Skip to main content

IKEA releases furniture add ons for people with disabilities

This is the kind of hacks from IKEA that got me cheering. Just simple add-ons that make their furniture so much more accessible.

Couch leg extenders, extra large light switches, easy grab handles may not appear like jaw-dropping hacks but they make IKEA products more usable by people with disabilities.

The add-on products are designed to fit at least one popular IKEA product. IKEA Israel has offered them as free downloads, accessible from anywhere in the world. With the files, you can then 3D-print them at home or at a local 3D printing hub.

Let’s take a closer look at ThisAbles furniture add-ons

Sofa lift with leg extenders

IKEA ThisAbles furniture add ons accessibility for people with disabilities

A sofa leg extender for the KARLSTAD sofa. Slip them over the regular KARLSTAD legs and they raise the sofa height making it easier to get up from.

Mega Switch to turn on or off

IKEA ThisAbles furniture add ons accessibility for people with disabilities

Slip a larger printed switch over the existing push button to make it easier to hit the on-off button.

Easy grip for shower curtain

IKEA ThisAbles furniture add ons accessibility for people with disabilities

Curtain Gripper makes it easier to grab and draw wet slippery shower curtains.

Large handles for PAX wardrobes

IKEA ThisAbles furniture add ons accessibility for people with disabilities

Easy Handle allows PAX wardrobe doors to be opened with the forearm, instead of fingers.

Bedside hooks for cane
IKEA ThisAbles furniture add ons accessibility for people with disabilities

Cane By Me are genius hooks that can be fastened on the bed frame and allow a walking stick to be kept close to the user.

A few others in the ThisAbles accessibility designs are:

  • Friendly Zipper — Attach the extra large ring to any zipper to make it easier to zip and unzip
  • Glass Bumper — Fix onto glass doors at the height where they might be hit by a wheelchair
  • Insider — Insert this angled mirror into high shelves so that their contents can be seen from below

Watch the entire ThisAbles product playlist here and visit ThisAbles website for the full list of accessibility furniture add-ons.

Well done, IKEA Israel. May I suggest, in time to come, these furniture add ons be added as actual products (or a print-on-demand service) in all IKEA stores? 3D printing is still not as easy or affordable in many countries. Let’s go all the way to create a better everyday for the many people.

 

The post IKEA releases furniture add ons for people with disabilities appeared first on IKEA Hackers.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SKÅDIS: 5 ways to make the IKEA pegboard even better

IKEA introduced its own pegboard system, SKÅDIS, two years ago and I’d say it’s one of the best systems IKEA launched in recent years. I love how super customisable it is, with a growing range of accessories that help keep things organized. It works everywhere, in your wardrobe to bathroom . Probably anywhere you have a flat surface to hang it up. Photo: IKEA.com SKÅDIS pegboard system See it on IKEA.com But no matter how perfect a system, you can trust IKEA hackers to improve on the SKÅDIS. And they’ve settle these 5 issues you may have faced with the handy IKEA pegboard. Read on for their fixes. 5 IKEA SKÅDIS issues and fixes #1 Expensive hooks? You’ll need quite a number of hooks and accessories to fill up the SKÅDIS pegboard, and Kenyer was shocked at how quickly they all added up. So he figured he could make his own hooks to save cost. Photo: Kenyer Over at Instructables , he shows us how to twist copper wires into the SKÅDIS hook shape. It works s...
Post a Comment
Read more

KALLAX desk ideas: Three ways to set up a workstation

Three great ideas for a KALLAX desk . #1 Compact, minimalist desk for laptop I put together a KALLAX desk for my laptop for just under 25 euros. Just a KALLAX 2×2 is needed. No other materials required. IKEA item used: KALLAX 2 x 2 (77 x 77 cm) KALLAX 2×2 | IKEA.com All you need to do is assemble 3 of the pieces in a U shape. That is all.  If you want to strengthen the structure you would need to drill a couple of holes in order to use the long middle shelf of the KALLAX unit as a back reinforcer. Easy and it works. ~ by Fabio Tudela #2 KALLAX standing desk I choose to stand at work because it makes me feel infinitely more productive. Our department recently moved into a new building and we had the opportunity to design our own spaces. Items Used: VIKA AMON / TORNLIDEN table top x 2 (discontinued, replaced by LINNMON ) KALLAX 4 cube x 2 KALLAX drawer unit x 2 8 – 3″ locking casters / wheels 1 – 6′ zinc brace I had a few VIKA AMON tables ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Amped up KURA bed with drawers and safety rail

We saw other KURA beds with storage drawers underneath on this site. So, we also wanted the same — to make space for LEGO s and wooden trains under the bed. We installed the additional headboard panels because the configuration of the room and the location of the windows in the room meant that we wanted the children’s heads on the right and the ladder on the left. The KURA plans did not seem to allow this configuration, though I have seen online that there are models of this bed from 2003 that allowed more options for setup. Additional safety features Safety rail panel for the lower KURA bed helps our two year old feel secure, as he just transitioned from a crib directly to this bunk. Likewise metal handles on the ladder. They added a lot of confidence for both the five-year-old and the two-year-old when climbing up to the top bunk. We are aware that the bunk is now even higher than before and both children are under 6. Use caution and common sense before making these modifi...
Post a Comment
Read more