Bedtime Reading Lights

Materials: Hemma and Jansjo Lights

Description: The mattress is really thick so light from regular table lamps does not work. I broke the desk and standing lamps down to their bare components and rebuilt them in this configuration.

I had to extend the low voltage wires through the poles and mounted the switches on the headboard. I also bent the poles a little using a home made jig. Overall, a relatively easy afternoon project that functions effectively.

~ Robert Fontaine

The 'just-so-I-can-say-I-hacked-something' light

Materials: Ordning cutlery caddy, Hemma table lamp base, cheap plastic folder

Description: I stumbled on this website a few weeks ago, and decided I had to do one. I've seen some very creative ideas, as well as some not-so-much, but I admire everyone for trying.

Perhaps I'll do something else on a grander scale, but for my first hack I just wanted to do something cheap and easy.

Get an Ordning caddy for 2.99 and a Hemma table lamp base for $5.

Now grab yourself a plastic folder (mine was mostly clear, just to diffuse the light.) $0.50 at Big Lots. You can use colored if you want for a different look. Cut it just wide enough to line the inside of the Ordning and it will slide under the lip. Otherwise you could use glue to secure it I suppose.

Use the collar from the hemma lamp base and trace a circle onto the bottom of the Ordning. I used a Dremmel tool to cut out and sand the hole.

Put the rest of the lamp together and....

I think it turned out pretty decent, also makes some nice light patterns on the wall. Not bad for $8.49 plus tax. Thought about making it a hanging light as well, maybe a couple over the counter in the kitchen...

~ Steve B., Tacoma, WA

Fullen on Fullen

Materials: Fullen

Description: The Fullen sink base cabinet is very low compared with the height of my sink, so I thought why not put two on top of each other?

I cut of the side panels on the reduced Fullen so they would fit under the normal Fullen. I drilled new holes for the assembly pins and put it together as normal. This part will be without doors so I left out the part with the hinges.

Then I cut a new hole for the drain pipe in the top panel of the normal Fullen with a jigsaw and put the shortened Fullen version on top and fixed it with some small screws.

I followed the rest of the instructions and fitted the combo with doors, back panels and legs.

~ Jens Kl�ve, Copenhagen

Rast Nightstand Mobile Kitchen Storage

Materials: Two Rast Nightstands, 4 wheels, 4 metal plates, lots of screws

Description: We needed some extra storage in the kitchen and we needed to keep it in space under the table that would be otherwise out of reach.

I didn't find anything that would suit our needs. The carts were either too tall to go under the table or to narrow to fully utilize the extra space. Also I didn't want anything made out of plastic.

Here is our solution. I bought two RAST nightstands (very cheap and made out of nice wood). I joined them together with metal plates. Then I have attached four wheels to top of the nightstands and I turned everything upside down.

It wasn't my initial plan, but I had to remove one shelf. The unit would be too deep otherwise and it would be hard to reach items in the back.

Now we have a mobile storage that nicely fits under Bjorkudden table, matches its nice wood pattern and has two level shelves for items of different height.

~ Maciej Witkowiak, Poznan, Poland

MALM meets NUMERAR Kitchen Island

Materials: MALM, NUMERAR, AKURUM

Description: My wife and I recently bought our first house. Yay! As you can imagine, living in L.A. means housing is very expensive, and we didn't have very much left in our budget to renovate the new house as much as we would have liked to.

One of the things we knew we wanted to concentrate on was creating as nice a kitchen as our dollars would let us. So that meant the usual suspects: IKEA cabinets, cheaper countertops (we wanted Ceaserstone), and less cabinetry. We also kept the stove that came with the home as we did not have the Benjamins to splurge on a new one. We also kept our old refrigerator. The only appliance we bought new was the dishwasher, also from IKEA.

I'd like to show you how we took $559 and made ourselves a pretty cool island that we love.


1. First, we outlined the footprint of the island, 3'x6' with Blue painters tape. FYI, the kitchen is not finished in these photos.

2. The next step was to build a frame base. Here we used 2x4s that are held down with angle brackets. Do you see the dresser under the window? That is an IKEA MALM bedroom dresser that we will be using as part of our island.

3. Once the base was built, we attached the MALM dresser. To the left of the dresser (as seen in this view) is an IKEA base cabinet. We found it in AS IS at IKEA and it was in rough shape as you can see. We snatched it up for $10!!

4. With both bases in, we can now move on the next step: the sides and top.

5. For the sides and the top we decide to use IKEA wood countertops. We purchased two; each one is 3'x6' basically. We cut one right in half, and voila, the sides of the island!

6. The top is, you guessed, a full sheet of the IKEA wood countertop. This is so heavy, we barely had to fasten it in place much, we just used two brackets on either end, tucked away inside so you can't see them.

7. For the face of the island, we attached a piece of 1/2" plywood to the 2x4 base and the back of the cabinets. We then used a sheet of vinyl wall panel (called Plas-Tex) that we picked up at Lowe's. It is attached with Liquid Nails, that's it. So far, its held up well. Easy to clean kick marks too!

8. This is what the other side looks like. the MALM drawer gives it a very refined look we think. The only thing left to do is to add some shelving on the right and a toekick.

9. Yes we would have liked to have some doors here instead of exposing the pots and pans, but the budget wouldn't allow it. Nobody sees this side as much anyway so we're ok with it.

Well, there you have it, our $559 kitchen island. Hopefully, it will inspire you to do something you're happy with, and not spend too much money doing it. I did sand it and seal it when it was all put together of course.

Here is a list of the items we bought (with prices, rounded to the nearest dollar) with links, if available:

(3) 2x4s (10'), Lowe's, $8.40 + tax = $9
(2) Countertops, IKEA Numerar $390 + tax = $424.
(1) IKEA Malm dresser, $69.99 + tax = $76
(1) IKEA Base Cabinet, (AS IS), $9.99 + tax = $11
(2) Shelves and back of island, Lowe's, made from (1) 4'x8' sheet of 1/2" plywood, $15.97 + tax = $17
Plas-Tex Vinyl Sheet, Lowe's, $19.98 + tax = $22
Total: $559

See more of the customised kitchen island.

~ Danny Cerezo, Los Angeles, CA

Expedit slim shift version

Materials: Expedit 2x2 shelving unit

Description: Ever thought that the Expedit series took a bit too much space? My very small hallway had no space for a full version of the Expedit as the front door couldn't open... This is how I did it:

First I marked up the cut plane on the assembled Expedit 2x2, the plane is a bit shifted in this case, as the shoes to the left are bigger than the shoes at the right :)

Then it took it apart and cut the different pieces with a fine hand saw.

I then reused the cut-off-piece as the reinforcement at the front of the shelves as they had the precut holes I needed to reassemble it. I cut a small piece off the reinforcement to make room for the replacing front.

I drilled new holes for the reassembly and put everything back together.

~ Jens Kl�ve, Copenhagen

Little octopuses lamp

Materials: Ikea PS2012 bowl, Variera drawer mat clear, wire, cold light bulbs

Description: Cut the drawer mat in 8 cm wide strips, following the same direction as it is rolled (this way when cut, the strips will get curly)

Then, cut again every strip following the pattern between the dots, alternating strips with one and two dots. Leave the center of the large strip uncut, approx. 8 cm.

Use four large strips crossed to wrap the bulbs (non-incandescent, of course, for safety reasons). Attach the strips to the bulbholder (it has to be good quality in order to avoid overheating) with a plastic fastener.

Hang the wrapped bulbs at different heights with transparent wire through the holes of the PS2012 bowl.

Finally attach the bowl to the ceiling with a regular lamp clamp, and comb the curly strips to your taste.

Enjoy the marine effect :-)

~ J.Carlos Garc�a, Madrid - Spain

CAUTION: Possible fire hazard if used with incandescent light bulbs and unsuitable fixtures