Easy DIY Home Improvements You Can Make to Transform Your IKEA Furniture

By: Alec Donaldson | Last updated: Dec 24, 2023

IKEA has been a leading furniture retailer since 2008, revolutionizing the DIY world with its affordable prices, easy-to-assemble furniture, and cutting-edge design. They are at the forefront of the design industry, thanks to the top interior designers on their team. 

It’s no surprise that IKEA even inspires creativity in its users. This story highlights just a few things customers have made from IKEA products.

A Secret Desk

How important is it to have a desk at home? Especially if you work from home, although they can end up taking way more space than you signed up for.

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Source: midjourney

We have the perfect solution. Make yourself a “hidden” desk space. Make yourself a multipurpose room for a small space that doesn’t compromise comfort and function by using the doors of a cabinet as your computer desk, you can tuck away all the office elements when not in use.

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Getting Green

Do you love plants? Have you ever thought of making your own greenhouse using IKEA furniture? We are here to tell you it is definitely possible and it’ll help calm and liven your space at the same time.

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Source: BringPlutoBack/Reddit

If you buy IKEA’s signature glass-door cabinet, you can easily transform it for all your greenhouse needs. All you need to do is install UV lights within the cabinet to make sure your plants don’t die. Plant safety first.

Shoutout to the Artists or the Wannabes

If you are an artist this DIY is made for you, but even if you aren’t here is how you can easily become one. This is the hack that takes your personal style to the next level with your own unique touch.

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Source: 360inMotion / Reddit

Bonus points if you can paint like Van Gogh but even if you can’t, you can commission a famous painting print and paste it onto your IKEA furniture like a professional. You can get these prints customized to fit each of your drawers or any decor you want giving your home the ultimate artistic touch.

A Safe Sunbathing Haven for Your Cat

Cats, just like most humans, enjoy soaking in the sun. Even so, not every pet owner is comfortable letting their kitties out of the house so the felines can get some much-needed sun exposure.

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Source: Pinterest

Guess what? You just need Hejne shelves and chicken wire from IKEA. With these, you can DIY shelves on which your cat can laze around during a sunny day without you worrying about their safety.

Functional and Fun Bed Ideas

For most adults, a bed is just a space where they recharge after a long day. Kids, though, need their beds and bedrooms to be more than a place to sleep.

Source: reddit.com

We recommend a bed that’s off the ground for functionality, where the extra space can be as a play area or storage space. Whatever bed design you choose, keep it fun since it goes a long way in sparking your child’s creativity.

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Convenient Litter Box for Kitty and Owner

Training cats how to use a litter box is a task that requires patience, but thankfully, a few handy tools can make it easier. While most people have their feline’s litter boxes open for the cat’s convenience, others prefer a closed litter box. 

Source: reddit.com

You can have both if you get yourself an IKEA Friendly Bench. It lets you have an open litter box for your cat when no one’s around, but it can also be hidden when guests are over. 

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Affordable, Compact, and Stylish Cupboard

Everyone needs a good cupboard to handily store cups and plates for every meal, but not everyone has the money or space to get one.  

Source: Pinterest / Alyssa Kent

Thank goodness for this cupboard that isn’t just affordable but also practical. Its stylish appearance adds a touch of elegance without it taking up too much space. Now you can finally set the table quickly and easily. 

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Taking 3D to New Levels

Turning something ordinary into something extraordinary is usually the best way to go when thinking of how to transform your space. Take inspiration from the DIY 3D printer.

Source: HollyMacXx/Reddit

This fellow IKEA lover bought two black lack tables and staked them on each other. Along with hinges, handles, and back and side panels, these simple IKEA items now house a 3D printer.

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Hide and Go Plant

Those plants might find ways to overtake your home and if you have children it’s constantly a struggle to find a balance between aesthetic and functional. This DIY is the perfect solution.

Source: AviatorCam/Reddit

But an IKEA end table and edge a keyhole shape into the base of it. This will allow you to hide such a bulky vase under a table or easily move it whenever you need to.

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A Mini-Bar That Doesn’t Break the Bank

If you have ever had friends come over for drinks, you know just how important having a bar in one’s home is. With a home bar, one can ensure that all the drinks are in one place so guests can self-serve.

Source:www.reddit.com

You don’t have to have an entire room dedicated to being a bar, though. With this table, you can set up a mini-bar that ensures the house remains non-cluttered even as you entertain several guests.

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Donkey Kong Dream Shelf

Donkey Kong, a legendary video game, has inspired countless fans. One creative girlfriend turned an IKEA Lustigt Wall Shelf into a stunning Donkey Kong-themed birthday gift for her lucky partner. By recognizing the shelf’s resemblance to the game’s stage, she strategically placed figurines for an authentic touch. 

Source:www.reddit.com

The glowing feature adds a whimsical twist, while the shelf doubles as a perfect display for collectibles. This clever idea lets you transform your IKEA shelf into a nostalgic tribute!

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Purr-fect Bunk Beds for Your Feline Friends

Cats deserve pampering too, and devoted cat lovers can really pamper their feline friends. One way they do it is by giving their cats the ultimate sleep experience with customized IKEA bunk beds.

Source:www.reddit.com

Create a stylish double-decker haven for your fur baby by connecting two doll beds with a metal plate and screws and adding a plush foam mattress. It’s a simple yet adorable upgrade where your kitty can snooze in style and comfort.

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Hallway Haven: A Book Lover's Dream

Believe it or not, physical books are still treasured by many. With a clever IKEA hack, even small spaces can boast a great home library. Utilizing cost-effective IKEA bookshelves, this ingenious bookworm transformed a simple hallway into a literary paradise. 

Source: reddit.com

You, too, can do it! Line up the shelves side by side to create a stunning book display that’s both functional and visually appealing, and rediscover the magic of your cherished book collection with your very own hallway library. 

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Docksta Table Marble Makeover

Marble surfaces never go out of style, and this IKEA Docksta table hack adds a touch of elegance to your home. Transform the already chic table into a stunning statement piece with a DIY marble finish. 

Source:www.reddit.com

How? Begin with furniture paint, then artistically create marble veins using black paint. Finish with a water spray for a glossy, luxurious look. It’s a unique and creative way to upgrade your IKEA Docksta table and impress your guests.

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IKEA Hack for Laundry Bliss

Upgrade your laundry room with a stylish and functional solution. Using IKEA’s Karlby wood veneer countertops, you can create a sleek enclosure to house your washer and dryer together. 

Source: Reddit.com

It will make the space more visually appealing and provide a convenient folding area on top. This easy, budget-friendly IKEA laundry hack can transform your laundry room into an organized, efficient, and attractive workspace.

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An Innovative Bed For Adults

Although highly durable, solid wood beds come for a hefty price, who doesn’t want their beds to be of good quality for maximum comfort? We’ll tell you a little secret: IKEA beds are affordable and stylish. 

Source: reddit.com

Here, the owner wanted a rustic touch to the bed, so they knocked off wooden slats from the bedframe and painted them white. Just a little DIY effort added some aesthetic touch to the bedroom and made it more sturdy.

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Cute Changing Tables for Babies

Raising a baby is indeed a proud moment for parents, but it has its fair share of challenges. Parenting books may not have the answers to all problems – but IKEA has an incredible solution for changing tables! 

Source:www.reddit.com

They make dressers with baby changing tables, but you can also DIY them with some IKEA products. Simply use the base of a chest of drawers, fix it on the top, and voila!

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Add That Marble-Like Touch

Wood and glass are undeniably beautiful, but marble never fails to look elegant. Still, the effort and time to shape the marble make it look expensive. 

Source: reddit.com

However, there’s an easy but ingenious way to get the exact appearance for a fraction of the cost. Like this person, we too can paste marble contact paper on a cheap Vittsjö table for a stylish tabletop.

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Adorn Tables With Miniature Gardens

Feng Shui is a centuries-old method used in offices and homes everywhere. Some basics include letting natural light flood in during the day, keeping feel-good colors prominent, creating focus spaces with lovely artwork, and having plants in the room. 

Source:www.reddit.com

If you want to go beyond the basics, crafting a tabletop garden can take Feng Shui to another level. Just carve a rectangular space into the table and attach a small soil box of tiny plants for visual appeal.

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Upcycle a Bookshelf Into a Table

If you have a bookcase with no books to fill it, try transforming it into a table. It creates ample storage space, and you don’t have to throw that case away –  plus, you get to be creative and add extra drawers to it. 

Source:reddit.com

This Kallax furniture is ironic because books have lost importance here. Instead, vinyl records have made a comeback despite being the era of digital music.

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The Coolest Place for Your Keys

Do you often lose your keys? You need to check out this ingenious hack from someone who made a handy and crafty key holder for that one thing they’re always looking for – their house keys. 

Source:www.reddit.com

By sticking magnets at the bottom of IKEA racks, keys, sunglasses, and wallets can easily be kept close to hand. You’d just need to grab them all here and head out for the day. 

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An Incredible Home Office for Two

Most people started working from home during the 2020 quarantine, and some even continue to do so now. The problem is that, in some cases, two adults might need to share a single workspace. 

Source:www.reddit.com

It’s a problem with simple solutions, but you need to get creative. This genius couple devised a brilliant way to utilize one of their stories as a workplace for two by separating it with the help of a cabinet that you can buy at IKEA.

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For a Goodnight’s Sleep

A father turning his daughter’s IKEA Kura bed into an enchanted forest castle bed got the little one’s imagination flowing. It involved plenty of DIY, like building stone wall fixtures, a functional tower, and a playhouse below the bed. 

Source: reddit.com

Although upcycling the bed was challenging, the final result was indeed stunning. We bet your kid would love to snuggle up in this pretty little bed every night.

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A Touch of Gold Can Do Magic

Simple DIY modifications can add a sense of glamor to a space. Some DIY projects are not just fun and handy – they’re also inexpensive. 

Source: Imgur.com

For instance, adding a touch of gold to an ordinary cabinet with golden tape that costs barely $10 can create a lovely retro piece. This undeniably elevates the aesthetics of a room and fits well with the other decor.

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Keep Your Cats Entertained

Cats love climbing high places like cabinets and curtains and tend to do it often. It’s also why they are very good at landing on their feet no matter how high they go. 

Source: reddit.com

Thanks to the IKEA Frosta stool, your cats can roam around your home safely. This savvy design has the stool’s legs attached to the wall to let the kitties climb easily and keep them active. 

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Don't Throw Those Bookshelves Away Just Yet

With the rise of Kindles and e-books, you may not need physical books and book racks in your homes. No matter what, you can just repurpose an old IKEA bookshelf. 

Source:www.reddit.com

A shelf can become a cozy seat if you just turn it on its side and add a foam mattress. You can even add drawers or other accessories to the shelves for additional storage space. Check out this DIY project for some design inspiration!

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The Perfect Hideaway for Cats to Snack and Relax

IKEA offers a perfect solution for pampering your furry friend with LURVIG’s cat house, which can replace the ordinary pillow but not the litter box. The idea gets even better by incorporating a clever component – these cat houses fit snugly into Kallax shelves. 

Source: reddit.com

Simply remove a panel, customize the cat house, and create a cozy nook for your kitty. The remaining shelves can be utilized for storing food and other items, provided they are sealed properly.

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Construct a Retro Dresser

Antique items bring character to a room but can be rare and costly. DIY antique furniture is possible with IKEA and some creativity. 

Source: reddit.com

If you coat oak or pine cabinets or drawers with wood-colored stain and wipe away the paint to thin it out, it will create a faded look. This simple technique will add a touch of antiquity to your home without costing you too much. 

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The Perfect Accessory for Last-Minute Get-Togethers

Who wouldn’t love a personal bar in their home? Although limited space and resources make this a challenging home improvement idea, with a bit of creativity, you can definitely build yourself one. 

Source: Reddit.com

Standard shelving can become a minibar, with ample storage for beverages and mixers. With a little out-of-the-box thinking, you can add glass hangers beneath the top shelf and mesh gates as cabinets for other bottles. And voila – you have a mini bar! 

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Bringing in the Greens

Nature can calm you down and energize you. Unfortunately, you can’t always be around the wilderness – but you can bring some greenery into your home.

Source: reddit.com

Putting a few pots here and there is a great way to develop a positive aura and introduce a sense of calmness in your house. We also have a space-saving technique for setting up the plants by hanging them from the walls using IKEA Racka poles.

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No More Looking for the To-Do Lists

People often put their chores or a grocery shopping list on the fridge, but this tends to get misplaced each time someone removes it to add or delete a task. So, there is a hack that we recommend in case you want your list handy. 

Source: reddit.com

Place a bundle of paper between two leather straps and fix it on the wall, just like in the picture. You can use these straps to hang anything – so it’s time to get creative. 

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Upside Down Organization that's Right Side Up

We all know and love our average bookshelves, but we also love taking things to the next level. Turning your bookshelves upside down is as easy as it looks and definitely adds to your space. It’s the ultimate hot tip.

Source: thebassics917 / Reddit

Stop by IKEA for some elegant wall brackets and it will surely take your style and home to the next level. They not only support your books but they have a double feature, no need for bookends because they automatically keep your books straight.

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Crafting Up A Work of Art

Create a fun corner in your home and destress in the process. You get the best of both worlds with this hack.

Source: midjourney

Get your craft one, with your own craft corner using an IKEA closet. One innovative woman put her DIY craft skills to the test by turning her IKEA guest room closet into a craft nook. We rate this a 10 out of 10.

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Forget “Passenger Princess,” this IKEA lover took things to the next level. We should start calling their pet, the Pet Princess. This homeowner’s dog couldn’t get on and off the bed easily without help and was anti-steps.

Source: whydid_i_eatsomuch / Reddit

With some DIY magic and some hard work, mostly IKEA, they transformed their space. They bought an IKEA bookcase and laid it horizontally across the best with some fabric on top. Now they not only have another storage space for books but also an innovative way for their dog to get on and off the bed.

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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Fairest of them All?

Mirrors are known for maximizing your space, but if you want to make your mirrors more eye-catching here is a great DIY hack to maximize your buck on a budget.

Source: clehn8ok / Reddit

If you buy 24 IKEA mirror tiles you can DIY yourself a giant mirror with some wood to frame it. It may take some time to put together but it is so worth it.

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Plaster on that Paper

It’s simple but it fixes everything. If you don’t have time to tinker around with 24 mirror tiles here is an alternative, just wrap an otherwise boring mirror with some wallpaper.

Source: cuckoo4design.com

You can buy your classic solid IKEA mirror and DIY yourself a new colorful wallpaper frame in no time at all. There are so many kinds of wallpaper to choose from you can pick an exact one to compliment your home.

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Apartment Friendly Toolshed

Lack of space is a huge issue, especially in small city apartments, and when you don’t have that much money to spend.

Source: danielharkin/Reddit

Now you can have your cake and eat it too, well sort of. If you’ve always wanted a toolshed but have no space this DIY can help you out. Buy IKEA storage units (Trofast) and create this shed-closet. You get to keep your organization and your space clear.

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Retouching the Boring Old White

We’re assuming most people own at least one piece of white furniture. After all, it is the safest color as it blends with any shade, but sometimes safe can be boring. At times, you want to give that white piece a new look. 

Source:www.reddit.com

Adding a single line of gold paint on each of the drawers of this IKEA cabinet could be one way of sprucing things up. You could also repaint the entire unit and have something completely new!

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A Budget-Friendly Home Office

Remote work is becoming more and more common, and that means that remote workers need home offices. As a remote worker, you could opt for a fancy set-up or go easy on the pocket with the help of IKEA Kallax cubes.

Source:imgur.com

There are drawers, shelves, and even open spaces to place items for display. Plus, there is ample space to keep one’s work table tidy and organized.

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An Easy Way On to the Sofa

We often see our pets struggling to get on our beds or couches to cuddle up or for a nap, so we pick them up and put them on the couch – but this isn’t possible in our absence. Presumably, this pet parent faced a similar problem, so she got creative with storage crates.

Source: reddit.com

Converting these crates into a step ladder was a brilliant idea, and it gave the dog a respite from all that extra jumping.

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Prevent Privacy Breaches

If you live in a studio apartment or want to add a makeshift bedroom to your house, the KALLAX plus some curtains is a genius way to execute that. Since KALAX’s header comes as a big piece that all ties together, no anchoring is required!

Source: Reddit / dinoaids

You also get a ton of extra built-in shelving. The vibe this creates is cozy, contained, and, most importantly, private! It is also ideal for basements or kids sharing a room who want their own space. 

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Play Kitchen, But Make it Classy

Although IKEA’s DUKTIG play kitchen is actually very chic for a fake children’s kitchen, some might want to warm up that minimalist style and make it a little warmer. This DIYer used cheap supplies to renovate this mini kitchen. 

Source: instagram / jhonnycurran

First, they swapped the plastic handles for wood ones on appliances and drawers using wood glue. Then, they replaced the plastic stove top with a rectangular pine slab and added a couple of round wood circles to mimic burners. 

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Some Very Chic Fungi

You only need three items from IKEA to make your own retro wireless mushroom lamp at home. First, tape off the outside of the KARAFF vase and BLANDA bowl to protect them. Then, cover the inside with spray paint.

Source: Instagram/@madison.mea

After placing the KORNSNÖ lamp face down into the vase, cover the BLENDA bowl and place it upside down so it’s resting on the light. When you press down, it should activate the light’s push button, making for a gorgeous accessory hack.

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Anything But Ratty Rattan

This hack can be used on everything from wardrobe doors to consoles and adds an expensive designer look. Take off the wood panels from your IKEA wardrobe doors and staple rattan sheets or woven linen to create a rustic look.

Source: Facebook, Ideal Home

You don’t even need to wet-stretch cane. Pull it tight for the ultimate trendy look. This look works great on sliding doors, a smart space-saver for bedrooms.

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Life is a Party

This Redditor used peel-and-stick disco ball mirror strips (which you can buy from Amazon) to transform a regular IKEA PS 2014 pendant light into a stunning disco ball.

Source: Reddit / cesarmunir

These things were the best part of the 1970s, and we all deserve to have one in our house for when we need an instant dance party in our houses. Plus, the fact that no hot glue is needed is a major, mess-free plus.

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Bridge the Gap

We all know what it’s like to have an annoying gap between cabinets. It’s especially frustrating when that gap is next to a stove, allowing food and other tidbits to fall through the space. 

Source: Reddit, u/130designs

To bridge that gap, create your own custom cutting board holder created from BODBYN cover panels, and voila! Dedicated kitchen storage and gap-free bliss that’s much more useful than a filler piece. 

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Gaming to New Heights

Adjustable desks rock – they let you fully customize the height of your desk for your needs, whether they’re for gaming, working, or just watching TV. They let you stand and stand, but this one also saves you a crazy amount of space, turning any window into a mini-office.

Source: Reddit, u/tmp729

This Redditor used a RESGOD bed tray, OSTBITS plate holders, and a couple of packs of Command Large Picture Hanging Strips for this ingenious solution. 

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All the Plants, Plus Floor Space

Create an eye-catching statement by hanging your plants on FINTORP wire basket hangers. This Reddit user mounted the plants on a piece of wood that was mounted to the ceiling and painted over.

Source: Tara Winstead from Pexels

To water plants, they removed them and watered them on the countertop. This is also a fantastic storage solution for hanging pots and pans for those low on cabinet space.

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A Paw-sitively Clever Hidden Sink Solution

If this litter box drawer remains tucked away when guests came over, it’ll be a complete secret. Hidden in a SMÅSTAD bench that can be placed by an entryway to take on and off shoes, the smell can be minimized by adding charcoal pads.

Source: Reddit

The drawer will capture most of the stinky odor, and you’ll no longer have to be embarrassed and stock up on numerous room sprays and candles to mask the smell.  

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From Blah to Mid-century

Dressers aren’t just for clothes, and countertops aren’t just for kitchens!. You can use an IKEA dresser and countertops (or a hollow-core door) to build yourself a gorgeous mid-century desk for way cheaper.

Source: Pinterest, HouseBeautiful

For an even better upgrade, you can cover the fronts of the drawers in an expensive-looking laminate with a rich wood look and use sophisticated single pulls instead. The IKEA RAST dresser is waiting to be painted and customized!

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