This genius IKEA coffee table hack using serving bowls is breaking the internet

If you've got Soho Home taste without the budget, this one's for you

Living room with sofa, coffee table, houseplant
(Image credit: Future PLC/Katie Lee)

Everyone on social media is going crazy for this DIY serving bowl coffee table, an IKEA hack that is absolutely taking TikTok by storm because of its sheer genius and resourcefulness.

We're sure many of us can collectively agree that alongside a comfy, high-quality sofa, the next piece of furniture that comes in second place as a living room essential is a stylish, yet equally functional coffee table.

However, it's also no secret that coffee tables don't always come cheap (especially if you've got Soho Home taste on a high-street budget). But to our surprise, this viral IKEA hack is on the more affordable side, and not to mention looks way more expensive than it actually is – and the best part? It only uses a piece of wood and six wooden bowls from IKEA.

Living room with sofa, coffee table, armchairs

(Image credit: Future PLC)

IKEA serving bowl coffee table hack

A TikTok video posted by @lonefoxhome, an account specialising in DIY and home decor, quickly went viral, currently sitting at over 5.6 million views (and counting) despite having only been posted a couple of days ago.

'I created my dream coffee table using serving bowls from IKEA and it's so much easier than you think,' starts Drew at Lone Fox Home.

The video has received over 500,000 likes and 2,000 comments praising the genius DIY project. One comment reads, 'Love the colour of the stain, it's so rich looking. That coffee table is fab,' while another said 'One of the best IKEA DIY projects. Really top-notch!' So, you know this certainly impressed many.

@lonefoxhome

♬ Sunshine - WIRA

The wooden bowls used for the hack were the IKEA BLANDA MATT bamboo serving bowls measuring 28cm, priced at a fair £15 each. In the DIY, six bowls were used, meaning you could expect to spend £90 on just the bowls alone.

This is already a fraction of the price in comparison to higher-end coffee tables of a similar calibre. Cue, Kelly Wearstler's Morro Coffee Table retailing for $18,000. If you have this designer table floating on your seemingly unattainable Pinterest vision boards, consider this your lucky day. You can also attain your 'dream coffee table', with the work of a little DIY magic.

Wooden coffee table

Kelly Wearstler's Morro Coffee Table, retailing at $18,000.

(Image credit: Kelly Wearstler)
BLANDA MATT Serving Bowl, Bamboo 28cm | £15 at IKEA

BLANDA MATT Serving Bowl, Bamboo 28cm | £15 at IKEA

Perfect for serving up a buffet, eating popcorn by the TV, or in this case: the foundations for a genius DIY project, this bamboo serving bowl is a staple home buy.

Drew uses an industrial-level adhesive to attach the IKEA serving bowls together until he ends up with three wooden ball shapes. Once the glue has dried down, he goes in with some wood filler to fill in the seam, which he then sands down to smoothness later on.

The top of the table is made using a piece of plywood, which he cut according to an 'organic shape', as he described, which is a silhouette that we often see in many quiet luxury furniture pieces.

The final step for all of it was to give the wooden pieces a coat of gel stain in what we agree is the perfect walnut colour. We think it instantly elevates the look and is guaranteed to make a living room look expensive.

If you ask us, we wouldn't have been able to guess that the finished product is the result of a home DIY project – but we're pleasantly surprised and safe to say, obsessed.

Jullia Joson
Junior Writer

Jullia is Ideal Home’s Junior Writer and the Ideal Home Certified Expert in Training on Vacuums, having spent over 60 hours testing different models. She’s always loved all things homes and interiors, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Studies from the University of Nottingham where her love for writing blossomed following her internship at ArchDaily. Now focused on home tech and cleaning, Jullia works on writing features and explainers to help people make the most of their home appliance investments, putting the newest launches through their paces. When she isn’t writing, she loves exploring the city, coffee shop hopping, and losing hours to a cosy game or book.