Before and after: This minimalist IKEA KALLAX is now a bespoke kitchen bench

The iconic KALLAX – perhaps IKEA’s most recognized piece – is a recurring staple amongst our favorite IKEA hacks. However, we may have just discovered a KALLAX hack like no other. 

Enter Yves Verelst (opens in new tab), who transformed his conventional KALLAX into an elegant bench that stands as the focal point of his kitchen. While this room is not the most orthodox location for the Scandi-cool unit, Yves has inspired us to redesign the staple and create a functional – but no less functional furnishing in the most social room of your home. 

From upcoming cocktail parties to a Sunday morning coffee retreat, this is the KALLAX makeover you never knew your kitchen needed. But how did Yves turn the beloved unit into a stylish seat? Here, he shares the design process behind the statement.

IKEA KALLAX: Before the hack 

Yves explains that the idea for the bench came from his desire to create space – and add an element of coziness in his kitchen. He also wanted to include power plugs into furnishing, following the requirement to work from home. So, he set out to the decor powerhouse to pick up a KALLAX (opens in new tab) shelf. 

After purchasing, Yves assembled the unit and then some additional side boxes that he also used to store power. ‘In my case, this build needed to fit in between two other cabinets, so I added side boxes that are approximately about 30cm wide,’ Yves explains in his blog (opens in new tab). 

He adds that if you do not have any space constraints, then you can make the bench as wide as desired.

IKEA KALLAX: During the hack

The next step involved cutting the seating area, which Yves did with a circular saw from a large piece of plywood. For the depth of the bench – where you would sit – he recommends finding a comfortable seat in another part of your home and measuring the depth of the seating – as this acts as the basis of your design. 

‘I laid all the strips out on the table, they were cut to the same with as the bench seat, then added all ton of wood glue and laid the plywood on top,’ he explains. Yves finished the seating area by adding hardwood edges that give the piece a truly bespoke aesthetic.

Then, once the seat was complete, Yves decorated the back of the bench by adding oak and pine strips to the plywood. 

IKEA KALLAX: After the hack 

Once the structure was complete, Yves decorated the bench with rustic task lights, IKEA's BRANÄS (opens in new tab) storage boxes, and soft furnishings – to emphasize the ‘cozy’ look he so craved. The result is the modern kitchen idea we’re rushing to recreate. 

‘After squeezing the bench in between two cabinets, it was time to take some pictures, fill the boxes, and beg my wife to make a cushion for the bench,’ Yves says. 

If you need us, we’ll be in the IKEA warehouse this weekend.