This Quirky IKEA Wall Clock Is Such a Fun (and Customizable!) Twist on a Classic Cork Board
Lately, I’ve been wanting to spend less time on my phone. The thing is, I use it for almost everything: to buy something with Apple Pay, listen to music on Spotify, catch up on my email, and even check the time. While my phone is super useful for some things (like texting my friends), I’ve been thinking about little ways I can be more analog throughout the day, like getting a cute wall clock that encourages me to look up — instead of down at my phone — when I want to know the time.
I recently found the cutest corkboard clock from IKEA that looks like a great solution to my problem, and it’s a total decor gem, too.
What Is the IKEA SVARTGÖK Clock?
The SVARTGÖK wall clock from IKEA is a minimalist analog clock surrounded by a thick circle of cork. It measures about 3 inches deep and has a diameter of 15 inches, though the cork border takes up a large portion of the clock — so you can use it to pin up notes, photos, or whatever you want to display. The clock also has a “silent mechanism,” meaning it doesn’t make any distracting ticking noises. It takes AA batteries, but they’re not included, so you’ll need to make sure you have some.
Why It’s So Perfectly Customizable
I already loved the look of this clock, but my SVARTGÖK fandom was solidified when I saw this TikTok video from Blake Silva (@blakesilva) about how he customized the cork border with tons of pins he had collected. While it’s cute and minimalist on its own, I like that you can easily transform this clock into something that exactly fits your vibe!
There are so many ways to customize it. You could make it a sort of pinboard by adding notes, stickers, and mementos to it with push pins. Another sweet idea is to make it a little photo wall and pin up your favorite photo strips or Polaroids. You could even use it as a jewelry holder, sticking earring backs straight into the cork or draping necklaces over a push pin. I think I would get a little crafty, covering mine in sequins or pins with cool sayings.
If you want to use this in a dorm (and therefore can’t put nails into your walls), you can simply lean it against the wall and display it on your desk or place it in some kind of stand on your desk or side table. If you do live in a space where you can drill into your wall (and have a suitable wall for that), IKEA recommends a screw mount.
However you display it, the best part about this clock is that you’re not forced to look at your phone whenever you need to check the time.
