DIY

17 IKEA Mirror Hacks to Liven Up Any Home in 2025

by: Ashley Reut

Published on Dec 26th 2024

In Sweden, folks proudly display their IKEA furniture, but in the United States, you’re encouraged to find a way to make up an IKEA mirror hack or re-purpose your furniture to make it appear high-end. Lucky for you, there are tons of really popular IKEA hacks that you can just copy and paste without needing your own inspiration.

From gluing wallpaper inside (or outside) your drawers or cabinets to more involved projects that involve a wood saw and a nail gun, the best part about this Swedish powerhouse is that their furniture is affordable and, in the best way possible, kind of plain. These IKEA mirror hacks will transform your bedroom, bathroom or front entryway. The best part is no one needs to know you took a relatively cheap mirror and made it look expensive.

IKEA Mirror Hacks for the Bathroom

Norse Interiors details the most popular pieces to re-do, from IKEA desk hacks to affordable “built-in” cabinetry. When it comes to furnishing your new apartment or home, you’ll soon realize how expensive even basic items can be. If you’ve never bought curtains… buckle up. The same thing goes for mirrors. It’s a quick way to elevate your space from looking cookie-cutter or cheap to thoughtfully decorated.

1. Use Art Class Skills

You never know when being crafty can come in handy, and freshening up your creative skills like painting or woodworking with online art classes will have you ready to tackle any DIY home decor project. Some of these incredible IKEA mirror hacks will involve painting, Mod Podge and maybe even some light woodworking. You can save a ton of money trying to make something beautiful from scratch rather than buying an overpriced designer version. And the satisfaction you will feel can’t be bought.

2. Vanity Mirror With Lights

You don’t need to spend a fortune on a massive vanity mirror that illuminates the room for makeup application or checking out your outfits. This IKEA mirror hack for the bathroom or bedroom uses strips of LED lights from Amazon that can easily be adjusted to fit perfectly around your mirror. They have a built-in dimmer switch too so you can control the brightness.

3. Suspended Mirror

You’ll save so much money using one of the simplest IKEA mirror hacks for the bathroom or bedroom. All you need, in addition to your circular mirror, is an old leather belt and some really strong adhesive. You can make it a little extra sturdy by adding a few small nails on the sides where the belt is attached. Make sure your belt is decently thick and sturdy, then simply glue part of it down the sides of the circle and let it dry. Hang by the middle of the belt and enjoy this trendy item for less.

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4. Minimalist’s Dream

There’s no crafting or DIY work involved in this IKEA mirror hack for the bathroom, just a little bit of out-of-the-box thinking. The LINDBYN mirror has clean shelving behind it, which creates a nice minimalist design for your bathroom. It's a sleek mirror that’s affordable and slightly more chic than just a wall of mirrors. Place two next to each other for his and hers mirrors with shelving. Add a few neat lights over the top and enjoy.

5. Thumbtack Mirror

You’ll be delighted to find how easy this IKEA mirror hack for the bathroom is. It works better with smaller mirrors that can function as artwork in your powder room. Using a small circular mirror, buy yourself some corkboard and some fancy-looking thumbtacks. Neat silver circles or something similar work nicely. Cut your corkboard so it’s a circle about two to three inches wider than your mirror. Glue your mirror down with a strong adhesive and begin adding tacks in a tight circle, starting from the inside out.

IKEA Mirror Hacks for the Living Room

6. DIY Driftwood

This IKEA mirror hack for your living room or bedroom will save you a ton of money. After purchasing the BLÅSER mirror, you can either collect driftwood if you live near the beach or purchase it from a craft or outdoor store. You’ll need quite a few pieces, in varying lengths, to complete the design. Cut some plywood so your mirror fits in the middle of the circle with a few inches of overhang around it. Glue it down using Gorilla Glue or your favorite strong adhesive. Clamping the mirror will help it to dry flat and evenly over a few days. Then, use a hot glue gun to layer the driftwood pieces around. After your design is dry, fix something to the back so you can hang it.

7. DIY Tiled Ceiling

Grab yourself a bunch of Honefoss mirror tiles from IKEA (or Ebay) and get ready for a major wow factor with this IKEA mirror hack for your living room or dining room. Lay out your tiles in the desired pattern first. You’ll want to place them right underneath/around your chandelier to help reflect light and add more dimension to your room. Attach them using some sturdy glue and some painter’s tape or, better yet, adjustable braces to hold them in place while they dry.

8. Mirrored Cube Tables

Who says that mirrors have to hang on the wall? This funky IKEA mirror hack for the living room will make your lounging area feel bigger thanks to the reflective sides of these little cube tables. Lay three mirror tiles down next to each other, mirror side down. Connect them with adhesive tape to hold them in place, then apply brackets right along the edge of the middle tile using a good amount of glue. Once one side is dry, glue the other tile to the bracket and repeat on the other side, eventually adding four sides. To attach the last piece, glue your brackets upside down near the edges, then add glue right on your mirror tile and carefully place it on top.

9. Watercolor Edges

This may be one of the easiest IKEA mirror hacks for the living room or bedroom, requiring only glass stain and a water dropper. Add glass stain to a few different recycled dropper bottles and play around adding blobs of each color to parts of your mirror. Let them dry for a bit, then carefully dry further with a paper towel. This is a fun way to add subtle pops of color to your space and transform a cheap, boring mirror into something eye-catching.

IKEA Mirror Hacks With Frames

10. Gilded Glory

If you’ve ever looked into purchasing one of those gorgeous, trending gilded mirrors then you know they can cost a pretty penny. This is one of the IKEA mirror hacks that uses a frame to transform the Nissedal mirror, along with some wooden appliques and a bit of gold paint. Prime your appliques with white paint, then spray the front and back with Rust-Oleum Metallic spray paint in satin bronze. Let one side dry completely before painting the other. Lightly sand the existing mirror frame, and use painter’s tape and newspaper to protect the shiny part. Spray the mirror’s frame all over, including the back and sides, letting each side dry before moving on. Then, attach your appliques with a hot glue gun to the sides and corners of the mirror and voila!

11. Wallpaper Frame

This is one of the most affordable and fun IKEA mirror hacks as it uses a frame made out of recycled wallpaper to add a fun pop of color to your space. Choose whatever roll-on wallpaper you like, making note that a busier pattern can help to hide imperfections, especially around edges. Select your IKEA mirror with a thicker frame, ideally an inch or more. Using wallpaper glue, a ruler and wallpaper paste, get to work cutting out sections and applying them, starting with the two long sides.

12. Modern Asymmetrical Frame

Get trendy with this DIY frame, one of the coolest IKEA mirror hacks. You’ve probably seen those abstract mirrors and trays made popular on social media. You’ll be using the mirror tiles, so this blob mirror will end up on the small side, but you can always make multiple ones and scatter them on the wall like art.

Start by outlining your desired blob shape using a permanent marker on the mirror tile. Use a glass cutter to score and cut, going at a 45-degree angle and working slowly (with protective gear on!). Place your mirror on some cardboard and trace around the same shape, about 1.5 cm outside and another line for 1.5 cm inside.

Use a box cutter to cut around the outside and inside lines. Use a strong adhesive to stick the mirror to the smaller piece of cardboard. Place your outer cardboard layer on top of the mirror, making sure to line up the edges. Slowly spread air-dry clay over the top of the cardboard, filling in any holes and cracks. As it dries, layer more on. Keep going until you've reached your desired thickness. You can add a coat of paint once dry if desired.

13. Vintage Sun Mirror

With a bit of work, this is one of the most artistic IKEA mirror hacks for your living room or bathroom that can become a true work of art. Using the FRÄCK mirror, and dismounting it from its stand, you’ll use Mod Podge and tissue paper on wires to create lush leaves or sunbeams around your mirror. You can use gold tissue paper, or spray your final design with paint before attaching your mirror to the cardboard base.

IKEA Mirrors Hacks for the Hallway

14. Make a Grid

If you’ve got a dark, windowless hallway in your home, a simple IKEA mirror hack can transform the space quickly and affordably. You’ll be using the IKEA mirror tiles, so you can customize the size to your needs. Strip the backing with a paint stripper, then spray on vinegar solution to slightly dissolve the silver finish. This gives the piece an antique, lived-in feel that’s cozy and not too stark. After rinsing and drying the backs, spray with a bit of gold or black paint — just a spritz. After drying thoroughly, you can attach them to your wall with double-sided tape or something similar. Elevate the design by attaching half-round dowels that you’ve painted black at each seam.

15. Ambient Lighting

Add some cool ambient lighting to your space with these IKEA mirror hacks for the hallway or bedroom. Using the Hovet mirror, purchase some self-adhesive LED cables with a power supply and a J-shaped aluminum molding bar. Saw your molding bars to the exact height and width of the mirror, and attach them with glue or screws. Attach the adhesive LED strip to the back of the molding bars, then drill a small hole in the aluminum frame for your power cord.

16. Star Mirror

Add an expensive touch to an inexpensive mirror that will double as artwork in your hallway or bedroom. This is one of the simplest IKEA mirror hacks that require just a few supplies and not that much time. After purchasing a round framed mirror, you’ll need some small wooden dowels, spray paint and some wood glue.

Measure (and cut) your wooden dowels so they fit within your circular frame. Arrange them in the star-like criss-cross pattern that you desire, and glue them together in the center. After the glue has dried, use a craft knife to cut away the excess. Spray paint them, on both sides, and once dry, attach them to your hanging mirror using double-sided tape so it’s easy to clean the mirror.

17. Vintage Farmhouse Vibes

Turn a long vertical mirror into a rustic farmhouse vision with one of the easiest IKEA mirror hacks for your hallway. Using white chalk paint and some wood trim, you’ll be creating a rustic grid over the large vertical mirror. You can ultimately hang your piece or lean it against the wall on top of a table. It’s okay to be a little less than precise with the white paint, and you can always distress the mirror with some spray paint or vinegar water mix for an extra-antique look.

IKEA Mirror Hacks FAQs

What Do You Use to Hang an IKEA Mirror?

It depends on the size and type of the IKEA mirror that you're going to hang, but also where you're going to hang it. You might use brackets and nails for heavier mirrors in brick walls, or keyhole hangers, adhesive tape or hooks to hang lighter mirrors. If your mirror is heavy, you’ll want to make sure you're using a strong enough bracket or screw, and going right into a stud behind the wall for extra support.

How Do You Stick an IKEA Mirror to the Wall?

Some of the smaller, lighter IKEA mirrors come with double-sided tape to stick them to your wall. Following the instructions provided, you can add the tape to your mirror first, then remove the protective film before pressing it firmly against your wall. Always double-check the packaging that your mirror came with and note that especially if you added weight with one of these IKEA mirror hacks, you may need additional support to hang your mirror.

Can I Hang an IKEA Mirror With Command Strips?

Some smaller IKEA mirrors can be hung using command strips. As previously noted, sometimes extra weight is added with additional frames or wooden dowels. You should always err on the side of caution and. if anything. use a hanging method for a slightly higher weight than your mirror.

Nothing feels as satisfying as creating a beautiful piece for your home and knowing you saved hundreds of dollars. These IKEA mirror hacks are simple enough that almost anyone can do them, and the finished product will look so neat you’d never know it was homemade. There are tons of other IKEA hacks to get that designer look for less, especially if you’re skilled with wood cutting. Plus, the satisfaction that you feel when you hack the system is something you never get just from buying. Whether you’re starting small with kitchen hacks or graduating to hacking your interior design, you’re bound to learn a lot along the way.

For even more fun hacks around the home, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!