Garrison 34" Tall Barstool Novali Swivel Counter Stool Chesterfield Walnut Finish Bar Stool Emily 26" Counter Stool Big & Tall Copper-Stamped Back Bar Stool with Arms (Assorted Sizes) Travis Saddle Seat Counter Stool Seville Backless Counter Stool Travis Saddle Seat Bar StoolWith its friendly price tags, it’s hard to not make IKEA a go-to source for all things home decor. And whether you’re lacking storage, counter space or a pantry, you can hack some of IKEA’s products for a completely custom look at a fraction of the cost. Just take a scroll through these 24 brilliant hacks for your next inexpensive kitchen update. From combining bookshelves into a pantry to making an herb garden out of a wine rack, these hacks will help solve just about every kitchen conundrum. 1. Marble Island: No, that isn’t contact paper. But buying a tiny piece of marble sure is cheaper than redoing the whole kitchen. Or, if you want to save a little dough, just paint the IKEA Beckvam kitchen cart a deep gray and add pretty gold hardware for a sophisticated little island you’ll love forever.

(via Oliver and Rust) 2. Bar Cart: If you’re lucky enough to have plenty of space in your kitchen for a bar, DIY your way to this fabulous gilded bar cart. We can already imagine whipping up some delicious cocktails in this pretty space. (via Sugar and Cloth) 3. Updated Legs: Got a boring old kitchen table you’re ready to disown? Before you ditch it, try replacing the legs with IKEA hairpin legs for a much more modern and personalized table. 4. Glam Touches: We’ll never say no to a golden DIY. And what kitchen wouldn’t benefit from a little extra glam? 5. Dining Sideboard: We’ve seen the IKEA Tarva dresser hacked into colorful styles for the bedroom, but it can also be a classy addition to the dining room or breakfast nook. (via All Things G&D) 6. Wall of Drawers: If space is limited in your house, you must get creative with storage. These wooden IKEA CD drawers came in sets of two, so the homeowners bought 30, then whitewashed them and created a wall of drawers in their pantry. 

7. Kitchen Herb Garden: Turn things upside down and use the IKEA wine rack as a mini herb garden instead. Ticketmaster T ShirtsJust make sure you mount it near the window so the little guys get enough light. Growing Weed Indoors From Seed 8. Add Storage: Can we get an amen that there is never enough storage in kitchen shelves? Replacing Bathtub Hot Water ValveInstead of stacking things up on the counter or stuffing ’em into drawers, add some more pull-out shelving to your existing cabinets. 9. DIY Kitchen Island: This beautiful kitchen counter was hacked out of an EXPEDIT bookshelf and a bit of NUMERÄR countertop. There are wheels, there are bar stools and there are cutouts for garbage bins down below. 10. Hanging Storage: Perfect for small kitchens without much counter space, the IKEA Fintorp system takes advantage of vertical storage to keep your fruit stylishly displayed.

11. Kitchen Console: Is that a dresser in your kitchen? Add a fresh coat of paint and some vibrant knobs to an IKEA dresser and you’ve got a ton more kitchen storage that can come along when you move. 12. Colorful Island: Here’s proof that sometimes all you need is a gallon of bright paint to make an IKEA piece one of a kind. You can take it even a step further and update the drawers with contact paper or thin pieces of wood. (via The Hunted Interior) 13. Kitchen Sink: Don’t know about you, but sometimes that area under the sink makes us cringe. Organize that pile of cleaning supplies, garbage bags and other miscellaneous things with the IKEA Knuff magazine files. 14. Double Up: Two is better than one in the case of this kitchen. Complete with a charging station, bulk jars and baskets for trays, the extra space is invaluable. (via Cozy Cottage Cute) 15. Open Shelving: We’re loving open shelving in the kitchen and are definitely down to DIY our own. All you need are brackets from IKEA and the perfect piece of wood from your hardware store.

16. Bookshelves Turned Island: Attach multiple Billy bookcases together and top with an IKEA butcher block for a stylish kitchen update. (via Golden Boys and Me) 17. Personalized Cutting Boards: Dress up an inexpensive IKEA cutting board with a pretty leather handle for a one-of-a-kind chopping block. 18. Freestanding Pantry: If you like the idea of open shelving but are underwhelmed by a few of the messier kitchen items, try hacking an Expedit bookshelf with partial coverage to get the best of both worlds. 19. Cart Rescue: Small in stature but bold in color, the IKEA bar cart is the hero of the kitchen. Tuck it in the pantry for extra storage, use it as a mini island or set it up as a coffee bar — this little guy does it all. 20. DIY Wine Bar: If you (or your significant other) know their way around power tools, you can make the IKEA butcher block counter top look much fancier by beveling the edge. 21. New Bling: A couple of easy tweaks make this IKEA kitchen look custom designed with DIY leather handles and black toe kicks. 

22. Black and White: Painting the inside of the shelves black makes the space feel more unified with the rest of the kitchen. Plus, those baskets are perfect for hiding things you don’t really want out on display. 23. Locker Room Style: Have you ever considered using a locker for a pantry? They are narrow, light and magnetic so you can stack up spice jars and to-do lists. (via Better Homes and Gardens) 24. IKEA Makeover: From the locker pantry to the painted island, this light and bright little kitchen is the poster child for small space living. (via The Shabby Creek Cottage)Full text of "Better Homes and Gardens December 2015" Photo By: Photo: Todd Plitt/HGTV Photo By: Courtesy of Manufacturer It's taken me seven months to find the perfect barstools for my soon-to-be-renovated kitchen. The decision is a lot trickier than choosing chairs for a table. Since barstools are taller and your feet don't rest on the floor, a comfortable seat is key, as is a foot-support bar at the right height to avoid awkward leg dangling.

Other things to consider: Round or square? Here are some tricks I've learned to help you find the right stools for your space. The distance from seat to countertop is important. For comfort, aim for 11 inches — so if your counter is 36 inches high, choose a stool that's 25 inches high. For a 42-inch breakfast bar, you'll need one 31 inches tall. Barstools should be farther apart than dining chairs. Aim for about 28 inches from the middle of one stool to the middle of the next. (Dining chairs, which require less legroom, need just 24 inches.) Measure the amount of space you have for your stools, then divide by 28 — that's how many you should buy. But if there are protruding brackets under the counter that take up leg space, you may not be able to fit as many stools. A backless stool looks sleeker and less bulky, but if you're going to use the stools regularly for eating, you'll be happier with a backrest. Not all stools have a footrest, but that bottom bar does make sitting more comfortable.

If you need versatility, look for stools that have an adjustable footrest or two bars at different heights. Think about everyone in the family. If you have children, you might want to get adjustable-height stools so they can reach the counter to eat and do their homework. It may mean their feet don't reach the footrest, but kids are used to dangling, so it doesn't bother them. It's more important that the seat is close enough to the countertop. Round stools take up a little less space than square ones. Both styles look nice, but I think that round barstools tend to be less disruptive to a room's flow. If your space is tight, choose stools with swiveling seats. You want to be able to turn easily to have a conversation without having to pull the barstool out and push it back. If they have a heavy pattern like granite or marble, go for subtle barstools, maybe wood in the same color family as your cabinets. If your countertops are plainer, like a solid-color laminate or butcher block, the stools can have more pizzazz — try bright leather, vinyl or an upholstered fabric.