IKEA picture ledges do so much more than hold pictures. These display shelves are jacks-of-all-trades, acting as baby clothes storage, charging stations, and even NERF targets.
One of the biggest advantages of picture ledges is their slim width, which makes them a perfect fit practically anywhere. Therefore, it’s no surprise that many of them would end up as the featured product in countless IKEA hacks.
Although the RIBBA has been discontinued, there are tons of other awesome IKEA picture ledges to take its place.
Many hacks featuring the RIBBA still work with the newer models of ledges, and they’re all pretty easy to do, too!
IKEA Picture Ledges for Even More DIY Fun
The MOSSLANDA is most similar in material to the RIBBA. It comes in 2 length options and several finishes. The major difference is the groove along the bottom to keep smaller frames at the perfect angle.
The MÅLERÅS shelf is made from bamboo and also carries a similar groove.
The MELLÖSA shelf doesn’t have a groove, but it’s made from acrylic, making it virtually invisible, which really shows off your items.
The MALMBÄCK has a more urban loft, industrial vibe thanks to its powder-coated steel construction.
And the newest addition to the picture ledge family, the NORDHÄGG, is solid, untreated pine. You can leave it natural or paint it to suit your style. It also has a special groove to keep smaller items at the ideal angle.
Lastly, the HÄSTVISKARE is more of a wall organizer, but worth mentioning since the shelf has a lip similar to the picture ledges. Use it to display items, and get the bonus of handy hooks. It offers a different option if you’re in the mood to flex your DIY muscles.
IKEA Picture Ledge Hacks You’ve Got to Try
1. Charging Outlets Behind the Couch
Ever find yourself comfy on the couch, ready to scroll through your favorite funny cat videos, only to find your phone’s out of battery? Instead of hassling with a hard-to-reach outlet, make charging a breeze with this hack from Gülcan Öztürk @roses.interior. She turned a picture ledge into a convenient charging shelf that’s within easy reach.
2. Hidden Charging Station
Nowadays, it’s pretty hard to avoid having electronics plugged in out in the open. It seems we’re always charging phones, tablets, watches, and all other kinds of gadgets. But Olesia @renovation_with_ole decided that convenience didn’t have to mean sacrificing style, so she created this sweet hidden charging station out of two IKEA picture ledges.
3. Shelf With Accent Lighting
It doesn’t get much easier than this light-up shelf hack. Elisa @drellsky.home simply flips a MOSSLANDA picture ledge upside-down and hangs it on the wall. An LED strip positioned behind the rim remains out of sight, providing soft accent lighting that enhances the overall appearance of the shelf.
4. Turn It Into a Valance
Hide unsightly curtain tracks by hanging IKEA picture ledges from the ceiling, like Süreyya Tuncer @sues_daily. The hack turns the shelves into instant curtain pelmets and is perfect for adding a dash of elegance to your design without the high price tag of custom valances.
5. Rotating Bookshelf
Save space and store books in style with a movable and rotating bookshelf that’s perfect for a kid’s room or play space. Teresa Casamonti @teresacasamonti creates a tall bookshelf on wheels out of several IKEA picture ledges. It’s functional and cute, and the front-facing setup is an excellent way for children to easily identify books.
6. Easy Medals Display
Need a better way to showcase your awards and other prized possessions? Shaun shows off several different ways to hack picture ledges into medal displays with just a few extra touches. A rail or rod is usually all it takes to create a trophy stand with style.
7. Cute Scalloped Bookshelves
It’s so nice when a hack not only looks good but is quick to do! These adorable bookshelves from Sarah Klingenberg @sarahs_scandi_home are super easy to make. Sarah simply glued BEGRIPA handles to the ledge to add the cute scalloped detail.
8. IKEA Picture Ledge in the Entryway
When you don’t have a spacious landing, an IKEA picture ledge can work wonders. Use it to catch your mail and keys. Go one step further with a customized LEGO key holder.
9. Create a Slim Shoe Shelf
Maximize tight entryways by mounting picture ledges and LOSJÖN knobs to hold up to three pairs of shoes per shelf. It’s a sleek, wall-mounted shoe storage perfect for narrow landings or hallways.
10. Discreet wine rack
It is wide enough for regular wine bottles, and the lower lip stops the bottles rolling off. Carol mounted the ledges up on her kitchen alcove, making use of the space and keeping the bottles out of sight with this almost hidden wine rack.
11. Spices and utensil rack
Add a GRUNDTAL rail to the underside of the IKEA picture ledge and you’ve doubled its usefulness. Spice jars go on top, utensils under this wall-mounted spice rack.
12. Cat’s skywalk
Mount the IKEA picture ledges all around the room to give your cat an elevated highway to run on. Also serves as a cool place to perch and ignore humans. See instructions for the cat skywalk.
13. To display your favourite things
Use the RIBBA picture ledge (or others) to display your collections. See how it’s done.
14. Light up the wall
An IKEA picture ledge and LEDBERG LED lights make an unusual uplighter. Read more.
15. High bed bookshelf
Mount a picture ledge — sideways — to the KURA bed’s side panel and you have a space to slot all your kid’s favourite bedtime books. See how it’s done here.
16. Toddler bookshelf
No KURA bed? No problem. Attach 2 picture ledges to a board and DIY your own mini bookshelf. Just the right height for toddlers. Click for the toddler bookshelf tutorial.
17. Mini NERF Target Range
Transform an IKEA picture ledge into a fun at-home NERF shooting range using laminated target printouts, steel hinges, and Velcro tape. It’s compact, easy to store, and perfect for indoor play.
18. Raise your monitor
Prop up your monitor with this sleek monitor stand made from a shelf and sized down picture ledges.
19. A tablet stand
Minimal, almost zen-like tablet stand.
20. Organize your tools
Build a cheap and easy wall-mounted tool display rack. Take an IKEA Picture Ledge and put a lot of holes into it. Easy to see and grab what you need.
21. Hold up your bike
No fancy pants bike rack here. Just two picture ledges, a nylon rope, and a carabiner. See how to hack a picture ledge bike rack. You may also like this DIY bike ledge.
How have you used the IKEA Picture Ledge? Tell us in the comments. Or if you’ve hacked it, we want to see it! Submit your project here or tag us on Instagram @ikeahackersofficial.