Before and After: This IKEA SKÅDIS pegboard has transformed a Maisonette into a Scandi jungle

The versatile office staple is now an organic statement piece that celebrates the art of biophilia

IKEA SKÅDIS pegboard hack
(Image credit: Dani Sandels / @danisdomain)

The statement BILLY and KALLAX are synonymous with IKEA hacks, but the simple SKÅDIS pegboard is due a moment. This minimalist organizer is best associated with home offices and student bedrooms – but this transformation will reset everything you thought you knew about the Scandi storage system. 

The IKEA hack comes from Dani Sandels (@danisdomain), a Surrey-based designer who has turned her Georgian-style maisonette into a plant-filled paradise. Her secret? The SKÅDIS

Instead of filling the pegboard with postcards and photographs, Dani decided to celebrate biophilia (one of the biggest interior design trends of the moment) and fill her wall with abundant greenery. In an interview with Livingetc, Dani explains how you can recreate the look. 

IKEA SKÅDIS hack – Before

IKEA SKÅDIS pegboard hack

(Image credit: Dani Sandels / @danisdomain)

'I had a slightly awkward, empty wall space, and I wanted to pull the living room together with our hallway,' Dani explains – as seen in the image above. Alongside this, Dani was looking to create a 'living wall' that would revive the space and bring the outside indoors. 

After picking up three SKÅDIS's, Dani reveals the design was refreshingly straightforward. She chose a neutral wall color (White Cotton by Dulux) and attached the three pegboards to the wall – fitting closely together to cover the empty space. 

IKEA SKÅDIS hack – After 

IKEA SKÅDIS pegboard hack

(Image credit: Dani Sandels / @danisdomain)

'I then used shelves, containers, and hooks filled with plants to cover the pegboards. They're also really easy to change around too and offer different styling opportunities,' Dani says. 

The result is a modern home idea that can thrive in spaces of all sizes – whether you're looking to bring the outdoors into a compact urban apartment – or add an abundance of greenery to a large townhouse. Dani shares that the wall remains one of her favorite views at home – and we can certainly see why. 

IKEA SKÅDIS pegboard hack

(Image credit: Dani Sandels / @danisdomain)

The designer paired a stylish eye sculpture alongside the greenery – before continuing the escapist aesthetic into her living room. In the main space, Dani also added a room divider to zone the area and ensure the space is as therapeutic as possible. It's a look we're rushing to recreate at the earliest opportunity. 

Now, the only thing that's left to consider if how to keep those houseplants alive. 

Megan Slack

Megan is the News and Trends Editor at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes. As the News Editor, she often focuses on emerging microtrends, well-being stories, and celebrity-focused pieces.


Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.