The IKEA STALL Is My Favorite Way to Sneak in Storage — Here’s How to Make It Look Luxe
It’s difficult to find shoe storage in a tiny apartment, let alone a tiny entryway, and that’s where the IKEA STÄLL comes in clutch because it offers storage without taking up tons of space. (In fact, one time after a trip to IKEA, my mom recommended I line my entire apartment with the slim shoe cabinet.)
The STÄLL is certainly a small space hero, but style-wise, it can look a little plain on its own. Some people love that! It blends right in! However, some people think it falls a little flat — literally — comparing it to an “office file cabinet” vibe.
That’s why I love IKEA STÄLL hacks, and I love this project by Alicja Dworzak (@mynorfolknest) because it makes the shoe cabinet look a little more high-end with fairly simple materials. Alicja says her cabinet was just a bit “dull” and “boring,” so she decided to give it a DIY upgrade.
She cut pieces of wood trim (they were originally 10 feet long), glued them to the STÄLL fronts, sanded the entire piece, and then painted everything white (Behr’s Swiss Coffee). You can read her full process here.
Here’s the cost breakdown:21
- $150 for the IKEA STÄLL cabinet (Alicja bought 2.)
- $150 for trim, glue, and paint.
I’m a firm believer that IKEA shoe cabinets really are the ultimate entryway hero — and, as Alicja shows, the ultimate affordable, entry-level IKEA hack — thanks to their small size and flat surfaces, uninterrupted by knob holes. And speaking of hardware, I love how Alicja went with something a little less, well, corporate with brass finger pulls from Amazon. (Another beauty of hacking the piece! You can have a little more freedom with your hardware.)
So next time you shop at IKEA, consider the STÄLL, and consider the embellishments that could make it look even more personalized. (After all, it’s a staple entryway piece, and the entryway sets the tone for the home!) For more IKEA shoe cabinet hacks, check out this $43 makeover, $50 project, and this fluted beauty.