IKEA hacks for the garden and balcony: brilliant ideas for furnishing outdoor spaces with taste and on a budget

by Mark Bennett

July 26, 2023

IKEA hacks for the garden and balcony: brilliant ideas for furnishing outdoor spaces with taste and on a budget
Advertisement

Who doesn't love spending an evening or a day outdoors as soon as the weather permits? If we have a balcony or a garden, we almost certainly spend a lot of time outside in the warm weather - and especially if we have the right furniture to do so. 

Whether it's a matter of needing furniture or just decoration, this need can be easily satisfied with some DIY furniture ideas. And when it comes to easy-of-use and economy, there are some great "hacks" that can be done using IKEA products. Read on to find out more

A decorative umbrella

A decorative umbrella

Tutorial via iamhayleystuart.com

Do you dream of having a "boho" style outdoor living room? There are many ideas online where you can see colored umbrellas with fringes - a legacy from the past, revisited in modern times. But these umbrellas can be expensive. That said, you can make one by adding a fringe to an IKEA SAMSÖ model umbrella. In the example shown, the owners also painted some simple patterns around the edge to make it even more eye-catching.

Advertisement

Colorful armchairs

Colorful armchairs

Tutorial via deliciousanddiy.com

There are many indestructible outdoors armchairs on the market, and the IKEA SKARPÖ is amongst the most popular: with modern and soft lines, these armchairs fit in everywhere, and shrug off bad weather. They are also available in different colors, but you can paint them however you want. You'll need to make sure you finish off with a clear coat, but it's a fun project for everyone!

Vertical garden

Vertical garden

Tutorial via burkatron.com

No space to grow herbs? Or would you like to some privacy by using a screen on the balcony? A vertical garden solves both these problems, and if you use wooden bed slats for this, it will be more elegant than using a pallet.

Keep an eye on the ground!

We might not realize that sometimes it's sufficient just to change the flooring to make a bland outdoor spot look great. Changing the flooring can be expensive, but not if you shop around for cheap outdoor flooring tiles (which can be easily installed).

Space for everyone with benches

Space for everyone with benches

Tutorial via 600sqft.com

Benches are perfect for when we have guests around, or for when we just want to sunbathe on our own. In this case, benches from the IKEA ÄPPLARÖ line were used.

Advertisement

Exotic coffee table

Exotic coffee table

Tutorial via hometalk.com

Don't know which coffee table to use in the living room? You can easily convert a rattan basket (this is the IKEA SNIDAD model) into a base, and then just add a suitably-sized round, wooden lid. This costs a lot less than a store-bought table, and it looks great too!

Modern planter using wastebaskets

Modern planter using wastebaskets

Tutorial via garrisonstreetdesignstudio.com

Take two wastebaskets, put them on top of each other, and they become a planter with a modern and captivating design. This is what was done with the IKEA FNISS model (which also comes in different colors - but nothing prevents you from painting them however you like)!

Advertisement

Raised planters

Raised planters

Tutorial via tagandtibby.com

Do you have planters on the ground? If they are made of wood, you can easily raise them by placing them on table legs. Choose the ones you like best, and it won't take long to finish this project. Especially on a balcony, raised planters have a lot of advantages: they make the flowers more visible and they leave space on the ground for more items, including the watering can!

Ready to spruce up your outdoor areas?

Advertisement