Scissor Me This!

Materials: Kroby Desk Lamp, Frack Mirror, Ball-Chain Connector (1.5" X .5"), two bolts, two rubber washers, two nuts, two mounting screws, one in-line on-off switch, electrical tape, screw driver, c-clamp, .050 hex wrench

Description: I love Scissor Lamps! But they cost way more than my budget allows - especially since I wanted two. My Ikea-Hack cost under $40 for each lamp - Yippie!

A few notes prior to doing anything:
~ Do not assemble the lampshade while working - this shade is glass and can be scratched easily - only put the glass shade on at the very end!


The first step is to disassemble the Kroby desk lamp.
~ I cut the cord just shy of the switch so it could be pulled through the neck.
~ The lamp is held together at the top of the neck with a tiny screw that needs to be removed in order to separate the neck from the head (keep this screw!). I used pliers to pry the two segments apart. In order to avoid harsh scratches on the metal, I put a small piece of leather between the metal and the pliers - though this particular bit of the head will not show. This was, by far, the hardest part.
~ Pull the cord through the neck to free the head completely from the neck and base. It helped to shove the cord from the bottom as well as pull from the top.

The second step is to create a finished look on the head of the lamp and create an attachment point for the scissor component.
~ Thread the cord through the 'ball chain connector' (1.5" X .5") - small hole first. This will be a tight fit over the end of the lamp head.

~ Through one end of the ball chain connector, screw that tiny screw back into the base of the head.

~ Twist the ball chain connector so the tiny screw creates a solid fit.

The third step is to disassemble the mirror.
~ Remove the mirror from the horseshoe shaped base.
~ Use a C-clamp to hold the tip of one end onto a sharp edge and bend the tip to a 90 degree angle - do the same on the other side.
~ bend the rest of the horse shoe shape so that the two bends face each other with enough room for the ball chain connector to fit between (see pic).
~ NOTE: you will need to be able to maneuver a screw driver between the 90 degree bend and the rest of your curve (see pic) so don't bend too sharply!

The fourth step is to assemble the horseshoe and the lamp head.
~ Insert one 5/8" X ~1/8" large headed bolt through the 90 degree bend, through one rubber washer, through one end of the ball chain connector and into the nut which is inside the ball chain connector (see pic). From experience...do not use the nuts with the plastic stopper ring in it - too hard! Use a regular nut.
~ Tighten as much as possible! The end of the bolt should butt against the flat side of the stem from the lamp head.
~ Do the other side.

The final step is to assemble your new lamp and connect the new on-off switch.
~ Follow the instructions for inserting a new on-off switch into your cord having cut out the Ikea switch all together, and using the rest of the cord.
~ For ease, wrap the cord up around the lamp head, then screw the mirror base onto the scissor base.
~ As a LAST step, put your glass lamp shade on your new lamp. It is heavy and will pull down toward the metal base, so be careful if it swings so it doesn't break! Insert your bulb (which comes with the lamp - Bonus!)
~ Test your new light.
~ Use the two screws to attach to your wall (not included with the mirror package)

ENJOY! :)

~ S.Bruhn, Bay Area

Sideboard from Glass Cupboards in Brilliant White

Materials: Brilliant White Abstrakt 8'x3' Finishing Panel & Pax Wardrobe Door, 3 old Ikea pine office cupboards, 8 Capita Legs

Description: I'm sure you could do this hack with any old cupboards. The inspiration came after completing the finishing panels in our kitchen (and learning from that experience) and we have some old Ikea pine wall cabinets that we just weren't ready to part with, but were not in keeping with the renovations in our house.

We have an open concept kitchen/dining area, and hey presto, using the same finishing panels as we have for the kitchen doors, the transition is beautiful and seamless. The nice thing about using the high cupboards, for a sideboard is that they are nice and narrow, but deep enough for large kitchen plates. I like the glass doors to show the beautiful crockery and glassware.

As to HOW we made it:

In the "As-Is" section of Ikea, we found 1 Ultrabrilliant white 8'x3' finishing panel from a kitchen (50% off - $90) and 1 Pax Wardrobe door, same finish, same thickness, also 50% off ($50).

Using a circular saw cut the finishing panel in half to fit your cupboards, keeping the good edges towards the front. The wardrobe door was cut for the side pieces.

NOTE: When cutting, keep the side that will be "rough" face up . The finish will look bad, but don't worry, you'll place that side against the cupboards and it won't show.

Follow Ikea's standard kitchen installation instructions for:

1) Screwing cupboards together (we used their kitchen cabinet screws too)
2) Attaching finishing pieces - except you won't have pre-drilled holes, so you'll have to make your own.
Add a depth guide to your drill bit so you don't drill through the panels!

Add the legs of your choice. We used 8" Capita legs.

This was completed in one evening, since the cupboards were already made (over 5 years ago)! We actually gutted our house and have been slowly rebuilding it. If you're interested to see more about our "just two weeks" (think The Money Pit movie - cough - five year) renovation project of a 100-year old triplex in Montreal, click here.

~ Joanna and Marc, Montreal

From Table to Ceiling: A Hanging Klabb Lamp

Photo: IKEA.com

Materials: Ikea KLABB Table Lamp, Swag Lamp kit, Pull-chain On/Off Socket, Drapery tassel, Pliers, Screwdriver, Fabric for cord/chain cover (optional)

Description: My nightstand is usually so filled with books that my lamp gets buried or knocked over. I decided to hang a pull-chain lamp from the ceiling, but didn't see a shade I liked until I met KLABB, but there was no way way I paying $30 for that lovely lilac lampshade. Fortunately, Ikea is displaying KLABBs all over the store, and I found a dinged former display unit in the sale section for 50% off.

1) If desired, sew tubular fabric cord/chain cover(s) from 3"-4" strips of 58" wide fabric of your choice. (I sewed three 58" long tubes from 1/4 yd of $1/yd sheer silver fabric, so the cover cost about $0.25, a bit of thread, and 15 minutes of sewing time.)

2) Remove shade from lamp. Set lamp base aside.

3) Open Swag lamp kit.

4) To anchor lampshade to chain, remove two short lengths of chain using pliers. Hook both lengths through the link at the end of the chain, and attach the end of each length to the bars of the shade, as pictured. Alternately, you could use reusable chain link connectors, available at most hardware stores.

5) Thread cord through chain for desired length. Thread cord and chain through cord cover. Thread cord through center of shade.

6) Open On/Off Socket package, and follow instructions to attach swag cord to socket.

7) Tricky part - to reduce stress on cord, adjust the cord so that the weight of the shade is supported by the chain, and only the weight of the socket is supported by the cord.

8) Attach drapery tassel to pull-chain. (I got mine for $2.50 in downtown LA's fabric district.)

9) Anchor swag hooks in ceiling, or screw hooks into ceiling studs (important, since you're going to be pulling the chain off and on.)

10) Hang your lamp, positioning it so that the dent in the shade that landed the lamp in the sale section is in the back.

11) Swag

12) Plug in and enjoy.

Overall, I think this project cost about $35 in materials (including the sale KLABB). I was also able to use the KLABB lamp base elsewhere in the house with a shade we already had.

~ Amanda, Los Angeles

Lack tabled vertical playstation CD Player

Materials: LACK Table, thin wood panel, vinyl disc, Playstation 1

Description: As known from other electronic hacking sites you can build a very good CD player from the very first model of Playstation 1. All you need is one of those Playstation 1 models and if you have some design ambitions you might need a little electric / soldering knowledge.

What I wanted was to build a vertical CD player in a frame covered by a vinyl disc.

All I needed for the frame was a cheap lack table including its four legs.

The result is not just a simple CD player, but also a framed decorative vinyl with a constantly changing image in the middle depending on the CD cover.

~ Med Stud, Essen

Vessla Kids Moveable Storage/Work Space

Materials: Vessla and Vessla Lid, Trofast shelf

Description: Katie's creates a movable storage and work space for her daughters. Their favorite activities are drawing and puzzles both of which we have always done at the kitchen table. Trying to do them both simultaneously on the kitchen table often ends with tears or pieces all over the floor. So recently at Ikea Katie picked up a few storage boxes (Vessla) and a two pack of flat white shelves (Trofast) for $9.00.

Her idea was to glue the shelf to the storage box to store stuff and also have a surface for them girls to work on. Here's how she did it:


1. Lay the shelf out on the lid of the storage box and mark with a pencil where you want the lid to be.
2. The lid is a little longer then the box but not as wide as the box so it gives ample work space without taking up too much room.

3. Then use an industrial strength adhesive (E-6000 from Michael's) on the back of the shelf and attach it to the lid, matching up the edges with the pencil lines. You could also probably screw them together.

Katie made two separate work spaces one for each kid. One is filled with blank paper, coloring books, lots of markers, crayons and colored paper. The other was filled with puzzles, which are kept in Ziploc bags. The best thing is, the boxes can be rolled around so they can be moved anywhere, closed up and stored away.

See more of the kid's workspace and storage box.

~ Katie Gill-Harvey

Malm on the rise...

Materials: Malm bed frame, 4"x2" pine, 2"x2" pine, coach bolts

Description: When I lived at my old place I had loads of room to hide junk so didn't need underbed storage and I liked the Malm bed frame because it was low.

But when I moved I found myself short of storage space and contemplating buying another bed so I could store stuff under it.

Instead I paid �25 for materials and set to work to lift the Malm from ground by 7".


I started off by building the new frame by cutting the 2x2 to the length and width of the bed. Then I mortise and tenon the long piece to the centre of the two short pieces, to create a large I that the bed would sit on. I did this because I thought it would have a degree of rigidity. So far I haven't seen need!

Next I cut 4 pieces of the 4x2, 5" long, and coach bolted these to the corners of the I frame. I recessed the bolt heads so the bed could sit flush on the I frame. I also used dowels to stop the legs from swivelling, so you had two dowels and a coach bolt holding the legs to the frame. Very Sturdy!

With the bed up ended on the headboard, I aligned the I frame to bed and attached it using more coach bolts. Two to the headboard, two on the footboard. Again I recessed these bolts but this time for neatness.

And then I landed her on her four new feet! I was going to stain it to match the bed but I rather like the two-tone look!And the beauty is, if I want to bring her back down to earth, I can just unbolt the I frame and there is no scarring!

~ Nikki

The 40 Euro Wardrobe

Materials: Gorm shelf, Grundtal rail, Frosta stool, some additional short screws

Description: We needed a temporary solution in a new flat to use as a wardrobe since we were not sure what to do exactly with the existing space. So we headed for Ikea to find a simple and cheap solution.

When I came across the Gorm shelf (the 55cm's wide version - �24,99) it seemed to be perfect in size so I started collecting other items that would do the job of hanging some clothes on. In the end I found the Grundtal rail (kitchen stuff - �3,50) and the Frosta stool (�9,99) to be suitable. The �40 Wardrobe was born!


1) So for starters build up the Gorm frame and install the shelves at the lower part of it. This in order to keep space for the hanging section. As you can see in the overview picture, I installed the shelves on each second level from the bottom.

2) Then smash 2 of the brackets that come with the Gorm shelf flat with a hammer. You won't get them entirely flat of course, but the most important part is that you screw it to one of the stool feet as flat as possible so the Grundtal screw has no space to get loose.

3) Screw one bracket onto the long part of a Frosta stool leg. Hang this one over the shelf, then screw the other bracket into a second Frosta foot. An alternative approach is screwing both brackets into a Frosta foot first, then unscrew one of the top Gorm screws which will allow you to hang the hanging section onto the top Gorm shelf (I hope this is not too confusing?).

Now "The 40 Euro Wardrobe" should be finished. The fun part of the Frosta feet and Grundtal rail is that you can slide it forwards and backwards as a drawer. An extra "finishing touch" that I did was screwing two left over Vagen curtain rod wall fittings on the upper side of the shelf, making perfect jeans hangers. You can also buy the Vagen or Beskada Double wall fittings separately for �2,99, giving you space for at least four jeans.

~ Jesper Engels, Austria