ikea Kallax shelf, Ikea Kallax Overlays, Ikea Hack. overlays

2. Add the Ikea Kallax Inserts

You will need 6 Ikea Kallax inserts with doors. They are basically a little cube made specifically for the Ikea Kallax shelves with doors. The doors are already pre drilled for the hardware.

Attach the inserts to the Kallax unit according to instructions. Pay attention to the direction that the door will open and location of the knobs to ensure that they are aligned per the picture above (the knobs should meet in the middle).

3. Add knobs

Lastly, I really wanted to add a little more glam to the unit and make it look less Ikea-ish. I added these gold ring knobs that I had from a previous project, they fit perfectly and added that gold touch that I love.

Total Cost:

Update

Kallax unit with doors and overlays
Not a toy in sight!!

Since this is still one of my popular posts, I wanted to share a couple more pictures of the Ikea Kallax hack and how I use it in my new home.

Kallax Ikea Hack with doors and overlays. Ikea cube toy storage
Use baskets to organize the toys in the Ikea Kallax shelves.

Also, this unit is holding up extremely well, even after being moved around two times and with two crazy toddlers that bang the doors all day long!  Feel free to ask me questions in the comments!

Ikea kallax hack, Ikea Cube Storage, ikea kallax hacks, ikea hacks kallax
Ikea Kallax with overlays and gold hardware

I hope you enjoy this hack as much as I do and don’t forget to check out my other Ikea Hack the Malm Dresser Hack!

Ikea Kallax Hacks

With Love,
Ceres

Ikea kallax


Ikea Kallax Hack | Ikea Vittsjo Table Hack | Ikea Malm Dresser Hack

Ikea kallax hack with overlays and gold hardware. ikea expedit

As seen on: 
https://terlaluoke.com/15-ikea-kallax-hacks-on-a-budget-you-need-to-try/
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57 Comments

    • Ceres
      Author
      February 22, 2017 / 9:27 pm

      Thank you so much Nina!! It was super easy!

      • Dr. Tavis Wade-Jones
        February 22, 2017 / 9:31 pm

        Me too

        • Ceres
          Author
          February 23, 2017 / 3:25 pm

          Thank you!!!

    • Ceres
      Author
      February 27, 2017 / 3:02 pm

      Thank you doll!! ?

  1. Rebecca Murray
    March 7, 2017 / 2:50 pm

    Love this idea! Did you use the high gloss KALLAX unit or just the regular white?

    • Ceres
      Author
      March 12, 2017 / 11:19 pm

      Umm I think is just the regular white.

  2. Natalie
    April 17, 2017 / 10:10 pm

    Love this and I’m trying it myself, did you order the 1/4″ overlays or the regular 1/8″ thickness? Thanks πŸ™‚

  3. Alexsandra Flores
    April 27, 2017 / 6:00 pm

    I wanted to order the knobs but shipping was added to each of them and it was almost as much as paying for the actual knobs πŸ™ how did you get around paying for shipping on each one individually or did you pay for it?

    • Ceres
      Author
      April 27, 2017 / 7:14 pm

      Wait, from amazon?

    • Ceres
      Author
      April 27, 2017 / 7:15 pm

      So weird! I actually got those a while back! Maybe just google brass ring pulls? There are tons of places that sell. ?

  4. June 12, 2017 / 6:14 am

    Very good idea! I’m in love with the pineapple lamp!!! Thanks for the link πŸ˜‰

    • Ceres
      Author
      June 12, 2017 / 6:52 am

      Thank you!! That pineapple ? lamp is my fav!!!

  5. Kelly
    August 7, 2017 / 1:47 pm

    This is so beautiful! I want to do a smaller one for the same purpose – toy storage…curious how you organize the interior with toys? Debating on covering my kallax with doors or drawers or both.

    • Ceres
      Author
      August 14, 2017 / 11:10 am

      Hi Kelly! Thank you so much! for the smaller toys I used baskets, for books and bigger toys they went directly into the cubes. Hope that helps!

      Ceres

  6. Caroline
    September 22, 2017 / 8:01 pm

    Hi! I’m think of doing this in my playroom – love the idea!!!! I have a long wall so I really want 2 of the kallax units. I’m thinking it may be too much with the overlays on all doors…would it be weird if I only put the overlays on the middle 8 doors and then either put white baskets or something on the others? Hmmmm. Let me know if you have any ideas!

  7. Susan MacMillan
    October 17, 2017 / 7:25 am

    Hi Ceres! What I’m really fascinated with is your wall unit for tv! Is this an IKEA hack also? If so, would you share? I love it!
    Thank you! Susan

    • Ceres
      Author
      October 17, 2017 / 9:56 am

      Hi Susan!! It’s actually a built in original from the apartment! ?

  8. Melissa
    November 21, 2017 / 10:02 am

    Hi Ceres,
    This is really lovely. I have a smaller kallax unit that I use for record storage and it currently has more of a mid-century look, but I’ve move it into a room where a glam look is really more appropriate. I’d like to try this. Do you recall if you used the 1/4 or 1/8 thickness on the overlays?

    • Ceres
      Author
      November 21, 2017 / 10:23 am

      Hi doll!! How exciting! I used the 1/4. 😘

      • Lillian Diaz
        January 22, 2022 / 12:14 pm

        Where can i buy overlays?

        • Ceres
          Author
          March 3, 2022 / 11:37 am

          from Myoverlays.com

  9. Laura
    November 22, 2017 / 2:50 pm

    Did you have to drill new holes so the knobs would fit? Great hack!!!

    • Ceres
      Author
      November 22, 2017 / 4:40 pm

      No, I used the same holes! Thank u!!

  10. Barbara Stahl
    December 3, 2017 / 11:05 am

    Where Can I buy the overlays? It looks beautiful

    • Ceres
      Author
      December 3, 2017 / 11:15 am

      Hi doll, they are linked in the post. They are from overlay.com 😘😘

  11. Ruth
    December 30, 2017 / 12:04 am

    Hi Ceres,
    I am in love with your work. Can you please tell me which size overlay did you use and did you cut i? I can’t seem to find a matching one on their site. Please
    Thanks
    Ruth

    • Ceres
      Author
      December 30, 2017 / 4:43 am

      Thank you doll! I linked the exact one in the text. I will check again. No, I did not cut it. These are made for the ikea furniture so you don’t need to cut it. The only difference in size is the thickness. I use the thinner one 😘😘

  12. Ruth
    December 30, 2017 / 12:06 am

    Hi Ceres,
    I am in love with your work. Can you please tell me which size overlay did you use and did you cut i? I can’t seem to find a matching one on their site. Please
    Thanks
    Ruth

  13. Janet
    February 5, 2018 / 8:36 am

    Hi
    I love the finish on your unit! The link for the overlay doesn’t seem to be working for me. Could you tell where you got them please?

  14. Ellle
    February 25, 2018 / 9:08 am

    Love this!where is the mirror from? The link doesn’t appear to be working.

    • Ceres
      Author
      February 25, 2018 / 10:13 pm

      Hi Elle, I fixed the link. But you can also copy and paste this one: https://rstyle.me/cz-n/cdht66b48gx

      Mine is the small πŸ˜˜πŸ˜˜πŸ’•

  15. Beth Scheiderer
    February 25, 2018 / 9:54 am

    Love that mirror! Where did you get it? The link you provided did not work. Thanks!

  16. Neena
    March 20, 2018 / 4:48 pm

    Great design! Did you have to cut the overlay? I only see ones built for rectangles. If so, how did you cut it?

    • Ceres
      Author
      March 26, 2018 / 3:25 pm

      Oh no! so sorry, I did not realize I had the wrong one. Were you able to exchange it? Thank you so much for letting me know. I fixed the link!

  17. April 26, 2018 / 2:15 am

    Love the idea, looks beautiful and classy.Best of all, great storage space. Thank you for showing how it can be done, will definitely give it a try.

    • Ceres
      Author
      April 27, 2018 / 9:10 am

      Thank you Priscilla! 😘

  18. Jane Young
    May 5, 2018 / 9:49 am

    Your site is now my fave.

    • Ceres
      Author
      May 5, 2018 / 10:25 am

      Awwweee thank u Jane! 😘😘

  19. Maya
    July 9, 2018 / 7:24 pm

    Love the idea!! You wrote that you only used 4 overlys for 8 doors .so i only need to order 4 ? Thank you. Maya

    • Ceres
      Author
      July 16, 2018 / 10:30 pm

      Hi Maya, I believe they come in sets of 2. Just make sure when u buy it πŸ˜˜πŸ’“

  20. Brittnie
    October 13, 2018 / 9:44 pm

    Does anyone have a picture of their home replica of this project?

  21. Angel
    October 16, 2018 / 10:40 pm

    Hi! Does the Kallax have a back to it? Did you add a back? Or leave it open?
    Thanks,
    Angel

    • Ceres
      Author
      October 17, 2018 / 6:04 am

      Hi Angel! The Kallax uniu doesn’t, however, the inserts with the doors do. So when u add the inserts everything will be closed off πŸ˜˜πŸ’•

  22. Gretchen Horrocks
    December 10, 2018 / 12:51 pm

    I was wondering where the coral reef glass decoration was from! I love it and I have been searching everywhere for one!

    • Ceres
      Author
      December 10, 2018 / 12:52 pm

      It’s from homegoods!

  23. Jessica
    February 11, 2019 / 12:08 pm

    Did you paint the overlays or just use them as they came? If so, what paint did you use?

    • Ceres
      Author
      February 11, 2019 / 12:17 pm

      No paint needed. They march the Ikea Kallax perfectly!

  24. Tanis Jaarsma
    September 9, 2022 / 5:35 pm

    This is gorgeous!

    • Ceres
      Author
      September 26, 2022 / 5:39 pm

      Thank you!!

  25. R Monroe
    November 5, 2022 / 1:01 am

    I want to do insert the doors in the same directions that you have them inserted, but when trying to insert the two middle ones, the screws for the hinges interfere with each other since there are hinges being screwed into both sides of one panel. Did you just offset the hinges of one of the inserts?

    • Ceres
      Author
      November 15, 2022 / 10:56 am

      no, mine are on the opposite side. they do not interfere with each other

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