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IKEA HYLLIS Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam

by on Feb 14, 2017

Photo: Faith Towers

The moment I ran across the Hyllis shelf on IKEA’s website, I knew I had to hack it. My dining room was crying out for a shelf upgrade, so I drove down to IKEA immediately and bought three of them. You guys… they’re only $15 apiece! My resulting hack has a glamorous vibe with a bit of rustic appeal, and it’s super simple to do. Click through to check it out.   

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

So much better, right?! I’m loving the contrast of the gold with the dark stained wood. Let’s get started!

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

Here’s what you’ll need for this project:

  • IKEA Hyllis
  • Gold spray paint (I recommend Montana Gold)
  • Dark wood stain
  • Four pieces of wood, size 10.5 x 23.5 and about 3/4 inch thick
  • Sandpaper
  • E6000 Glue
  • Rag or scrap of fabric
  • Rubber gloves
  • At least two C-Clamps (not pictured) 
IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

Begin by assembling the Hyllis shelf according to the directions and then spray paint it gold. You’ll probably need two thin coats… let it dry thoroughly between coats. And yes, I spray paint in the snow. It’s not ideal because the paint dries slower, but sometimes you have to make due!

Be sure to wipe down the shelf thoroughly with a clean rag to remove fingerprints before you paint, and don’t forget to paint the undersides of the shelves and the insides of the support pieces.

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

Next, apply the stain to the four pieces of wood. If you’ve never used stain before, don’t be intimidated – it’s surprisingly simple and forgiving! Just be sure to do it in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves and old clothes. Because it is aptly named… it stains. 

Let them dry overnight. You don’t really have to do the undersides of the boards, but make sure you get the sides and go onto the edges of the undersides a bit (shown below).

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

Now apply a generous portion of E6000 glue to the underside of the board, especially near the edges, and flip it over onto the Hyllis shelf.  

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

Use C-clamps to ensure that the wood is firmly attached the the shelf. Most wood will be warped slightly, so this step is pretty important. Be sure to place a piece of scrap wood in between the clamp and the stained wood or else you’ll end up with a round indentation where the clamp was.

Place one clamp on each side of the shelf, and let the glue dry for several hours. If you only have two clamps, move them to the next shelf and repeat the process. If you have eight clamps, you can do them all at once!

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

And that’s it… you’re finished! Now go fill it with pretty knick-knacks. I love the look of it more and more everyday. The shelf we had there before was all wood, and it felt dark and dated. The metal frame of the Hyllis really adds airiness and makes the room feel much more open.

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

And a quick safety note: be sure to bolt it to the wall, just like you would any tall shelf. There are small holes just below the top shelf that will allow you to do so. And before you call me out for not doing it, don’t worry – it’s on my to-do list for today!

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

You could personalize this project by painting the wood a different color… white if you want to go super glam, or a bright color if you want to add some funkiness.

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

This would look great in any room of the house – I can imagine it in the kitchen with piles of white dishware on the shelves, or in the kids’ room with fabric bins for toy storage.

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Photo: Faith Towers

Feel free to leave any questions you have in the comments section below. Happy crafting everyone!

IKEA Hack: A Utilitarian Shelf Goes Rustic Glam
Share this project on Pinterest! [Photo: Faith Towers]

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7 Comments

  1. Clever! I’m one of those unfortunate souls living hours from Ikea. 🙁 I think, though, I can find a similar sort of shelf somewhere near…..It looks terrific in your dining room.

  2. Thanks so much Aidel.K! You can actually buy this particular piece online at ikea.com in case you’re interested 🙂

  3. Love it! I am going for an industrial farm house type vibe in my kitchen, so I am going to use the shelving unit with the galvanized steel finish and cutting and staining and gluing down pallet wood planks to tailor it for myself. Thanks so much for the idea!

  4. @TinaC that’s a great idea! Love that you’re tailoring it to your own home’s style!!

  5. Hi! Just wondering how this has held up and if you’ve had any problems with painting the galvanized steel. I’ve read a ton of blogs about problems with things from Ikea that are galvanized (which they say this shelf is). I also have one sitting in my laundry room that I’m ready to put to another use. Your work is beautiful!

  6. Thanks Sara! It has held up quite well, we haven’t had any problems with it. You can see from the close-up process photos that the spray paint has some variation in the finish, but if that doesn’t bother you then I think you’ll be happy with the result!