When it comes to affordable, fuss-free furniture, IKEA rarely misses. But behind the scenes, an entire subculture has sprung up around making IKEA's products look wildly more expensive than the price tags suggest. Across the globe, a legion of clever DIY-ers regularly share their IKEA hacks online, wielding spare timber, sandpaper, and paint, and using lateral thinking to transform blank canvases into bespoke masterpieces.
One such person is Danish designer Denise (@sirlig), who found a hack that actually requires little to no effort — my kind of DIY. In fact, it skips half of the flat-pack fuss altogether, reimagining IKEA's dimmable BACKSTORN pendant light in a way that looks so cool but involves fewer steps than the brand’s famously simple assembly instructions.
She's called it the 'naked' BACKSTÖRN hack, and it simply involves leaving the shades off, creating a simple, sleek strip-style pendant — no sanding, painting, or drilling required.
Here's what the pendant is intended to look like. Hanging from two slender cords, the BACKSTÖRN is a 108cm-long sculptural pendant light with three swooping shades that can be swiveled depending on where you want the light, and how you want it to look. Encased in matte aluminium with a discreet dimmer, the warm-white LED strip casts focused, practical lighting. In its ‘naked’ state, BACKSTÖRN feels tailor-made for working spaces like home offices and kitchens, especially those with a more industrial vibe.
There is something so alluring about industrial-style lighting. In the same way that exposed brick or raw concrete give a space instant edge, pared-back metal fixtures bring a similar kind of clarity to a space — especially a working space that doesn’t ask for additional visual noise. But the fact that this pendant is dimmable means it would work over a desk, just as well as a dining table or kitchen counter.
This all said, the BACKSTÖRN in its intended form is also hardly off-putting. Quite the opposite: three organically curved shades reminiscent of silver petals slide onto the light pole, rotating in any direction to redirect light and shape the atmosphere. Left intact, it retains its minimal credentials but gains an arty edge.
Simplicity rarely dates, and that's where this pendant light idea really shines, however you style it. Clean forms give even budget-friendly pieces a greater sense of intent when styled thoughtfully. But minimalist lighting need not feel utilitarian or off-the-shelf, with today’s more compelling options playing with proportion, finish, and shadow rather than just exposed hardware.
Shop Stylish Alternatives
The ‘naked’ BACKSTÖRN’s beauty is in its simplicity, but it might be too simple for a dining room, for example. Luckily, you don’t need to stray from IKEA for a design-forward alternative: PILSKOTT, specifically crafted to light up a dining room table, boasts a more avant-garde shape, encased in black. Like BACKSTÖRN, PILSKOTT is also dimmable, but this time you need a remote control, sold separately.
On a similar note, Pooky’s Roddy pendant light ticks all the same boxes as BACKSTÖRN, just more dressed up. Just shy of a meter-long and suspended from adjustable cables, the same linear glow is cloaked in a more decadent, almost Art Deco-style glass case, further elevated with brass finishes. While still offering focused light, the corrugated glass case refracts the warm, dimmable LED light in a way that feels layered and atmospheric.
Another sculptural contender for the dining room is Heal’s Estilla pendant light, which leans into brass detailing like Pooky’s Roddy but swaps glass for creamy alabaster, instantly softening the mood. The result is a cloudier, more atmospheric glow, with each piece subtly one of a kind thanks to the natural veining in the stone. The warm light it casts would bring a gentle homeliness above a kitchen island, or pair beautifully with a wooden dining table.
In the wrong setting, BACKSTÖRN’s matte aluminium could look too utilitarian. But if it is that elongated bar silhouette you are after, John Lewis’ white Matteo is a gentler alternative. At 90cm long with an adjustable drop to suit your ceiling height, it keeps the clean, linear profile, but the white feels more airy than austere. Suspended above a dining table, it would deliver focused light without the clinical edge.
Speaking of dining rooms, this one-meter-long pendant light was designed with the dinner table in mind. Arriving readily assembled (though wiring is required), it hangs from two cables, adjustable to suit your space. The warm wood top tempers the integrated LED strip beneath, lending it a more inviting tone. It is also dimmer-compatible if you source your own switch, allowing you to go from bright midweek meals to ambient linger-longer dinner parties with ease.
Sticking with Dunelm, the high-street stalwart has an impressive roster of beautiful lighting options at an affordable price point — and this Wave ceiling light is a case in point. Encasing a warm-white LED between undulating ribbons of wood, it turns the utilitarian pendant bar light into something far more sculptural and dynamic. And if the ripple effect wins you over, there’s a matching floor lamp and table lamp, too.
Whether it's IKEA's BACKSTÖRN (naked or clothed) or another option, all of these pendant bar lights hit multiple marks when it comes to this year's coolest lighting trends. From dimmable, flexible fittings that let you set the mood at will, to warm, sculptural designs that feel thoughtful rather than fussy, these lights strike the perfect balance between style, practicality, and ease.
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