Martin Cooper

Turn a plain IKEA LACK side table into a conversation piece. Take it from a regular coffee table to a living centerpiece, a beautiful succulent table. IKEA items used:  LACK side table LACK side table | Buy on IKEA.com Other materials and tools:  Measuring tape Duct tape Pen and cutter Plastic wrap Expanded clay balls (LECA) Cactus soil Succulents DIY succulent table instructions:  Step 1: Define the planting area The final planting area for the succulents must be drawn out. In order to obtain the most accurate template possible, it is advisable to work with a measuring tape. Related: A stencilled accent table for succulents We decided on a planting hole with a length of 30 centimeters and a width of 23 centimeters. These dimensions leave enough space for the plant to be staged, as well as a sufficient margin for regular use. For example for placing glasses. Of course, the shape and size of the subsequent succulent bed can be individually ad...

This year went by so quickly that I almost forgot that it’s time for the new IKEA catalogue for 2021. Yes, it’s that time of the year again. And this year’s edition is a little special as it marks its 70th birthday! (If you’ve not browsed the amazing archive of yesteryear catalogues, please click this link .) For 2021, IKEA turned the catalogue into an inspirational handbook full of budget-friendly tips, hands-on ideas, new exciting products and familiar favourites. Think of it as a handbook for a better everyday life at home! “Life at home has never been as important as it is today. We know that to most people  living  is synonymous with  small space living . It’s not always a choice or just a temporary thing. More people have even more limited budgets today. That’s why most of the solutions featured in this year’s catalogue are accessible for people with small budgets and for small spaces” says Caroline Hjertström, Range Communication Manager, IKEA Communications. T...

This might be a good option for parents setting up a learning center at home. If you are short on space, this setup is slim but still deep enough to be a good laptop desk. It also has ample shelving for books and stationery. And if you have younger kids, set the desk on the second shelf (from the bottom) rather than the third. Now if you have young children, you might want to use a bracket or two and anchor the shelf units to a wall. My daughter also use it as a makeup vanity station . Items Needed: 2 MOLGER shelf units MOLGER shelf unit | Buy on IKEA.com 1 wood stair tread – I used pine (about $12) Buy on HomeDepot.com 2 pieces of 1 by 2’s that are 14 1/2 inches long 6 wood screws Drill / Screw Driver Learning Center and Vanity Station hack Assemble the MOLGER shelf units and place them where you want your learning center to be. The distance between the two shelf units should be slightly less than the length of the stair tread (48″). Lay the stair tread bet...

I need help with creating a clutter-free remote learning nook for my 3rd grade son to have school from home during the pandemic. I have a small house that already has clutter issues, I want to create a space specifically for school where his mind can focus on school and not become distracted with my working from home in the next room or his dad puttering about the house. The space I have in mind is at the end of our living room near the front door. Like I said, we already have a clutter issue and what I have in mind would create storage for the entryway as well as dividing the room so that he’s in a separate space. Remote learning nook plan Here’s what I propose. I would like to get two 4×4 KALLAX units but somehow bolt them together in an off-centered “L” shape, so they’d be at right angles to one another. I cannot bolt the KALLAX into the wall because there’s a return register in the base of the wall where the room divider needs to be. I’m hoping that by bolting the 2 KALLAX un...