Simple IKEA Kallax Upgrade Is Easy Enough For Anyone to Do

When it comes to upgrading your IKEA Kallax, the options might seem limited, especially if you aren't going to pull the whole thing apart and start from scratch. Sure, you can paint it — but that involves sanding and a lot of prep work. Alternatively, you could refinish it with different wood, but that’s hardly a beginner-friendly project. Enter TikTok creator Maryam Al-momen’s brilliant idea: wallpaper! (And, yes, even the peel-and-stick variety will work wonders.)

Maryam’s Kallax sits right by her door, catching everyone’s stuff as they come in. She wanted it to look stylish, so she decided to add wallpaper to the inside of each square. By alternating patterns, she created a visually striking piece that’s both functional and fashionable.

Related: IKEA Kallax Becomes Perfect Small Kitchen Island With One Simple Hack

Before you start, make sure you have:

• Your choice of wallpaper (peel-and-stick recommended). Maryam picks a couple of different looks and styles so she can really mix and match to her heart's content.
• A ruler or measuring tape
• A utility knife or scissors
• A smoothing tool (a credit card works in a pinch)

Start off by measuring the width of your Kallax squares and cut your wallpaper accordingly. Maryam suggests running the wallpaper down one side, along the bottom, and up the other side for a seamless look that is a little bit easier on your fingers. But if precision is your thing, feel free to cut out individual pieces for each side - it will simply take a bit longer and need a bit more measuring on your part.

Start at one of the top corners and line up the beginning edge of your wallpaper. Smooth it down as you go to avoid bubbles. The peel-and-stick variety makes adjustments easy, so don’t stress if you need to reposition it. Keep going with every square until you've got the whole thing done and voila - a cool looking Kallax!

Can You Wrap Your Entire Kallax In Wallpaper?

But, hey, why limit yourself to just the insides? Wrap your Kallax like a present and apply wallpaper to the outside as well. Our advice is to go for a solid color or a complementary pattern to make the piece truly pop. Sure, it might take a bit of extra effort, but it beats filling in holes, sanding, and painting the whole thing.

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