Materials: Ikea Rast chest of drawers (1), 4" Eames era hairpin legs (4), 9-5/8" Ikea Lansa Handles (3), 3" cabinet screws (8), finishing supplies, drill and circular saw.
Description: Assembled the drawers as per the original instructions, leaving off the included wooden pulls. Spackled the existing hardware holes on the drawer face and finished with white enamel paint. Finally, I measured for new hardware holes, drilled and attached the Ikea Lansa pulls. Note, the entire process of building the drawers took a few days between multiple coats of thinned enamel paint, dry/cure time and sanding.
The cabinet was a little less straight forward, it required trimming both side panels and repositioning the two connecting braces (originally intended between the middle-back and bottom-front). To start, I took measurements to determine the drawer positioning against the side panels, taking into account the width of the brace to be repositioned.
It turned out I cut approximately 3" off the bottom of each side panel. Attached the plastic drawer guides and top panel to the side panels as per the original instructions. Without the pre-drilled template holes, I kept the middle-back brace in the same position it was intended for, but moved it to the bottom of the cabinet. I repositioned the bottom-front brace parallel to the top panel just at the bottom front of the cabinet. Attached both braces with wood glue and cabinet screws. Attached the hairpin legs to the bottom four corners of the cabinet, drilling them directly into the repositioned braces. Finished with two coats of English oak stain and added the drawers.
~ Anthony, New York City
Materials: RATIONELL VARIERA shelf insert, HEMNES nightstand, L brackets, spray paint
Description: We had a couple of old ice-cube table lamps from IKEA that didn't fit the style of our new bedroom, so I was looking to make something that would allow me to hide them, i.e. some kind of lampshade.
It turns out that the VARIERA shelf insert matches perfectly with the height of the shelf of the HEMNES nightstand. As perfectly as if someone measured them to fit into each other. The VARIERA can actually be jammed upright on the shelf of the HEMNES, creating a panel. To make it even steadier, I attached L brackets at the bottom part of the VARIERA. I used some of the shortest screws that come with the shelf, so they barely stick out on the outer surface.
I spray-painted the panels black to match the nightstand, and just jammed them in place. Now the panels hide the ice-cube lamps, baby monitor, phone charger and all their cords and the nightstands look much nicer, especially with the light on.
~ Annie, Greece
Materials: EXPEDIT (44x44 cm) white and black
Description: Our IKEA hack is very easy. As we have black&white bed, we were looking for something simple that would match in colour and both of us will like (and of course will not be expensive).
We decided for combination of dark and white EXPEDIT shelves. We followed the regular instructions from IKEA, but than mixed the material. And tadada.. :)
~ Spekulujeme
Description: Does anyone know the name of the chair in the middle? the chair is still produced?
~ JN
Materials: Expedit Shelving unit, Pragel Countertop, Galant Tabletop, Vika Byske legs, wood and hardware
Description: 1. Attach the countertop to the bookshelf using Gorilla Glue and L-brackets. I used 8 brackets total: 1 on each short side and 3 on each long side.
2. Drill holes into the countertop.
I taped the area around the hole to prevent the laminate from shattering. I also started with a very small drill bit and gradually increased the size of the hole.
All the while, I had the drill in reverse to further prevent unwanted damage to the laminate. The metal attachments on the underside of the table will simply sit in the holes (about .5" deep). I initially thought the diameter of the metal pieces was 1.5 inches. It turns out the diameter was slightly larger than that, so I had to twist the drill around in a way that would make a real carpenter cringe.
3. Attach legs to the other end of the table.
I cut a 2x6 to about 24" and painted what would be the underside. I used the same 1.5" spade drill bit to put in holes (about .5" deep) into the wood. I then drilled a .25" hole so that I could run a bolt through the wood and screw it into the metal pieces on the table. I'd recommend starting with the small hole (I didn't, and what I did to get things to line up right would've made that carpenter cringe again).
Once the wood is attached to the table, just drill small pilot holes and screw the legs onto the wood.
4. Put it together. Have the metal sit in the holes on the counter (mine is pretty snug), and adjust the legs on the other end until everything is level.
5. Throw a party.
~ Glenn, Washington, DC
Materials: Ikea PS, Wood, Stones, Saw, Colour
Description: I had this hand made sideboard made by my self out of wood - you usually use in a kitchen, and Ytong-Stones, my GF had this old PS-board from Ikea.
This hack is kind of a joint venture.
I saw off the pins of the PS board and made it fit.
Of course I did some wiring. And painting and I integrated all my little gadgets in there.
I think just a clean and homemade look.
~ Phil von Kretsche, Hamburg, Germany
Materials: LAIVA Desk, RAST Night Stand x 2
Description: When planning my new Amateur Radio Shack in the cupboard under the stairs, ala Harry Potter, there was only one option when it came to furniture. Ikea.
Only in the big blue giant can you find nice and small furniture to make a usable workbench in a 75cm by 50 cm space without building it yourself.
Using 1 x LAIVA desk and 2 x RAST night stand I put together this.
The top RAST has the lower shelf not fitted as this leaves a large enough space for a 19 inch monitor if I decide to fit it, I plan to start off using my Nexus 7 for qrz lookups etc. Connected them using a couple of straight brackets on either side and this gives enough rigidity as to not miss the second shelf. A 6 way power strip sat in the cable tray that the LAIVA powering two LAGRA clamp lights and a RIGEL hook as a headphone holder and the space is complete.
And from the outside looking in through the Hobbit sized door.
See more of the radio shack hack.
~ Jon Byrne, Manchester, UK
