Hensvik Reading Nook

Materials: Hensvik cot

Description: 1. Remove 1 side of cot
2. Use a saw : saw one rod at a time down the middle - then you can easily wiggle it out of the hole - this means no need for sanding.
3. Replace the bottom beam back to the cot - you need it for support. You can dispose of the remaining beam and all the cut rods.
4. Replace the mattress, and you still can use the fitted sheet.
5. Cover with some blankets & pillows .
6. Voila! A comfy space for your little one to read their favorite books !

~ Carla Matthews, Singapore

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Make a Princess Wardrobe

Materials: Hensvik Wardrobe

Description: Probably not a true 'hack' because the piece wasn't re-purposed, but it's a great example of how you can turn something mediocre into something fantastic.

Our 6-yr old daughter needed a wardrobe to house her dress-up clothes, and the Hensvik seemed to be a good starting point because it was inexpensive and offered a lot of storage. I'm pretty handy with wood moulding and a nail gun, so I figured it wouldn't be too hard to create something that was really cool looking.

Before assembly I painted everything with an oil based primer because the latex primer I tried was having trouble sticking to whatever the pieces of this cabinet are made of. I did not use the trim piece that attaches to the top of the cabinet because I planned to install crown moulding instead.

After sanding the primer, I rolled on a royal blue semi gloss paint to which I added gold glitter, and then assembled all of the pieces. I used a white oil-based paint for the surface of the shelves, since they would be subject to more abuse than the rest of the cabinet.

After assembly, I added a three-piece crown moulding to the top of the cabinet, panel moulding to the doors and sides, and moulding along the bottom. I also added a strip of moulding to the leading edge of each shelf. All of the moulding was painted with gold spray paint prior to assembly. The moulding was cut on a miter saw and secured to the cabinet using a nail gun that uses 23 gauge nails (they look like headless straight pins).

I replaced the cheap cabinet knobs that came with the cabinet with some 11" brushed gold handles.

To add a bit of personalization, I purchased two wood letters, painted the sides silver, coated the top with clear spray paint, sprinkled on purple glitter, then added more clear spray. I secured the letters to each door with glue.

I wanted the cabinet to have a royal quality, so I used a hot glue gun to attach a row of fake plastic gems to each side of the cabinet doors, above and below the handles, and added some to the corners of the crown moulding too.

I'm a big believer in accent lighting, so I added an LED light strip inside the cabinet, and it's wired to a small micro-switch that turns the light on when the right door is opened.

I also added two brushed aluminum clothing hooks to the inside of each door, and then added some princess themed removable decals to complete the princess theme.

~ D. Hale, Alexandria, VA

HENSVIK Bookcase Desk

Materials: HENSVIK Bookcase, ADEL kitchen cabinet door, table legs (2), table leg mounting hardware (2)

Description: I covered the backboard of the HENSVIK bookcase with a fun gray and yellow patterned fabric. Hubby installed the table leg hardware on to the ADEL kitchen cabinet door(purchased in the "As Is" section for $3.99). After measuring the depth of the bookcase, we added two notches to the kitchen cabinet door/desk top making it easier to slip into place.

We added a 1 inch piece of wood to the inside of the bookcase which was screwed into another 1 inch piece behind the bookcase to support the back edge of desk top. I spray painted the legs with satin finish paint . We slipped the desk top into place and screwed in the legs. After getting all of my supplies organized, I now have my very own Bookcase Desk!

See more of the Hensvik bookcase desk.

~ Adriana, Southern California

Happy Hour Hensvik

Materials: Hensvik Cabinet w/Shelf Unit and Hacksaw

Description: I came across this shelf when looking for things for the baby's room. In the kids/babies department of Ikea was a treasure trove of undiscovered things that could be hacked for adults. What started as a potential helpful piece for storing baby stuff and changing diapers of said baby, turned into a helpful piece for storing grown-up stuff and displaying bottles of said stuff.

This Hensvik cabinet was instead used as a pseudo-mini bar. Here, with a few mods I am now able to keep all my liquor and wine in one place, instead of crowding up the kitchen. The only tools I needed to achieve this was a hacksaw, (any sawing devise should do). An original curved wooden valance on the top was cut cleanly on both ends. This can be left if desired, but I decided to remove it to help prevent the baby association.

On the larger bottom space, the extra shelving was removed to make room for a wine rack. I cut my old wine rack to fit in the bottom. Only a couple of spaces for wine were sacrificed.

I am thinking of placing stainless steel paneling on my new liquor cabinet if I find the right size and right priced parts ... Happy drinking!

~ Alastar Buttons, Las Vegas, NV