BEST� TV Stand Turned Kids Corner

Materials: BEST� TV stand, sander, hammer, nails, piece of foam, paint, staple gun, fabric

Description: We purchased a BEST� TV stand a few years ago, but when we moved we mounted our TV so we had no need for it.

Here is how it went:

Step 1: We sanded, primed, painted & sealed the TV stand to turn it from wood to a charcoal grey.

Step 2: We painted the inside of the TV stand with chalkboard paint.


Step 3: Then I measure and cut my foam to make a nice seating area in the TV stand. Covered it with fabric and stapled it down.

Step 4: Nailed in a magnetic board I got for $2.00 in the As Is area in Ikea (gotta love Ikea).

Step 5: Let your child go have some fun now!

This is to show when we actually used the TV stand as well a TV stand, lol!

We used it for our son's storage for toys and such before we painted it.

Priming and painting.

The finished product with all his toys stored.

Thanks for your time! Have a great day!

See more of the Besta kid's corner.

~ Kim Sasse, Washington

Retro Lamp

Materials: Jara shade, Rodd table lamp base

Description: I choose some fabric that I like, decorative cords and extras (like this pendant, or buttons, or other things that you prefer).

For the fabric, I tend to cut it in little pieces and assemble on the shade as for a decoupage work - it's easier to glue all the pieces as a patchwork!

I use fabric glue and hot glue for all the decorations.

Be creative, you can even use old fabrics like pillow cases, aprons, etc.... and little objects you don't want to throw away!

~ Gloria, Italy

IKEA Lack bookcase to bench

Materials: IKEA Lack

Description: Well, my hack was inspired by this site, I just wanted to share the result, as it is my first project :)

Used an IKEA Lack bookcase 1x4 bought from a used furniture local website.

As the shelf was pretty scratched and dark brown, which didn't match anything in my apartment, it needed repainting.

What I did:

- sanded it pretty well
- gave it 2 coats of white primer
- gave it 2 coats of white glossy paint
- bought foam, fabric for the cushion cover, cardboard and colored paper for the back
- to make the cushion I just first used an old bed sheet I had to make an inside cover, superficially sown by hand
- sown by hand the cover as well, it was easier than I thought and the result was better than what I expected :)
then slid the cushion in and tucked the sides inside
- for the back of the bookcase I cut the cardboard to cover the openings, decided on a chevron pattern so I printed one online, drew it on my colored paper, cut it with an Exacto knife and glued it on the white cardboard.

That's it.

See more photos of the Lack bench.

~ Julia, Montreal

How to: Mount a SAFE floating 2 x 4 EXPEDIT shelf

Materials: 2 EXPEDIT 2 x 2 shelf units,

Description: This is slightly a hack, but more of a work around for those who want to mount an EXPEDIT 2 x 4 shelf on the wall.

The instructions clearly state that you cannot mount a full 2 x 4 bookshelf on the wall (fig. 2). Also, I have baseboards, a power outlet and a phone jack (yes, we still use a LAN line). I wanted the book shelves flush to the wall and not cover up the outlets.

So, to bypass that and still have a safe structure towering over your kids, I came up with this solution. I mounted the two shelving units using the included wall brackets. One of the brackets was screwed in with a wood screw, the other bracket was secured using a 90 lb. dry wall screw. For added insurance, I put a two small brackets on the top and bottom of the lower unit. These L-brackets were secured with two wood screws each along the studs. I put one underneath the unit and one just under the top board of the unit. This lower unit poses a risk of climbing, plus I wanted to put some books in it.

I found that the easiest way to mount was to place an L-bracket on the wall first, then gently set the unit up against the wall on the bracket. This made it easier to hold the unit flush against the wall for centering and leveling. I then penciled in the spot for the screws and removed unit. The included wall brackets are uniquely designed so that you can make small adjustments after the two screws are already in place (fig. 3)

You will notice a small space between the two units. This makes for a great place to store mail or papers. Without a small gap, the unit is simply a heavier version of the 2 x 4 shelving unit. At least, that is my logic.

I originally wanted to create a gap large enough for additional IKEA baskets. Thus, the empty space would become a shelf. My wife did not like the added height of that idea, so we went with the smaller gap. I don't really like the amount of space under the lower unit, but it was the only way to clear the outlets.

~ Ed Flowers, Atlanta, GA

IKEA featuring JBL

Materials: IKEA Best�, chipboard, JBL 15", basport & Zachry amp

Description: This hack is in the "?�noticed but not seen" approach!

I was disappointed of the Sony sub I had and also wanted a very clean installation in my living-room. So an idea grew in my mind and after some calculation I found a great JBL speaker that was able to handle both small boxes and high power, so together with my 400W Zachry that not was used for another project they fitted very well in to the volume of a Best� shelf.

The Best� was already in the living room so it was dismantled and some chipboard replaced some of the parts and some was also added in order to stiffen the box. Some attenuation material was added in the box as well.

The loudspeaker was then simply fitted together with the amplifier & basport into the upgraded Best�. The result is definitely not liked by the neighbors, but by me.

See more of the Besta sound system.

~ Fredrik, Malm�, Sweden

Small notebook stand

Materials: IKEA STEFAN chair, screwdriver, universal wood saw, rasp, sandpaper (optional)

Description: I decided to make a small notebook stand so that I won't have to sit on my chair stooped as an old man while looking at the screen. It still isn't perfect but it definitely makes a difference. I emphasize that I own a 16" Toshiba notebook! Bear this in mind and before throwing yourself into work with full steam check out whether the size of your notebook actually fits the surface of the backrest! Or modify the instructions according to your needs. I think from the pictures the steps are quite obvious and the whole process should be very easy, however, certain manual skills are required (as with all the hacks). With a little creativity it can be reproduced even without actually seeing the pictures. In the attachment I highlighted with red circles the parts you will need from the chair.

My steps were as follows:


1.) I sawed off the backrest of the chair. This will be the upper surface of the table.

2.) I sawed off the two ends of the original rear chair legs, so I got two approximately 7.5cm long small legs. I believe as an indicator I used the hole where the horizontal lath was connected to it (see the pictures). Unfortunately I didn't measure the precise angle, I had to play with it for a while, but the cut should be slightly tilted.

3.) I sawed off the bottom part of the backrest (in the middle of the chair app. where the slight bend is) which ends at the seat. Here is a horizontal lath as well, saw it off right above the "lath's hole". Be careful when you're removing the backrest because it is actually connected to the parts (3) you will need later so do not leave out more than 1cm. I used these parts as the rear legs of the small notebook stand (app. 11.5-12cm). There will be a slight bend in these small rear legs which should be located in the upper part when installed, looking outwards with their edges.

4.) All the legs were fixed with the short screws I removed from the old chair. Using the rasp was unfortunately necessary in my case to smooth the small unevenness. But you can avoid it by cutting precisely with the saw. It's important to make the surface of both ends of the legs smooth and flat otherwise you won't be able to install them, it will unstable (and ugly). Of course you can modify the length of the legs according to your needs, in that case use other, longer parts of the chair.

This is pretty much everything, I hope you will find my idea inspirational and helpful! I wish you good luck with it! :)

~ Aron M., Bratislava, Slovakia

Darth Vader floor lamp and other stuff

Materials: TROGSTA Floor lamp, HEMMA Floor lamp base, solvent printed adhesive foil, acrylic laser cut elements

Description:I've two simple Ikea hacks.

First is a Darth Vader lamp. I use Trogsta floor lamp (around 10$) and solvent printed adhesive foil with gray glue for more dark effect. I stuck the foil on the shade and that's all. 5 mins later I've got a brand new floor lamp.

Second one was little more complicated. This time I used the Hemma floor lamp base (around $12). I cut out 8. acrylic shapes with floral decals and 3. circles with cut flush. Rest was easy as ABC, just piece of my puzzles. Two circles (top and bottom) as base and rest just slide into cut out slot. Last one (black) added just for decor.

All prices are rounded to full cost because Ikea stuff was bought in Poland and I don't know today exchange rates.

~ Przemek, Olsztyn, Warmia / Poland

ODDA and a half

Materials: 2 ODDA wardrobes. Nothing else.

Description: I liked the design of the ODDA wardrobe, but a single one was not enough. My problem was that I have a sloping ceiling so there wasn't enough room for two ODDA's.

My hack consisted in using one and a half out of two wardrobes and combining them into one single unit.

You start by building a normal right half.

Then you have to drill a few 5mm holes to attach the middle shelf of the central part.

The most delicate operation is the shortening of the left side. The panels are hollow and I wanted at clean top edge so I cut the surplus at the bottom and inserted at bit of scrap wood in the void at the bottom.

This panel now needs drilling quite a few new holes because everything has been shifted downwards.

Once the left panel is ready, everything can be assembled like a normal ODDA.

As a side note, what is left over can be assembled into a one-module wardrobe.

My plan is to add an extra compartment with a top-hinged door on top of the right side. This will give a nice staircase effect and more storage at no cost.

~ Finn Bo J�rgensen, Brittany, France

Faux Gator Coffee Table

Materials: LACK table, faux gator upholstery fabric, staple gun, sewing machine

Description: My poor IKEA LACK coffee table has been through a lot. Originally black, I attempted to paint it silver (big mistake), then painted it white, then covered it with a white and gold patterned contact paper. For year??s I'??ve wanted to cover it with some sort of reptile skin. I never imagined it would turn out THIS fantastic.

Here'??s what I did:

I ordered about 3 1/2 yards of this awesome Faux Leather Gator fabric in Pearl White from FABRIC.com. It'??s upholstery fabric with felt backing, but it'??s not too heavy.

After I disassembled the table, I laid the large pieces on top of the fabric and cut around, leaving about 2 inches around each side.

One of the problems I face was figuring out how to make the finished product look as smooth and seamless as possible. I ended up cutting a diagonal line at each corner and then hand-sewed together from the inside.

Enter the staple gun. I pulled the fabric as tight as I could so that it would lie flat on its top and stapled along all sides on the bottom of the table. For the bottom shelf of the table, I didn'??t sew the edges. It'??s much thinner than the table top, so it was far easier to simply fold and staple underneath to get the effect I needed.

The legs were the most difficult part! I wanted to make sure the legs looked clean, so I decided to sew the fabric here as well. The leg is 8 inches all around, so I measured and cut the fabric accordingly, then sewed together with a sewing machine. There'??s a screw on the inside of each leg that the bottom shelf sits on. I had one hell of a time getting the fabric tight enough not to sag once on the leg, but not too tight that it wouldn'??t slip over that screw. Only a few cuts on the hands and several broken nails!

To make the legs look more finished, I stapled the fabric to the top and bottom of each leg.

VOILA!

See more of the faux gator Lack coffee table.

~ Catharine, New York, NY

A Norden kitchen island

Materials: One Norden item and some Franklin chairs

Description: I was looking for an island in my kitchen which is not separate from the living room.

As I'm not a billionaire, was searching a cheap solution...
As I already have a Norden item from Ikea, the size of it was too small for me, and I wanted it to be able to sit 6 to 8 persons. I also thought it would look better if it was closed at the back.


So, I just removed the top of the Norden table which was 42x188 cm and found a bigger countertop which was 90x200cm.

Then, I closed the two sides and the back of the item with white panels, and added a foot for added stability.

I use then with some Franklin mid sized chairs (63cm high)
Et voila!

~ Jean fi, France

Invisible flat screen TV suspension on SLOPING wall

Materials: IKEA REDD shoe rack

Description: Unfortunately the REDD shoe rack is out of production now, but there must be thousands of them out there...
1. Cut off the folded edge at the bottom of the shoe rack with an angle grinder or hacksaw.
2. Cut off the corners (e.g. in an angle of 45o) on the part that will be placed on the sloping wall. This will make the suspension even more ??"invisible".
3. Find/buy 4 bolts that fit into the mounting holes on the back of your TV. Be sure that they have the right length.
4. Place the shoe rack on the backside of your TV and determine where to place the four bolts. (see picture) Be sure that the top of the shoe rack is placed so it cannot be seen from the front of the TV - but also so the top edge of the TV does not touch the sloped voila!
5. Precisely mark the spots for the 4 bolts and use your drilling machine..
6. Find the right place on the sloping wall for your TV and place the shoe rack there. Use some appropriate screws to fix the shoe rack on the wall. You might have to drill 2-3 extra holes for some screws "??behind" the big holes in the top of the front of the shoe rack. Be sure that the wall is strong enough for the weight!
7. Now you are ready to fix the TV on the shoe rack... and you will see it "??soar" in the room.

~ Leif S�nderby, Harlev, Denmark

Bathroom bookcase

Materials: Billy bookcase, Kvissle organizer

Description: I redecorated my bathroom with all new Ikea products but the one that was hacked was the Billy bookcase. I wanted something that spaced the sink from the wall just enough and would also align with the sink/cabinet. The only thing I found was the bookcase. I also wanted it to float with the sink cabinet but align with the window frame.

1. I plugged in my table saw to cut about 3 inches off the bottom of the side panels of the bookcase so the bottom would align with the cabinet.
2. Cuts were made before assembling the bookcase. I only had to cut the side panels as the back isn't as long.
3. I cut a 2x4 to a shorter width than the cabinet/bookcase so it wouldn't show from the side and bolted that to studs in the wall. Both pieces rest on that.
4. I had to modify the wall mounting portion of the cabinet so that would bolt to studs in the wall but the bookcase is only attached by one screw with angle metal on the bottom going into the 2x4 support and one screw with angle metal in the top corner that goes into a stud. Since the 2x4 supports the weight it doesn't take much to keep it there.



~ Chumly

Stealing Space From the Outside

Materials: PAX Clothes Closet + Sliding Doors

Description: Our Eichler Kitchen pantry was not big enough nor did we have space to add a bigger one.

We stole space from the outside. So - opened up a wall - pushed a PAX Clothes Closet with Sliding Doors through the opening - added Ikea pull out kitchen drawers - put a window on top - then enclosed the outside of the closet with cinder block.

~ mike graff, san jose

Antilop children bike adapter

Materials: Antilop chair, 3 wheels bike

Description: Take an Antilop chair, remove the legs, fix it to the bottom of the rear basket of a 3 wheel bike, child facing rear side.

Remove the basket's rear side. You are ready to enjoy country rides with your child in security (don't remove the original belt :)

~ Antoine Le Villain, Bozcaada, Turkey

Malm bed ledge hack

Materials: Malm Queen size Bed x 2, L brackets

Description: I wanted a bed ledge, but I didn't need Malm's existing slide out storage (or want to spend that much, and I like to reuse/re-purpose). I wanted a ledge the same length as my Malm Black/brown queen bed, and none of Ikea's ledges or occasional tables had the right dimensions or colour match.


1. Procure a second Malm bed (second hand wouldn't hurt the pocket as much)
2. Discard the side rails, the metals supports and the slats
3. Drill holes in your 'second' Malm bed head(keeping the first and most loved Malm scar free should you prefer) to match those on your chosen L brackets. I think I placed them 300 mm from the edge...
4. Take the second Malm's foot and align the second head to the foot to form an upside down L - the foot will become the ledge, and the head will become the second set of 'legs' to your ledge. The mark and drill the guide holes for the other side of the L brackets.

5. Place L bracket on the other side of the 'foot' and screw in.
6. (OPTIONAL) Matched L brackets to first Malm bed head. I did not do this, and with the other side screwed in, and the L brackets, it limits lateral movement of the ledge, without scarring my first Malm.

The only limitation is that the Malm foot needs to face the wall to hide it's ugly un-finishedness. But that's easy enough!

See more of the Malm bed ledge.

~ Sarah, Sydney, Australia