1. West Elm Knockoff Bookshelf by Two Feet First

No roundup of cheap DIY furniture ideas would be complete without a West Elm knockoff, so let’s kick this off with one. This awesome bookshelf cost only a fraction of what the inspiration from West Elm cost. If you’re like me and like to window shop at West Elm while you leave your credit card at home, this project is for you.

2. Boxy modern shelving by Rain on a Tin Roof

Another great shelving idea that cost significantly (I mean SIGNIFICANTLY) less to build rather than buy. Jenna did a fab job on these shelves. I think I’d probably do them with a light stain on the unfinished wood areas and black painted squares.

I also think my cats would really enjoy hopping around these shelves and slinking through the little squares, so it would probably be more of a cat tree for me.

3. DIY Photo Ledge Shelves by me

These DIY photo ledges are in our basement. They were inspired by Ikea’s mosslanda line of photo ledge shelving, which we have in Ramona’s nursery. I modeled mine after their shelves using just a few pieces of wood from Home Depot.

They aren’t really that much cheaper than the ones at Ikea, but for me they were a better use of my resources. I hate paying Ikea’s shipping prices, and it would take me several hours to get to, shop at, and return home from our closest Ikea. Plus, when you DIY, you can make them any size you please!

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4. Simple wooden cube coat rack by Lemon Thistle

Is it me, or are these painted the exact same color as the accent squares in the modern open shelving a few projects up?! They’d look nice in a room together. This cube coat rack is a cute way to maximize storage space in a small entryway. I love the peek at that wallpaper, too!

5. How to Build a Shoe Cubby by me

This is another DIY of mine modeled after the Ikea cubby and shoe storage solutions. I designed this specifically for the wall in our small entryway.

6. Junk drawer organizer by me

Did this project take more time than buying a cheap drawer organizer at a store? Yes. But not that much more time. And the materials were cheap cheap cheap. Just a few skinny hobby boards from Home Depot and some wood glue I already had.

In fact, I loved this so much that I have versions of it in two drawers: this drawer and our spice drawer.

7. Storage Basket Side Table by House by the Bay Design

What’s not to love about a cute side table that also has storage? Casey loved this style of table and decided to make her own when she saw the basket for sale without the top.

8. Large Modern Coffee Table by House on Longwood Lane

I love the style of this coffee table! very similar to the one we have on our downstairs patio. It gives you a lot of surface area for not that much in materials, either. And easy to customize based on your space.

9. Space-Saving Sofa End Table by me

I have been eyeing tables like this forever. I finally decided to make one myself using pieces of scrap wood we already had in the garage (from our murphy bed DIY a few more down the list).

This was a really simple build that we have used every single day since I finished it up. It’s great for small spaces but would make a great addition to any space if you want a convenient place to put a drink, remote, or computer.