Rover/Poang Chair

Materials: Leather Rover car seat and Ikea Poang chair frame

Description: I was inspired by Ron Arad’s 1981 Rover chair, which utilised a leather Rover car seat with galvanised steel scaffolding poles for the legs and arm rests.

My Ikea Hack follows the same theme utilising a black leather Rover car seat and an Ikea Poang chair frame for the legs and arm rests.

Faktum/Nexus "String" Kitchen

Materials: Faktum/Nexus Kitchen

Description: I built a nice 'String' kitchen using Ikea Faktum kitchen cabinets with Nexus brown doors/fronts/cover panels and "String" side panels.
"String-shelf" is a Swedish popular shelf from the 1950s...

My idea was to create a kitchen that felt more like a piece of furniture since we lived in a really small apartment and the living room was the same room.. So from there I used the Faktum/Nexus kitchen cabinets and complemented with the string side panels.

Fancied Up Helmer

Materials: Helmer, Six Drawer Pulls, Fine Tip Black Marker, Hammer, Awl, Philips Head Screwdriver, Safety Goggles, Gloves, Shoes, Drill, Soft Cloth

Description: I love the Helmer but didn't know what to do with the label slots. My handwriting is not that good and there's really just random stuff in the drawers anyway. I tried fancy paper but didn't like it. And I like vintage style, which the original pulls were not. Off to the attic!

The set of pulls I had on hand have a big back plate that covers the label slots nicely. I had already put the drawers together so I just stood them on end and positioned the pull, sans the screws and nail part, and made a mark with a marker in each screw hole. The boring (space between holes) on this pull is 3". Be sure the boring is wide enough to cover and clear the original pull holes. And the back plate of the pull is tall enough to pretty well cover the label slots. I found reproductions of the pulls I used here.

Or you could search elsewhere online for reproduction Victorian drawer pull. Just make sure to check the measurements in the descriptions before you buy.

Next I used an awl with a hammer to make a dent in the metal where the marks were. I was afraid the dent wasn't big enough and the drill would slip so I used the hammer and a Philips Head screwdriver to make the dent a little larger for the drill bit to set into.

Make sure to wear safety goggles, gloves, and shoes as metal will be flying around as you drill. And I used an old wash cloth over the trashcan to lightly brush away the metal shavings. Careful not to scratch your drawers! Add your pulls and you are good to go.

~ Tara Einhorn, United States

Expedits to the ceiling

Materials: Four Expedit 4x4, some inserts, and a father-in-law

Description: In our new house we wanted a big bookcase up to the ceiling. We figured we could fit 7 Expedit-size compartments (height).

My father-in-law (Bas) was confident he could knock out 1 row of compartments to build our custom wall of Expedits.

And so he did. Now we have an 8x7 expedit, that we sometimes call our 'Baxpedit'.

Headboard secret hole

Materials: BRIMNES headboard, hinges, saw, screwdriver

Description: We had a little bedroom, with no space for nightstands. So we chose to buy a BRIMNES headboard to put the lamps and other stuff. The problem was that we put the headboard next to the wall, so we lost the lateral storage of one side. We cut the top part and joined it with hinges, so there was access to the shelf space. You lose the second shelf, but you get a "secret" hole instead. It would be more secret with white hinges, but the lamp covers it. It could be improved with a handle to open it, KLIPPIG would be perfect.

Not a great hack, but a useful one.

~ Sisa, Spain

My best BESTA-bookshelf

Materials: BESTA shelves, TOMBO doors, INREDA extra inserts, aluminium angles, screws, screwdriver, drill, pencil, ruler, spirit level, black paint, brush, wallpaper, wallpaper paste, roller, knife, something for roughening (sharp knife)

Description: We used: 1 BESTA shelf unit 120/40/192, 1 BESTA shelf unit 120/40/38, 1 BESTA shelf unit 60/40/128, 3 TOMBO glass doors 60/64, 3 INREDA extra inserts 56/36. Aluminium angles, screws, black paint, 1 roll of wallpaper, wallpaper paste, roller, ... books!

Preparation:

1. Fix wallpaper on backside of shelves: therefore
a) shorten backside of low shelf (1-2cm)
b) roughen surface of all 3 shelves (it happened to me, that the wallpaper came down from the 2 smaller shelves. caused by the very glossy surface?)
c) stick wallpaper on inlay of Tombo-doors.
d) if you like: paint angles for connecting shelf
and let it all dry well (overnight)

Lack coffeetable drawing

Materials: Lack, black marker, Glitsa

Description: We have a Lack coffee table that has been used for six years, and unfortunately there were some small damages on the tabletop. I first found it a too big and too white surface to put in our new living room, but I did want to use the table because it's a very practical one. So I decided to make a drawing on it, so that it would cover the damages and make it a less white & more unique table.

I used a black marker for this drawing. They always say black markers are permanent, but it's easy to wash the ink off with a rough sponge. There will always get scratches on the table, so in time the drawing would just damage and disappear... So I had to roughen the tabletop a little bit first, after that I made the drawing (took a couple of days...) and then I finished it with 3 layers of Glitsa lacquer. The result is quite nice, I think :)

~ Sofie, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

Bench for shoes with besta

Materials: 2 Besta double benches, 1 Besta single bench, painted wooden board

Description: We needed a bench for shoes in our hall, so we took the Besta benches, put them on feet and placed them in line. We used the Besta doors and these invisible push-in door openers so there are no annoying handles outside.

Then we painted a wooden board in an ebony colour and placed it on the Besta benches. We didn't fix it because it's really heavy - there are just some rubber pinches underneath so that it doesn't slip when you sit on it.

Put some pillows on it and shoes inside - ready! It took just a few ours. most time we've waited for the paint to dry. ;)

See more of the Besta benches.

~ stefi_licious, germany

EXPEDIT Mobile Island

Materials: EXPEDIT Shelving unit, VIKA AMON Table top, ANTONIUS Shelf, CAPITA Bracket, LEDBERG

Description: I needed a mobile kitchen Island/table with Storage for the 423sq foot Vancouver Shoe Box I reside in. Taking inspiration from Expedit standing desks and tables on this site I grabbed a drill and some industrial Velcro this was the result.

~ Yoelly Stier, Vancouver BC Canada

Dress to impress - walk in closet

Materials: Expedit book case

Description: After staring at a blank white wall for over two years and paging through loads and loads of advertisements about way too expensive walk in closets, the idea simply hit me to step right out of the box and go IKEA.
I needed a closet system which would fit wall to wall, which had a certain degree of flexibility/adaptability and which could be upgraded according to my savings account.:)

The solution: a combination of white Expedit book cases, with a few white doors, some drawers, a rod which my father added and ..... a real cool shoe storage system (all the girls who've seen this want to make their own walk in now).

If I want to, I could even add sliding doors later (PAX for instance) and even better - should I ever move, I can adapt my dressing to a completely new environment.

~ Sofie Herregodts, Belgium

Hide-Away Printer Hack

Materials: Hemnes Dresser, computer printer, hinges

Description: My {sort of} How To Turn a Drawer into a Hide-Away Printer

I started with the Hemnes dresser from Ikea, if you're familiar with it you know that the drawer fronts are attached with wooden dowels and two metal screws. I removed all the pieces allowing the front panel piece to be free-standing.

Maskros Bling

Materials: Maskros light, liquid nails & mirrored disk

Description: I wanted to cover the little center of the "flowers" on the maskros light in my daughters room. The plastic is a little off white and doesn't match the white of the paper. So, I bought mirrored disk at a craft store and used liquid nails to glue them on to the plastic disk. It is a small change but looks so much more finished.

See more of the Maskros bling.

~ Laurie

Mid century leather karlstad sofa & ottoman

Materials: Leather Karlstad sofa & ottoman, round full taper furniture legs

Description: Really simple hack. I love the mid century modern style sofas, but I wanted to buy new. There are a few good options out there but they are really expensive!

Billy-Benno bookcase & DVD Block

Materials: 2 Billy Bookcase, 2 Benno CD Towers, power drill, screws

Description: I have three of the old 60cm Billy Bookcases, and I've moved that many times that they've become a bit rickety, even went tightened up. I decided I'd like to have a bit of a bookcase screen near the door of my new apartment, but the billy's would never stand on their own.Instead I put 2 Billy and 2 Benno Frames together (including backs) and screwed them to each other.

The Billy's are attached to each other via the top and bottom fixed shelves. Each Benno is attached with back flush to each side of the Billy bookcase, via the top and bottom fixed shelves (one Benno on each side)

Gulliver Crib to Montessori Style Floor (Toddler) Bed Transformation

Materials: Gulliver Crib, 8" wide boards, screws

Description: 1. Disassemble the crib, saving the bottom board.

2. Cut 8" wide board to length for the sides of the former crib base.

3. Screw the boards to the crib base.