This unbelievable IKEA hack sees a bamboo fruit bowl turned into a designer-inspired side table

If you're an IKEA fan, you'll undoubtedly recognize the Blanda serving bowl. It's a top-seller and a bit of an IKEA classic, after all.  

'Hasn't everyone owned one of these fruit bowls at some point in their life?' asks interior stylist and Livingetc contributor Luke Arthur Wells. But, after renovating his kitchen, and left with an old Blanda he no longer wanted, he saw the potential to upcycle this bamboo bowl into something a little bit different. 

With his trusty power tools and some DIY tricks and tips up his sleeve, he set about on an unusual IKEA hack, transforming the fruit bowl into a stone-effect side table. 

Here, Luke Arthur Wells shows Livingetc the process and shares his top advice if you're considering trying this project for yourself. 

Before and after - how to hack an IKEA blanda bowl into a side table 

1. Cut a lid for the top of the table 

(Image credit: Luke Arthur Wells)

Start by drawing around the bowl on a piece of MDF. Cut out with a jigsaw. However, you won't be sticking this down yet. 

2. Make the legs

You want suitably thick legs for your table, so consider sticking to pieces of MDF together with adhesive. Once dry, draw around the edge of the bowl and cut this line out with the jigsaw too. 

Sand the edges with a mouse sander for a more rounded, organic finish. 

3. Fix the legs to the table top 

(Image credit: Luke Arthur Wells)

Drill eight holes in a cross across the Blanda bowl with a thin drillbit. Turn the bowl over, and on the inside, drive a screw through into the top of the legs with an electric screwdriver. Complete this across all the legs. 

To make the legs super secure, apply an expanding glue before attaching the screws. 

4. Plaster the table with skim 

Apply a skimming plaster over the table and allow to dry. It doesn't need to be very neat, as you'll be sanding it after. 

Using a mouse sander or sandpaper, sand down the high peaks on the skimming plaster for a smoother finish. If there are any large holes, reapply plaster as required. 

6. Paint with a stone-effect paint 

(Image credit: Luke Arthur Wells)

This table is painted with a stone-effect paint with a little grit in it to create texture, using a paint brush. Give two coats, and then use a clear, matt sealer over the top for a more durable finish.