Rolling the clock back to 2015, when I turned a cheap IKEA shoe rack into sweet little bathroom bench seat, in this Ikea bench seat hack.
I’d been desperate to do something lovely with this sad little shoe rack for a while — it was the perfect size for our bathroom and offered great storage but it was so ugly.
With a little bit of creativity, some fabric and paint, this little shoe rack got a makeover — a shoe rack IKEA hack, if you will!
Quick View of What You'll Find on This Page
What Else Can I Use an IKEA Shoe Rack For?
The IKEA shoe rack certainly didn’t look like bench seat! But with a little bit of creativity and TLC it transformed from an ugly shoe rack, to a sweet little wooden storage bench with a cushion.
Perfect for the boys to sit on when they were getting dry; whilst still giving us the same storage as before and looking a LOT more pretty too.
Here’s what I did.
How To Tranform a Shoe Rack To a Storage Bench
Turn a Shoe Rack into a Bench Seat (Ikea Bench Seat Hack)
I turned a cheap IKEA shoe rack into sweet little bathroom bench seat, in this Ikea bench seat hack.
Materials
- Wooden IKEA shoe-rack (you can also get a similar version from Amazon.
- 18mm MDF
- 2 inch foam
- Wood glue
- Screws
- Fabric
- Piping Cord
- Zip
- Chalk Paint
Tools
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Scalpel or sharp knife
- Sewing Machine (or you can hand-sew with a needle and thread)
- Screwdriver
Instructions
- Firstly, I measured the shoe rack then created a rough template to work to.
- Then I cut some 18mm MDF and some 2inch foam to fit the top of the shoe rack.
- I cut my fabric into cushion sized pieces. I made sure I left a couple of cm around each piece so I could turn them over and make a hem.
- Next, I made a simple piped edge. This is optional though — you could skip this if you don't feel confident creating fabric piping.
- I inserted a zip.
- Then finished off and sewed up all of the edges, so it looked nice and neat. And put the foam inside.
- Next, I painted the shoe rack using Annie Sloan chalk paint. I used 01 Old White.
- When it was dry, I re-assembled it; glueing the joins and screwing a piece of painted MDF board to the top of the shoe rack. Then added the cushion. Et voila! One Ikea bench seat hack completed!
Notes
I found a few internet tutorials on making piping.
Most of the tutorials I looked at said that the fabric needed to be cut on the bias but there really wasn't enough fabric to do that. This one by A Summer Gypsy said that you don't need to cut it on the bias and she was right! I'm sure it could have been neater but it's not bad for a first attempt!
Using Chalk Paint To Transform a Shoe Rack
I used some Annie Sloan left over from my chest of drawers makeover but, I must say, I hadn’t anticipated how long it would take to paint!
Because of all the tiny slats, it seemed to take forever; not on a par with painting the Forth Bridge, I grant you, but longer than I’d estimated!
If I was to do this again, I would use spray paint, rather than hand paint using a brush.
For such a small item, it took a crazy amount of time to paint! But it was worth it.
From Shoe Rack To Storage Bench
Here’s my finished bench seat in pride of place in the bathroom!
The Ikea Bench Seat Hack
I was so delighted with how this little Ikea Bench Seat turned out! This hack was a really creative way of using a shoe rack that was destined for the log-burner!
It fit in so nicely with our bathroom. And having a little bench seat — as well as storage — is so useful.
Do you have any favourite IKEA hacks that you’d like to share? I’d love to know if you’ve transformed anything from something you didn’t use very much to something super-useful.
Let me know in the comments!
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Well done! You deserve to be pretty pleased with yourself: that looks lovely and makes such a difference to your bathroom. And it’s a very impressive first attempt at a bench seat pad – I say this as someone who makes soft furnishings for a (part-time) living! Clap, clap!
Aaah that’s so lovely of you Kate — and that means a lot too as you do it for a living!! Thanks so much :)
Very pretty. A total transformation!
Thanks so much pet — I’m so happy with it!!! Looks a million times better than it did before!! :) x
That is bloody amazing!! What a talent you have, and that material is really gorgeous. I am so impressed with your finished towel holder/bench!
Aaah thanks SO much gorgeous!! SO pleased with it :) Looks a million times better than it did before. Totally loved seeing you this weekend — absolutely LOVED hanging out with all my blogging bests! x
It was amazing to see you!! How can you be even lovelier and more gorgeous in real life than you are on your blog? How is that possible? Must get together again really soon x
Aaah that’s SO lovely of you pet *blushing* fanx :) Can’t wait til the next time!! :) xx
This is gorgeous Caro! I am seriously impressed and I LOVE the fabric… And your bathroom! X
Thanks so much sweetheart — that’s lovely of you. The fabric was lush — VERY Orla Keily ;)
This is fantastic! What a gorgeous project – it gives your whole bathroom a new feel! xx
Thanks SO much Elsie :) I’ve been desperate to paint it for a while but the little cushion has totally transformed it from a sad little shoe-rack :)
This is adorable (and a great excuse for cake)! xx
Thanks so much lovely :)
Ahhh I used the same fabric! I love what you’ve done, it looks perfect! Haha, this was the first time for me with piping, I didn’t even know that was what it was called before this project. You’ve done it so neatly, well done! Sabrina xx
The fabric was such a gorgeous pattern wasn’t it? Although I found it really difficult to worth with because it frayed quite a lot — can’t wait to go and look at your cushion! :) x
Wow, who would have thought that little shoe rack could become so magnificent.
You did a fabulous job!
Aaah that’s so lovely of you Natalie!! Thanks SO much :)
looks 100% BETTER!
Thanks SO much pet!! I’m delighted with it :)
This really is gorgeous! You would have never known that was t it’s original use! Well done :-) #twinklytuesday xx
Thanks so much lovely :) It’s been sitting in the bathroom for ages and I kept meaning to update it!! SO happy with how it turned out!! :)