This $13 IKEA Hack Is My Favorite of 2025 (So Far!)
When you think “IKEA hack” you probably think of BILLY bookcase upgrades or HEMNES dresser redos, but those aren’t your only options: There are lots of smaller IKEA products that are just as worthy of a hack (and take a lot less time and work, too).
This recent pendant light redo from DIYer Tina Le Mac (@tinalemac) is the perfect example. Le Mac started with a plain pendant with a paper shade (the $12.99 ZEBRASÄV, which is one of AT’s picks for the best new hackable IKEA products of 2025), but was able to give it a funky makeover with just a bit of paint.
How to Hack the ZEBRASÄV Pendant Light
Le Mac didn’t need to do much to transform the plain ZEBRASÄV pendant light into a showstopper — she just needed to highlight that cool wavy shape with a little paint. Using a ruler, Le Mac measured out lines to create a grid on the inside of the pendant light; once she penciled it in, she painted every other square in a pretty light blue (leaving the remaining ones unpainted) to create a checkerboard pattern.
What makes Le Mac’s pattern work so well is the fact that it’s made to fit the conical shape of the pendant, so it grows smaller as it gets closer to the top.
Once Le Mac finished painting the inside checkerboard pattern, she used the same light blue paint to paint the outside. I love that the light blue finish has a little bit of a pop, but it’s not until you see the inside of the pendant that you get a full hit of pattern. It’s like a little surprise!
The Best Ideas for Lamp Hacks
I think Le Mac’s project might be the platonic ideal of hacks: It starts with an inexpensive base (just $13!), it uses really easy-to-find and affordable materials, and it’s something you can finish in the span of an afternoon.
If you like the look of the ZEBRASÄV pendant light but want to hack it in a different style, here are some ideas you could try.
Have you hacked an IKEA light fixture before? How did it go? Let us know in the comments!