Whether you’re the DIY type or in need of inexpensive and minimalistic furniture, Ikea probably has a special place in your heart (and wallet). The DIY nature of Ikea products have led to some interesting combinations but these 5 hacks give additional functionality to a home and look great.
1. The Ultimate Twin Highcair
Using the BJURSTA dining room table, this hacker transformed it into a twin highchair.
Faced with the problem of limited space and a limited budget for an extensive high chair and table combination Jared and Krystal thought of an ingenious idea – using an Ikea table plus high chairs.
The couple grabbed a hold of a free Ikea table from a friend and ordered high chair seats on the cheap. Two holes were cut towards the edge of the table which fit the high chair seats snugly. Both seats can be pulled out when family and friends come over or if the kids need to be rotated and face out of the table.
The couple’s young children now have a front row seat to breakfast, lunch, dinner and in-between meals.
2. From Old To New: The Ikea Bathroom Hack
Staring at a dull and boring 1950s style house jumpstarted the idea of using Ikea cabinet cover panels to breath new life in the bathroom.
Kathy decided to put a modern twist on her old bathroom and used 5 3′ x 8′ panels she bought as is from Ikea for $10. She opted to use the panels for the upper half of the room and tiles from Lowes for the bottom half. After some sawing, cutting, glueing and mounting Kathy had a very modern bathroom without breaking the bank wiith costly materials.
3. Turn A Cabinet In To A Fitted TV Cabinet
TV cabinets often provide great housing for a set and look great but what if you want something more streamlined? This hack fits a TV in to a bookshelf without wasting any space.
Jerome came home to a Besta shelf from Ikea but was dismayed with the mounting options for his TV. Not one to put up with the lack of frames that could hide his TV and cables he cut into the two doors to make the TV look like it blended in with the shelving unit. The back of the shelf houses cables and a custom mounting bracket to line the TV up with the opening.
The precision cutting of the Besta unit and custom TV mounting options really set this hack apart form others. The end result is very clean and minimalistic.
4. Make An Ugly AC Look Beautiful
AC units themselves are already an eyesore. The truly ugly AC systems can instantly make a beautiful room in to something ugly.
An Apartment Therapy reader had the same problem and wanted to do something about it short of completely gutting out the AC. Using laminate floor panels and metal brackets Alex was able to make a great looking box that covered the AC without hampering air floor. Everything was cut precisely and to add the finishing touch is 4 shelf legs that hold up a table.
5. The Ultimate Hack: Turning A Studio Apartment Into …
As someone who lived in a studio apartment I learned to appreciate how valuable space can be. To squeeze out every last ounce of space, this rather extensive hack uses sliding doors to add a bedroom and improve the appearance.
The problem with studio apartments is the lack of a bedroom and seeing your sleeping quarters in the living room can be a turn off for some. While room dividers are an option, they can be rather bulky and even bland. Using a pair of PAX doors from Ikea and a wooden frame, this creative hacker sectioned off his makeshift bedroom. The PAX doors hide the bed during the day and can be easily accessed.
Guests have no idea a bed is hidden behind the massive sliding doors and add a unique touch to this living room.
If you’ve been looking in to a fun DIY project using materials from Ikea but don’t know which direction to take, think of something creative yet functional. These Ikea hacks were picked for the creativeness and actual functionality.
