Friday, February 26, 2010

ALTER ALERT: IKEA Hacking

IKEA is like that guy whose number you just can't erase from your phone. Kinda boring, of questionable quality, tolerable in small doses, but always there when you need him. You find yourself coming back again and again, whether it's a lonely Saturday night, or when you just can't find the right bookcase for your living room and you're tired of looking.




But even if you feel stuck in a rut (be it "romantic" or "furniture"), there are always ways to shake it up. The behemoth IKEA has stores in 37 countries, and in all of those countries there's bound to be someone bored with that same ol' LACK table. People around the world are "hacking" their IKEA furniture. The term "hacking" no longer means lonely geeks in their Mom's basements trying to decode the encryption for the CIA database. Hacking is now a term meaning modifying something yourself to make it better, more efficient, and more AWESOME.


There are IKEA hacks all over the internet, but IKEA Hacker should be the first stop on your online hacking tour. IKEA Hacker was founded in 2006 by "Jules," a nom de plume derived from the eponymous chair. There are hundreds of hacks on the site for you to admire and try yourself. Some of our favorites... (Click the pic to go to the tutorial.)




A floating iMac desk




A BEKVAM kitchen cart turned into a cool sink



But IKEA Hacker isn't the only place to find cool hacks. Here's one from Lifehacker...




Lotsa LAMPAN lamps turned into an awesome light sculpture



And one from Apartment Therapy...




Turning two LACK tables into a kitchen island



The possibilities are endless. Stop by your local IKEA and check out their "as is" section for discounted pieces that are perfect for a little hacking. Get creative! Get kinky! (And yes, that applies to both your furniture and your friend with benefits.)





Via IKEA, IKEA Hacker, Lifehacker, and Apartment Therapy.

No comments:

Post a Comment