Bathtub nursing table

Materials: Sundvik nursing table, saw, screws and screwdriver

Description: Even though we have a large bathroom we really didn't have space to place an ordinary nursing table for our daughter in it. I wanted to place one on our bathtub but couldn't find one that would fit since the tub is 80 cm wide (instead of 70 cm "standard" measurement). Solution?

Duarte's Lighted Travel Map

Materials: PREMIÄR and Ikea red Christmas lights

Description: Bored one evening before Christmas when my husband was working night shift...I was looking at out PREMIÄR map and thinking how it could sticks pins through all the places my husband & I have travelled. Next to the map was the Christmas tree covered in two stands of little LED IKEA Christmas lights...OOOOH now there's a cool idea!

Down came the map, took the lights off the Christmas tree, poked holes in places we have been with a kitchen knife, popped the light through the back... secured with electrical tape... badda boom badda bing DONE! Took well under an hour. Be sure to cover lights that you are not using with electrical tape, otherwise they will shine through.

Easy-peasy hack and a real stunning feature in the home!

~ Melissa Duarte, Nelson, Canada

Living room built-in bookshelves and closets using BESTA shelves and PAX wardrobes

Materials: BESTA shelf and PAX wardrobe

Description: We had a largely unused wall in our living room and a mishmash of shelves and storage. We wanted something clean and integrated and a post of Centsational Girl provided the inspiration.

Our project took about 15-20 hours (a few hours here and there over the course of a week).

The space was 106" long which was perfect for 2 - 39" wide Pax wardrobes, 2 - 47" wide BESTA shelves and 1 - 23" wide BESTA shelf. We had to leave a little room because of the location of our return air grille.

Quilters Table with storage

Materials:
2 IKEA Expedit (2 x 4) bookcases
2 sheets of plywood (3/4")
5 heavy duty casters
5 washers
5 lockwashers
leftover flooring
trim
18 - 20 L-brackets

Description:
1. Assemble the two bookcases

2. Cut the two sheets of plywood down to 6 ft (cut 2 ft off the long side). The sheets will now measure 4ft x 6 ft). Paint one side of each sheet to match/coordinate the finish of your EXPEDIT pieces. In my case, I just painted them white.

3. Mount 4 of the casters in the four corners (within 6" of the edge of the long side so that they will not interfere with the bookcases), and one in the center. The casters should be mounted on the side of the plywood that is NOT painted.

Refurbishing my Ikea lamps

Materials: Ikea lamp, spray paint, ikea fabric, masking tape, recycle paper

Description: I bought a pair of these lamps from Ikea about 5 years ago I think, when I first planned to move into our new home.

They were cream in colour, and really nice. Fits the ambiance I planned for my hall. Well, it still does, except that now the creamy porcelain base has gray marks from all the dusts, and some chipped surface from scrubbing the dust off the base. The lamp shade has yellow ageing spots. Ugh!!!

ÄPPLARÖ headboard hack

Materials: ÄPPLARÖ

Description: Materials: Ikea ÄPPLARÖ wall panel

Description: I looked and looked for a simple headboard for my queen size metal bed frame (the typical kind with four casters and holes for attaching a headboard and footboard), but couldn't find a suitable one anywhere. After finding the Ikea Hackers website, I decided that I'd be creative and "hack" myself a headboard. My requirements were these:
- It had to be lightweight and easily moveable (I rent and I like to move my furniture around).
- It had to be affordable (I set myself a budget of no more than 99 dollars).
- It had to be around 62-63 inches wide (to properly fit the width of the queen bed frame).
- I didn't want to spend hours painting, sanding, or drilling.

After I searched a bit, I found Ikea's ÄPPLARÖ wall panel fit the bill (Width: 31 1/2"; Height: 62 1/4"; acacia wood). I bought two of these for $39.99 plus tax.

Budget King-sized headboard with luggage storage

Materials: 
2 - 39" Vika Amon table tops (black-brown)
1 - 74" Lack wall shelf with hidden hardware (black-brown
4 - metal "patching" brackets
1 to 3 - 8" X 10" L-shaped wall brackets
2 - 1.5" X 1.5" wood posts
1 - 1" X 4" board

Assorted Screws:
lathe screws
wood screws
screws with drywall anchors

Tools:
Drill with drill bits and screwdriver bits
level
hammer
saw

Description: This hack was inspired by post "headboard fit for a King-sized bed."

Desk with Meters

Materials: BESTA, FRAMSTA, NUMERAR

Description: I designed this desk to get all my computer equipment and cables up off the floor, behind cabinet doors, and leave my work surface completely clear. A major part of this project was also incorporating the analog meters which show my computer's status.

The desk is built mostly from modified IKEA parts (see the end for a complete parts list). There are wall-mounted cabinets in two depths. The lower center cabinets are cut to allow my monitors to be wall-mounted; the upper row holds my backup hard drives, video game consoles, speaker controller, UPS, printer, and other devices. In the right-hand lower cabinet, all the cables and interlinks between all the devices come together, fastened to a grid of garden mesh to keep them neat. In the left-hand cabinet (behind the meters) are device docks and chargers. The top cabinets are ventilated by small fans which turn on when the temperature rises, so that I can keep the doors closed.

Lack TV Bench how it should be

Materials: Lack TV Bench and Lack Wall Shelf

Description: I bought the following:
- 1 Lack TV Bench (149 cm)
- 1 Lack Wall Shelf (110)
- 6 GodMorgon legs.

I just put the bottom together as is. Then I just put the Legs between the bottom and top bench. On top of that I placed the Wall Shelf. To support it, I sawed the supporting side brackets of the original Lack into two parts. The legs were just attached to the bottom with a strong tape. The same for the upper shelf. That's it. It holds whatever components you want. Even big receivers.

~ Per-A. Rusten, Oslo

Baby Hack Attack

Materials: Rast Table & Commodes, Sniglar Change Table, Latt Kids Table, Eivor Leva Fabric, Bygel Rails & Containers, Satta, Oskar, Panna, etc...

Description: With 4 (yes four!) Ikeas in Berlin we can't help but poke through the As-is section(s) on a regular basis and pick-up a bargain or three. *even if the As-is turns up nothing we always manage to find a deal in another area, especially since discovering the awesomeness that is Ikea Hackers - Your wondrous collection of creativity inspired us to hack these beauties for our little munchkin!

For more info, photos, how-to's & Ikea product links click here.

~ S., Berlin

Lantern Hanger

Materials: EKBY HÅLL Konsol, svart

Description: Instead of using it for a shelf, we used it in our balcony to hang a lantern.

~ Kaan Bür, Malmö, Sweden

Window flower pots (box)

Materials: EKBY TRYGGVE, EKBY VALTER

Description: Nice alternative to traditional window boxes. This is a Ekby shelf that I trimmed to fit the length of my window, cut three equal holes using a jig saw and inserted three planted terra cotta pots.

I used brackets purchased a another store, but the Valter brackets would work just a well. The construction includes a furring strip 1"x3" attached at a 90 degree angle to the shelf. It's through this furring strip that I attached it to my house using 5, 3.5" exterior screws. The brackets provide additional support but are not actually 'attached' to the house. The pots can be changed out with the seasons and won't rot like traditional wooden window boxes.

~ Heather, Boston

Besta Expedit computer desk

Photo: IKEA.com

Materials: Besta, Expedit Desk, Malm Chest

Description: I was looking for a simple way to re-use an Expedit Desk and to hide the computer monitor, keyboard and mouse.

The solution was to use a Malm Chest as one of the "legs" of the desk, and a Besta Shelf Unit with sliding doors.

Simple but it works!

~ N Miguel Rodriguesm Portugal

25% A/V Storage 75% Malm

Materials: MALM 4-drawer chest, white

Description: Malm unit converted into 25% Audio/Video storage, 75% Malm drawer storage.

First, we setup the Malm unit as the directions state. We did not assemble the 4th drawer and instead left the top space open. We visited the Ikea as-is section and purchased a $1.99 as-is piece of white, laminated wood. We cut this to the width of the inside of the Malm unit.

We purchased corner braces, long hinge, magnetic strike, and white, laminate chain at our local hardware store. First, we mounted the corner braces to the inside wall both (L) and (R) side.

LEGO Dioder Lamp

Materials: Dioder LED light

Description: This is a hanging lamp containing the Dioder light system inside it. My aim was to make a hanging lamp out of LEGO pieces that I can control just like a normal lamp. As I am not an electrician, I did not wanted to cut off the cables of the lamp but to do it the most easiest way possible.

What I used:
Approx. 500 LEGO bricks
An orange textile power chord
A power plug

Numerar standing desk

Materials: NUMERAR/VIKA BYSKE LEGS

Description: Looking to transition to a standing only setup, I purchased two NUMERAR counter tops (double sided). They were 73 inches wide, with silver trim.

Awesome Vintage Hemnes

Materials: Ikea fabric, Hemnes, paint, vintage brass handles, spray glue

Description: Long time ago, I painted my Hemnes. But it looked a bit like a lego-toy, like plastic. I bought a can of spray glue, some Ikea fabric, and I stuck them to the dresser. I think it looks good.

~ Anna, Germany

$30 DIY Tripod Laptop Stand

Materials: BRADA Laptop support, 3"x1" Wood slat, you need around 6 inches for length, 1/2" x 4" Bolt, with 2 washers and 2 nuts, 2x 1/4" x 2" Bolts, with 2 washers and 1 nut per bolt, Super Clamp, Drill, Saw, Drill bits

Description: Photographers will love this. This is a hack to attach a laptop stand to your tripod so you can shoot on the fly. The back of the Brada laptop stand is reinforced with a strip of wooden slat and bolted securely.

Vintage Spontan memo board

Materials: SPONTAN memo board, old sheet music book, wallpaper paste, brush

Description: First you tear out six pages of the music book to cover your memo board. Use old sheet music, because it has yellowed paper and gives your memo board a vintage look. Glue the pages one by one on the board and don't forget to cover the sides as well. It doesn't have to be perfect, it's just to make sure all the gray is gone.

Kura Firetruck

Materials: Kura Bed

Description: My second son has a passion for cars, so the idea of recycling the bed of his older brother and turn it into a firetruck. I have added some plywood to create the door and the window, I set on the wheels of an old toy car and have painted in red, grey and white the different part of the "truck".

How can I use Thee, Expedit, Let Me Count the Ways...

Materials: Expedit TV Stand, Bjursta, 5" corner braces, VESA swivel mounts, Custom Vinyl Subway Art

Description: My apartment has a strange living area layout (almost pentagonal), and, being one to need my separate spaces, I wanted to create a conventional rectangular living room with a functional triangular office space. Ikea to the rescue! Given that my apartment is only 650 sq.ft and has a monstrous bedroom and walk-in closet, I needed multi-functional furniture. The Expedit anchors the living area. From the front, nothing looks amiss - just an Expedit TV shelf with the standard trimmings (and an extra large TV! A Samsung LN42C650).

LACK Amp Table

Materials: Lack Side Table, Dioder, Capita Legs

Description: I needed a table to bring up my Mini Guitar Amp to a better height.

I took 2 Lack side tables, discarded
one set of legs, and cut the other set down to the height I needed.

I took a set of 4" Capita legs and mounted them (offset) to the underside of the "Legless" Lack, the other Lack got its own shorter legs mounted back it as it will be the "base" of this table.

Socket in the MALM nightstand

Materials: MALM nightstand, double socket, extension cable, circle cutter

Description: We needed a socket in our night stand, so after I found my circle cutter it was pretty easy: Cut a hole in the MALM nightstand, put the double socket in, attach an extension cable at the back and you're done. I hid the extension cable under the toeboard, because the next socket to plug it in was 4 meters away.

Expedit play stove

Materials: Ikea Expedit shelving unit, black contact paper, red and white electrical tape

Description: I was planning to buy a white Brio stove for my daughter but couldn't find a place for it in her room. One day I was organizing her bookshelf when the idea struck me: I could turn the shelf into a stove by using some contact paper leftovers. My daughter has been cooking all sorts of tasty soups and stews ever since.

See more of the Expedit play stove.

~ Katja, Finland

Adding light to Dave laptop desk

Materials: Dave laptop desk Jansjo light

Description: I have tried to add a light to the Dave desk, just have not been able to find one that clipped on right or sat on the top of the desk. I found the Jansjo light where the base was not attached to light entities, just screwed together well.

I threw away the weighted base. Drilled two holes in my Dave desk and screwed the light to that. Now I have light on my Dave desk that lights up my keyboard on my laptop.

~ Greg Baxter, Arizona

Work/Play/Storage For Two

Materials: [2] 2x4 Expedit, [1] 2x2 Expedit, [2] Lack 43" Wall Shelves, [2] Vika Amon 59" Table Tops, [4] Drona Boxes, [2] Kassett Boxes, Assorted Signum Cable Mgt.

Description: My wife and I were downsizing from a 3 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apartment, so we needed a solution that provided the following:

-Storage (#1 concern)
-Leave adequate room for an air mattress
-A large workspace for our needs/work (education & graphic arts)

I happened upon a similar hack, but I decided to take this one a step further and go for the most storage I could possibly get out of the unit (i.e. by not using basic legs, but rather shelves). The shelves are secured to the tops using simple L brackets, and the tops are held together in the middle by the Signum cable basket. The extra 2x2 Expedit is being used as the printer cart, and some more storage right next to the desk. We added the Drona boxes on the end and the Lack wall shelves for a little more styling.

EXPEDITion Small-Room-Closet

Materials: EXPEDIT tv storage unit, DIODER 4-piece light strip set, clothes rail and support

Description: Yes. I have to admit. I love having lots of space too, but as my collegiate destiny decided, the sweetest flat share I found was at the same time the one with the smallest room. So I decided to move in with the nicest people and to see filling this room in the most beautiful and cheap way as the huge fun it was. Small, but oh so grand...

After searching and calculating I had this great moment with my best friend while standing in the Expedit-section at IKEA. It must've been somewhat like that:
'Damn I love Expedit, why don't they do a good closet that way?!'...(two people standing in front of Expedit turning their heads to the right) 'Wait...why don't we just...turn it to the right...' '...put a clothes rail into it...' 'YEAH and some LED-lighting!' 'Yeah!'

CD rack gives birth to Basil

Materials: BOALT CD racks, wood primer, planting cloth, top soil, herbs

Description: I've finally joined the digital revolution and so no longer need my CD racks. Not wanting to throw them away, I searched for other possible uses, and then it hit me - herb boxes. This is a very simple hack, or rather recycling of a couple of BOALT CD racks.

Pokeball Regolit Pinata

Materials: REGOLIT shade, crepe paper, glue gun

Description: Every year I craft with my son a pinata for his birthday, and this year he's obsessed with Pokemon and asked for a Pokeball-shaped one. After trying (and failing) with a papier-maché covered beach ball, I used a ready made and supercheap Regolit lampshade (1,99 €) and some crepe paper.

The result was a huge pokeball which the children loved, and it even came with a metal structure great for hanging it.

Materials:
1x Regolit shade (1,99 € here in Spanish IKEA)
5x rolls of crepe paper (1 black, 2 red, 2 white)
Glue gun
Pinata goodies

Forså Camera Stand

Materials: Forså lamp, Camera holder (in this case: iPhone Holder for a bike)

Description: I needed a camera tripod or some kind of stand in order to film my drawings while I make them for some tutorials. So when I found a Forså lamp with a broken shade in the as-is-section of my local IKEA, I got the idea to make a camera stand out of it.

Slim desk

Materials: Malm Occasional Table in White, Vika Annefors Table leg with storage in white, Rubbermaid shelf in white (12"*36"), drawer glides (14"), "L" brackets (5), wood screws, drill

Description: I was looking for the perfect size desk for our spare room. We had the Vika Almon with some legs but it was too large and cumbersome for the space. I spent some time looking at hacks, nothing really worked with what we were looking for, so we made our own.

A Malm Occasional Table with some shelf space and a keyboard tray on glides to provide a bit of extra room when being used.

Instructions
1. Assemble the Malm Occasional Table - omit the casters.

2. (now we did ours a little backwards and regretted it but here is how it should be done) Take the top of the Vika table, a piece of paper the same size (we used the paper it was wrapped with), a dowel, a screw and some tape; tape the paper ever so lightly, just enough so it doesn't move, take a dowel, puncture holes where the dowels are supposed to go, same with the screws. Now gently remove the tape and transfer the paper to the Malm table (sitting upside down), make sure the the holes are facing the way you want the Vika table to be assembled under the Malm table. Tape it with the same care. Take a drill, make sure you use the right bit for the size of the hole, make all the screw holes then all the dowel holes, you essentially only want to puncture the top and that will be enough.

3. Assemble the Vika table as per the instructions using the new holes as the top and stopping *before* you put the bottom on. Now affix to 2 L brackets to the bottom portion that will go against the Malm Table. Put on the bottom as per instruction. Affix the other side of L bracket to the Malm Table.

4. Put together the drawer portion using one side of the Malm Table and the rest of the L brackets on the other side.

Turn over, (put bit just scraps under the non supported part of the Vika table, we'll get something permanent later on), enjoy!

The stool is the Nils Stool in Dillne Gray/Beige

~ Tee, Alberta, Canada

Frosta Z

Materials: 2 Frosta Stool

Description: It's one of three hacks I made with the Frosta stool.

Frosta X

Materials: 3 Frosta Stool

Description: It's one of three hacks I made with the Frosta stool.

Ordning living room standing lamp and pendant light

Materials: lamps, Ordning cutlery holder, children's toys and dessert bowl

Description: I made several lamps with IKEA components using:

- Lamps
- Utensils holder
- Small pots of children's toy

The floor lamp uses 3 lamps from IKEA and 3 "pots" of a child's toy from IKEA and three Ordning (short) as lampshades. Each bulb has its own switch. The long stainless steel rods I bought elsewhere.

EXPEDIT sofa table/bar/computer desk

Materials: EXPEDIT 2x2 bookshelves, extra EXPEDIT panel, HUTTEN wine bottle rack, INREDA stemware rack, LEDBERG 3-piece light strip set

Description: It's a pretty straight-forward hack that was made to hide the back of my sectional, provide more storage, a bar and a seating area where I can use my laptops.

I connected two EXPEDIT 2x2 with the side panel of an EXPEDIT 4x4 using the safety brackets that are used to tie furniture to the wall.

This Hack Could Save Your or Your Kid's Life

Materials: Any heavier picture frame (Ribba, Fjallsta)

Description: So I finally got around to hanging my large 100cmx70xm FJALLSTA frames. I only had print for one, but I hung them both anyways. As both frames were to be in the master bedroom right above our heads, where also a 13-month old resides at the present time , I didn't want to leave anything to chance. I bought high quality screw anchors and solid screw hooks to go with them. I drilled the holes, hang the frames.

Two hours later at 6PM, crash boom bang, one frame came crashing down. The metal clip at the back of the frame holding the wire just snapped braking in two. Obviously I was concerned given the position of the frames right above our heads. I was planning to take both frames back the next day. The mistake was not taking down the other frame still hanging. At about 8PM, shortly after my baby boy was put to sleep in that very bed, another crash boom bang. Horrified we ran into the bedroom, finding the other frame just inches from our baby's head (the first frame fell in the gap between the wall and the bed, this other one fell right on the pillow.

Hackea: KLUDD for kitchen sink

Materials: KLUDD 2x

Description: a cover for the wall behind the kitchen sink was missing.
so we have put two Kludds on the wall and they really do a good job there.
and it was much cheaper than a customized glass tile from the glazier.

See more of the Kludd backsplash.

~ stefi_licious, germany

Kai's great IVAR cot

Materials: 2 x IVAR shelf 80 x 50 cm, 2 x IVAR side panel 50 x 125 cm, 1 x IVAR side panel IVAR 30 x 125 cm, 1 x blind ENJE white 60 x 250 cm, 4 x RILL roles, 1 x OBSERVATÖR Cross-brace, thin rope, screw, paint, Mattress

Description:
1. Drill ventilation holes in one shelf.
2. Cut the two 50-cm IVAR side unit to about 70 cm.
3. Cut the 30-inch IVAR side unit into two 80 cm long wooden spacers.
4. Paint all wooden parts.
5. The IVAR shelving unit assembled according to instructions.
6. Stabilize anything with brackets and screws (except the mattress board to ensure that the height is adjustable).
7. Screw the bottom rollers.
8. Fit between the two sides panels the 80 cm long wooden bar top.
9. Cut the Roller Blind fit for the side pieces (2 pieces 60 x 80cm and 2 pieces x 60 x 43.5 cm) and attach with a staple gun (under the bed surface mount only slightly to the left board height adjustable).
10. Drill small holes in the sides pierced and pull through a thin rope or a washing line or a cable.
11. Cut mattress if necessary, clean linens, finished.

IKEA Melodi - Knitted lamp

Materials: IKEA Melodi lamp, (white) wool, quick knit ring, universal glue 23 cm

Description: I was inspired by a knitted lamp I spotted on a DIY page, but I had no knitting experience. So I used a quick knit knitting ring which has a really easy stitch. I like the end result, the light it transmits is warm and it looks natural I think.

No more burns from hot lids

Materials: RATIONELL VARIERA Pot lid organizer (2x for $4.99), hacksaw, sandpaper

Description: Once bought this thing called RATIONELL VARIERA Pot lid organizer

It was hanging around the stove in the kitchen for some time. One moment I tried to use it as a temporary holder for hot lids during cooking. It was much more convenient to have this instead of placing lids directly on kitchen table.

Eames' esque Storage unit hack

Materials: APA Storage Boxes, HYLLIS, Peg Board, Observator

Description: So I must confess I got half of this idea from IKEA hackers this was my take on an already great idea posted. The other half of the idea came from the great Charles and Ray Eames. I love the Eames Storage unit! However I do not love it to the tune of 2 grand. My wife and I wanted a simple credenza for our small dining area. Here is how we did it.

1. We purchased 4 APA storage boxes, 2 HYLLIS shelf units, 1 Observator cross brace, a few colors of spray paint (white, red, orange, and green. We used this awesome new matte spray paint from Aaron Brothers. It worked great) 1 sheet of peg board for the sliding doors, and 1 sheet of poplar for a top