$20 Ikea Antique Barn Light By: Erin

Materials: ÅRSTID wall lamp, FÄRGRIK ceramic plate

1. If you want to direct wire- cut the cable. See where the mounting screws are in your light box. If they’re at the top and bottom (like mine was) you’ll have to rotate the base of the light. I also cut the pull cable off.

2. Loosen the nut at the base of the white cord. Then use lots of muscle and torque to rotate the arm of the light. The small screw holes should be at the top and bottom of the light instead of on the sides. I stepped on the light’s arm to get proper grip.

3. Prep for spray paint. Tape off the socket. I also taped the two larger holes (cord and pull cable) from behind. I just spray painted over the tape. I recommend getting some rubber plugs for these holes instead. I used Rustoleum Antique Brass. Don’t forget to spray paint the little screws that attach the light to the mounting plate.

4. Drill a hole in the mounting plate to put the cord through. Use a drill bit designed for metal. The hole should be big enough for the cord, about .25 inch.

5. After the spray paint was dry, I applied black shoe polish to the whole light, making sure to get in the grooves. Then I buffed it off. It makes a pretty big difference.

6. Mount and wire the light. Don’t forget to turn off the circuit breaker at your junction box. I suggest wrapping the cord with a couple layers of electrical tape so that the sharp edges of the drilled hole in the mounted plate doesn’t cut through the cord’s insulation.

7. For the traditional barn light shade I drilled a hole in the FÄRGRIK ceramic plate. I used this 1 inch ceramic drill bit ($6 on Amazon). The 1 inch bit was a little too small so get a 1.25 in one or you can work at the hole after it’s drilled to make it a little bigger. I drilled a hole in the center of the plate from the back (so to not scratch the front). Don’t push to hard and take breaks to spray with water because it gets very hot!

8. The plate is sandwiched between the light and the plastic white washer that’s included with the light. I finished off the look with an emerson bulb.

Complete tutorial with pictures is here.

Buy Barn Lights.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1dtGNi5 From Erin

GIKORK* Bird House By: Art

I saw Henrik Preutz’s KROKIG design for children’s wall storage and turned it on its head!

Our upper midwest winter has been brutal and we have been trying to create shelter for the birds. I just attached this upside down to our wooden fence in the back yard.

The item is available in either black or green.

GIKORK is just KROKIG backward…

Art

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1gA3KjR From Art

‘Billies for show’ By: Studio Stad

For an exhibition 8 Billies were used to store books and serve different kinds of presentation or communication.

Billy 1 became a confession chair

Billy 2 could be used as a cathedra

Billy 3 was a table for a dialogue

Billy 4 turned into a magazine cabinet

Billy 5 served as a supermarket shelf

Billy 6 provided a bench to watch TV

Billy 7 stayed a Billy

Billy 8 transformed into a school desk

All the Billies are connected by screens and can be used as a room divider

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1f0VqcS From Studio Stad

SOCKER nightstand: The Greenhouse Effect By: AgaP./patchworkandco.com

1. Buy Ikea Socker greenhouse.

2. Take the front Plexiglas out.

3. Attach a piece of patterned wallpaper to the back side.

4. Put it on your night table and that’s it! Done!

Arrangement possibilities unlimited!

To see more (men’s version included) visit my blog.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1fkokkD From AgaP./patchworkandco.com

BESTA is the BEST By: Graeme

I have gone through several iterations of our TV wall. I take my TV viewing seriously, and my eyes would always move from the TV to the wall behind it. I tried painting, paneling, I built a slatted wall all to no avail. I saw the BESTA panel system last year and really liked the way it looked, except for the “cardboard faux wood” panel inserts. I have always been a fan of the “wooden wall” and figured I could make my own panels and slide them in.

I went to the lumber yard and was nonplussed with the selection. Every 4X8 sheet had grain that was a little to plain. Soooo, Home Depot, LUAN (underlayment) BAM POW CHEAP!!! I had to take down half of the stack of wood to find some interesting grain and got a few sheets that I liked. Then I had to custom cut each of the 2′X4″ panels.

The luan I used was too thick to put in the slots/channels of the BESTA so I used a planer and removed about 1/8″-ish from the back to slide the panels in. I did the same for the drawer front, except these were a little more difficult to cut. They had to be exact, because they slip in behind glass and if it was cut wrong you could see the gap (I burned through a few pieces). I used Murphy’s Oil Soap instead of a tung oil or poly to finish. It toned the wood down enough for my liking.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1jC5KeX From Graeme

Washable TOFTBO Carpet By: Antoinet

For creating this carpet, attach the little Toftbo bathmats by using the zigzag stitch on your sewing machine. That’s all, it’s so easy .

You can make the carpet as big as you want, and of course all colour variations are possible.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1iSb5Me From Antoinet

Faktum dresser including laundry basket By: Marco

My wife asked me to make her a new dresser.

To help her we went to Ikea and found the Faktum double closet was the best option. We added a wooden top in which I cut a circular hole so the laundry basket could easily be reached.

For our daughter to reach the top of the dresser I made a wooden ladder which also reaches the already installed dresser fixed to the wall behind the new one.

The lid has been routed out and can’t fall into the hole due to a dado cut. The laundry basket is a up side down Ikea stool.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1euVVr0 From Marco

Six variations of Rusch By: Leif Olin

Just buy one or a couple of Rusch-clocks. They are very cheap. Now take off the glass but be very careful. It’s of a bad plastic quality. Very fragile. Take off the needles and clockwork.

You need different kind of papers, glue and whatever you will find out to decorate the round frame. When it is dry enogh I spray it with spray paint – black, red, blue and what you like and a mixture of it. And then goldspray if I feel for it. In the bottom I place a photo or a grafic picture I have made. Put the needles and clockwork back and the glass – but that is not necessary. The new clock is ready. A perfect gift.

But unfortunately they sound a little. So don’t put them in a bedroom. Tic-tac!

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1j5jk7d From Leif Olin

Modern Expedit to Vintage Printer’s Cabinet By: Naomi C

I love the look of those vintage printers drawer units. But, who actually has a bunch of flat things to store?! I already had a couple Expedit units in white and decided “what better way to break in my new miter saw but an Ikea hack on these buggers?!”

How:

I framed out the Expedit units with 1×3′s adding an additional 1×4 on the bottom to help make the measurements fit better.

I made 14 cuts of 1x4s and attached them together with a 1×2 strips on the back side to create the look of drawers, but actually creating a large door.

I attached the door to the framed out Expedit units

PAINT

I used cup pulls on each of the slats of 1x4s to add to the look of many drawers

TaDa!

See more of the Expedit printer’s cabinet.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1g7nYSn From Naomi C