It may be the fact that I write for a magazine for a living (who could say), but I’m always on the hunt for stylish ways to display the many, many glossies I’ve got in my home. I’ve had the image at the top of this article, a living room by Atelier Karasinki, pinned on my moodboard for a while now — the leaning magazine display looks so luxe. And then, I came across an IKEA hack for it.
While I love traditional magazine racks that sit on the floor, mine is stuffed full. Truthfully, the magazines don’t get read anymore, and the covers are squished away and out-of-sight. With a tall, front-facing magazine shelf, your paperbacks get a renewed place of prominence and can become a styling point in your space. This way, your magazines can become almost something to hang on your wall instead of art.
So, how hard is the DIY? If you’re like me, there’s nothing more annoying than a project that gets so complicated it might as well have been a custom job. I’m happy to report that this is not one of those, and in fact, I will be trying it out for myself as soon as I can find the time. Here’s what you need to know.
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Stephany’s magazine rack DIY looks so expensive.
Image credit: Stephany Hanna
It looks like a custom piece.
Image credit: Stephany Hanna
I spoke with Stephany Hana, the designer and mastermind behind this magazine rack IKEA DIY, and she explained that it came about while trying to find an impactful shelving idea for an office space on a teeny-tiny budget.
“We wanted a way to display books, magazines, and awards, so I initially looked for suitable shelving,” she tells me. “When I couldn’t find anything beautiful on the market, I decided to design and create a custom piece myself.”
“Since the space was tight, I wanted something with minimal depth,” she adds. “I started thinking about ledges, and then came up with the idea of mounting them on a panel.” The result is a true statement piece — almost like a work of art itself — that still serves a functional purpose.
Stephany Hanna is a Dubai-based interior designer. Stephany has a Master’s degree in Interior Architecture from the Lebanese University, Faculty of Beaux-Arts. In 2017, she founded Step Into Detail, which has grown into a distinguished interior design studio based in both Dubai and Lebanon, offering a comprehensive range of services for all types of projects.
For this project, Stephany used an IKEA tabletop like the LAGKAPTEN, typically designed for desks, with MOSSLANDA picture ledges. While the black colorway she used is no longer available, it’s easy to paint IKEA furniture, and the brand has a white and wood-look option to choose from.
“Assembling the magazine rack was super simple,” says Stephany. “We screwed the ledges onto the tabletop, which was positioned vertically and floor-mounted as a panel. We carefully spaced the ledges to accommodate books and magazines — and voilà!” Easy as one, two, three.
For something different, you could coat the shelving in a hot color trend for a statement (I painted my IKEA Billy bookcases a bright red — it was easy, and I love the way it turned out).
Stephany also says, “Another great choice is the transparent MELLÖSA picture ledge also from IKEA, which creates a floating effect for the displayed items thanks to its transparency.” There are plenty of modifications you can make (like buying a larger or smaller table top), but below are the basics for creating the DIY.
IKEA
LAGKAPTEN Table Top in White
IKEA
TROTTEN Table Top in White
IKEA
MOSSLANDA Picture Ledge in White
I love the elegant look of the dark wood in this piece. Plus, leaving the top shelf bare creates a really nice visual.
(Image credit: Ana S. Barros. Design: Atelier Karasinski)
As for styling, it’s relatively easy to make this leaning magazine shelf feel chic. What originally struck me about the Atelier Karasinski design was the height of the shelf and the contrast between the dark wood and the wall. It feels anchored in its place and striking, yet still harmonious with the rest of the design. A similar effect can be made with the right paint color or wood stain.
Try placing the shelves at different heights along the desk top to create contrasting visual weight — larger books at the bottom and smaller zines at the top (just be sure to leave enough room for your chosen books and magazines to fit).
Then you can style the magazine shelf much like you would style a bookcase. Consider whether you want the magazine covers to color-coordinate with the room or create contrast. Picking what publications to feature is the most fun part (though, of course, I’d recommend subscribing to Livingetc magazine for that).
Shop Stylish Alternatives
If you can’t make it to IKEA, there are still plenty of ways to try and replicate this magazine rack DIY at home. Whether you try a metal shelf, an industrial-style variation, or a few floating shelves, the result is still a wall full of publications that are more visually interesting than the expected art piece hanging there.
Here are a few of my favorite magazine racks that don’t require any extra work.
La Redoute
Niouz Metal Display
Latitude Run
Wooden Tree Display Stand
Etsy
Black Wood Wall Magazine Rack
HÜBSCH
Gap Wall Magazine Rack
Mustard Made
Wall-Mounted Shelf the Ledge Small
CMYUN
Acrylic Magazine Holder
Isn’t it fun when your latest design inspiration can double as an easy DIY? For more inspiration like this that you won’t want to miss, be sure to subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter.
