3 min readWe all want our homes to feel high-end, but no one wants to break the bank. Whether you’re decorating a single room or an entire home, it can be hard to find stylish, chic, and timeless pieces that won’t break your budget. While it's not impossible to find the perfect pieces by skimming shelves and walking through displays, it is easier when pieces are meant to adapt, come with built-in versatility, and are just plain enough to become ultra-customizable—like IKEA furniture.
Interior designers curate beautiful homes for a living, but they aren’t always chasing big price tags to achieve their clients’ personal flair. In fact, the best know that you can curate a beautiful space while staying affordable and accessible. Ahead, here are five affordable IKEA products that designers have made look like a million bucks in their home projects.
The BILLY Bookcase
When designer Alexander D. Wilson began the massive overhaul project of converting a 1920s Upper East Side apartment into a modern home for a young family of four, he knew he needed to design the space with growth in mind. When crafting the boy’s bedroom, he focused on building a space that could evolve with his growing passions and curiosity. Working with a navy blue palette and draped in linen wall coverings, Wilson opted to bring in a simple, chic IKEA BILLY Bookcase fitted with glass doors to house books, school supplies, and trinkets.
The BESTÅ Storage System
There's a reason midcentury design has remained a favorite through decades of shifting trends. Defined by clean lines, functional living, and understated minimalism, the style is at the heart of this Waco, Texas, home that belongs to Ashley Maddox, director of styling at Joanna Gaines's Magnolia Creative.
Working alongside interior designer and co-worker Hilary Walke, Maddox refreshed the home while preserving its unmistakable midcentury character. In the dining room, surrounded by warm metallic accents and streamlined silhouettes, the duo transformed a set of IKEA BESTÅ cabinets into a custom wall-mounted credenza, proving that the collection's crisp white finish and sleek profile can look right at home in a thoughtfully designed space.
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Design duo Andrea Fisk and Jess Hinshaw transformed a former post office built in the 1850s into a warm, welcoming home. To bring that vision to life, they embraced a rustic kitchen that feels both timeless and inviting.
The IKEA HÄGERNÄS dining table set proved to be the perfect fit for this Leeds, New York, home. Its compact footprint makes the most of the modest square footage, while its simple silhouette complements the shiplap-lined kitchen. Finished in a deeper pine stain, the table also creates subtle contrast against the honey walnut-clad space, adding richness and depth without competing with the room's cozy character.
The EKTORP Sofa
When former Good Housekeeping editor-in-chief Jane Francisco and her husband, nature photographer Colin Faulkner, purchased a five-bedroom Queen Anne Victorian in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, they envisioned it as their dream renovation project. But once contractors got involved, they uncovered a host of hidden issues, including an outdated HVAC system and failing plumbing. What they expected to be a straightforward labor of love quickly turned into a two-year overhaul.
By the time the dust settled, comfort had become the couple's top priority. Naturally, IKEA's EKTORP sofa earned a place in the finished home. Known for its deep, plush cushions, rolled arms, and machine-washable slipcovers, the sofa has long been a fan favorite. Although IKEA has since discontinued the EKTORP model, its sensibility lives on in the UPPLAND—a slightly larger sofa with nearly the same classic look and cozy feel.
The LOHALS Rug
In the same project, Francisco and Faulkner skipped a formal dining room in favor of a more relaxed living space. As they told House Beautiful, they wanted the home to feel light, airy, and effortlessly lived-in. To reinforce that organic, grounded aesthetic, they anchored the room with IKEA's LOHALS rug. Woven from natural fibers, it brings warmth, texture, and subtle color to the otherwise all-white palette, enhancing the home's easygoing feel without overpowering the space.
