Martin Cooper

I hacked a $59.99 IKEA kitchen cart into an open shelving, freestanding bathroom vanity. Did this way back in 2019 and it’s still holding up well. Here’s a look at the space I wanted to fit the vanity in. before IKEA item used: BEKVÄM kitchen cart BEKVÄM kitchen cart | IKEA.com Tools: Sandpaper (180 grit or higher) Wood stain Marine varnish (for waterproof finish) Vessel sink Faucet Jigsaw or similar cutting tool Plumber’s caulk Decorative baskets (optional) New p-trap in coordinating metal finish (also optional) IKEA hack freestanding bathroom vanity: 1. Firstly, cut the two non-wheeled legs to the same height as the shorter pair. Then, assemble the cart. But DO NOT put the top shelf on. (See what I did in the progress photo?  I had to rip that out.  It will get in the way of the installation of the under sink plumbing.) Ed note: The shelf may be okay for sinks with other types of plumbing fixtures , so do check with your plumber. 2. Next, sand ...

Many go to IKEA just for their meatballs. Now there’s another good reason — lingonberry pulled pork sandwich. Added to their menu just this Wednesday, the sandwich looks absolutely delish. Photo: IKEA.com Served on a brioche bun, the sandwich is packed with pulled pork and topped with lingonberry and vinegar-based BBQ sauce. It’s meant to combine a “classic American favorite with a Swedish twist,” according to a release. We hope it tastes as good as it sounds. Related: 6 no fail IKEA finger food recipes Complementing the sandwich is a side of mac and cheese. The meal retails for $4.99 and is available in all of their restaurants across the U.S. from now until July or maybe even a bit later, if it proves popular. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, IKEA says to check the local  IKEA store web page  to confirm the restaurant is open before visiting. Have you tried the pulled pork sandwich yet? If so, what’s the verdict? If you still prefer meatballs and can’t ge...

Move over HEMNES, IKEA HAVSTA is taking over. The quote for a bespoke bookcase was over £3K. We rolled up our shelves and hacked ourselves an IKEA HAVSTA built-in bookcase. We love that we get the bespoke looking finish for the IKEA price! Watch the transformation on our Instagram . View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jo • The New Front Wall • (@thenewfrontwall) The project took around a week and cost about £1200. IKEA items used: 4 x IKEA HAVSTA storage combination HAVSTA storage combination | Photo: IKEA.com | Buy on IKEA.com Other materials and tools: MDF Saw Drill Screws Decorators caulk Wagner paint sprayer Paint primer Paint Varnish Door handles IKEA HAVSTA built-in bookshelf hack instructions:  1. Assemble the IKEA HAVSTA units. (We decided to omit the back lip of the shelf. Refer to photo above of the original HAVSTA to see it.) Related: IKEA HEMNES built-in: Trim and moulding does wo...

I had no room for any of my equipment in my small home / project studio. As you can see from the before picture, everything was just piled up on an old desk and the wires were everywhere. before I decided I needed a brand spanking new studio desk. I was going to buy one online for around £400, but after coming across IKEA hackers , I decided it would be a whole lot cheaper to build it myself. And it was, almost 10x cheaper! after IKEA items used: VIKA AMON table top (now, LINNMON ) VIKA CURRY legs (replace with ADILS ) CAPITA legs LACK wall shelf Assembly instructions : I used a VIKA AMON table top (alternatively, LINNMON) combined with 4 VIKA CURRY legs (replaced with ADILS) for the main desk base. However, the problem with this was that I didn’t have enough room for my keyboard and my monitor. So, I decided to build another shelf using 1 LACK wall shelf and a pack of CAPITA legs. Now there is room for my keyboard, my monitor and my speakers, with room left over!...

When my dog was diagnosed with acid reflux, I wanted to feed him from an elevated pet bowl. But I couldn’t find one that was affordable, at the right height and had a removable stainless steel bowl. I already had a TJUSIG shoe rack and the dog bowls on hand. Related: Feeding station and water stand for a large dog IKEA items used:  TJUSIG Shoe Rack LURVIG Bowl – 54 oz BAGGMUCK Shoe Tray  (optional, for messy eaters) Other materials and tools:  Large square pet bowls  (or other approx. 9″ rimmed bowls; approx. 6″, if you only omit 1 rod),  3/4 inch round plastic end caps Elevated pet bowl instructions:  Follow the directions for assembling the TJUSIG Shoe Rack but omit 2 of the 3 interior rods on the level that you are using for the bowls. If you use the top level, the bowls will be raised 12″; if you use the bottom level, the bowls will be raised 5″.  Insert the plugs into the empty holes.  Rest...

The BILLY bookcase is one of those things that just works. We seen loads of hacks for the BILLY and you can browse them all here . But in this post, we zoom in on three unusual ways you can use the BILLY bookcase for toys and toy storage. Industrial BILLY bookcase with hidden toy bed My sons room is tiny and he wanted a toy bed so I tried to think of a way to make one without taking up too much space. I came up with this idea of an industrial style BILLY bookcase . The bottom pulls out into a bed during the night, similar to a Murphy bed , but for teddy. I painted the unit in black, applied pins and metal wax to front to get the industrial look. I made a custom door for the front. You can see more details and further pictures here . ~ Medina Grillo This one goes sideways Materials: IKEA Bookshelf (likely the old discontinued Flärke). You can do the same with a BILLY bookcase. I bought an IKEA bookshelf and it didn’t really match the decor of my home. I wonder...