IKEA’s Sleek $13 Stool Is More Versatile Than It Looks

While some might describe IKEA furniture and housewares as a bit basic compared to other name brands, there are plenty of savvy shoppers who know IKEA products as versatile and hackable. There are many ways to hack a BILLY bookcase, for example. Along with its iconic pieces (like the BILLY), IKEA has plenty of other products that, while not as famous, are still infinitely usable around the home. Take the $13 IBBARBO stool. At first glance, it’s a bit simple — a plain, dark-gray, plastic stool. But let your imagination run wild, and you’ll see that it’s actually pretty versatile, with many ways to use it around your home, indoors and out.

Start indoors. The stool is a great option for extra seating when you have visitors. It’s stackable, up to six stools high, and has a small footprint, measuring 14 ⅝ inches at its widest and 17 ¾ inches high, so you can tuck a stack of IBBARBOs into a corner. Or, keep the stools separate and slide them under a desk or table.

Maybe you don’t need any extra seats but are always on the look out for more surfaces. Turn the IBBARBO into a small side or drinks table, place one next to your bed as a nightstand, or thread your charging cables through the hole in the center and transform it into a charging stand. Since the stool is made of polypropylene plastic, it’s appropriate for use in wet areas, like the bathroom or kitchen, too.

While IKEA doesn’t specifically advertise the IBARRBO as being suitable for outdoor use, it is suitable for use in damp areas, and some reviewers have stated that they’re using their stools on their patios. In a covered outdoor area, there are plenty of ways to put IBARRBO to work. If you decided to take advantage of that hole in the center and use it to display a pot of flowers or herbs, you wouldn’t be the first to transform an IKEA stool into a plant stand. The hole in the middle allows water to drain away from the stool, rather than pooling on the surface.

IKEA has a fan-favorite patio set, but maybe you need a bit more space for drinks and snacks when entertaining outdoors. IBARRBO can act as an outdoor drinks or hors d’oeuvres table — place a few strategically around your patio or yard, with a tray of snacks or a bucket of bottles and cans on top. Even when you’re not entertaining, the stool can come in handy outdoors. Use it to hold a citronella candle to keep pesky mosquitos away while you relax nearby. The stool can also provide a comfortable seat while you work in your garden or hold a basket of laundry while you hang clothes on a drying rack or clothesline.