Trip update Part 3: Let’s talk By: Jules IKEAHacker

Read Part 1 here.

Read Part 2 here.

Our last day was spent at the IKEA Concept Centre in Delft. It is an actual IKEA store with learning and research spliced in. In here, IKEA studies customers’ interactions with their products, floor displays and information. They conduct experiments to better the flow, engage the customer and look into every small detail such as the floor directory to help customers find their way through the store.

For the uninitiated, the first visit to IKEA can be harrowing – the crowd, the maze, the self-service-dunno-how. My first time, I felt sucked into a blackhole with no way out unless I obediently followed the arrows. Now 10,000 trips later, I have the floor plan and shortcuts etched on my palm (till IKEA Malaysia smartly went and renovated their store, just to throw me off!)

The good news is, IKEA works tirelessly to improve the customer’s journey through the store. Denis, the very animated store manager of IKEA Delft, took us on a tour and explained the ins and outs of the journey.

Read the rest of the post on JULES’ blog.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1zrMrgV From Jules IKEAHacker

Weekend Project: Burlap Mat for RIBBA Frame By: Craftivity Designs

Materials: RIBBA frame in aluminium colour, Mod Podge

The RIBBA Frame and Mat is attractive and simple as-is; but this quick update gave it a bit of texture for our “modern farmhouse” style bath.

Begin by removing the mat from the frame and cut a piece of burlap about an inch larger (on each side) than the mat. Apply Mod Podge to the front of the mat and lay it face-down on the burlap to adhere. Once dry, cut a slit into each corner of the burlap. The slit should only go to the corner of the mat, which allows the burlap edges to be folded around the back of the mat.

Again, use Mod Podge to adhere. The inside corners will also need to be slit, and the burlap folded around the back as well. Once all of the glue is dry, pair it with some great art!

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/ZMiesl From Craftivity Designs

Decorative candelabra perfect for earrings too By: Lynn B

Materials: VINTERMYS

Made of 1/4″ thick felt, this perforated holiday decoration is perfect for displaying several pretty pairs of earrings. If reinforced somehow, it could also hold rings and lightweight necklaces and bracelets. What an imaginative way to present a gift of jewelry this year!

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1sYd4nC From Lynn B

DIY Project: Copper Snakes Pumpkin By Liz Libre By: Grace Bonney

I’ve been reading Halloween books to my four-year-old son before bed and all the same kinds of spooky things are mentioned: bats, mummies, skeletons, owls (are they really spooky?), witches. I realized I would use this project to paint something that really spooks me: snakes! Snakes totally freak me out, but if you forget the whole poisonous venom thing, the body of the snake and the patterns on their skin are actually quite beautiful. I really liked that contrast, so I decided I’d make a “spooky” but beautiful pumpkin. I hope this will inspire you to try some metallic painting on your pumpkins this year! -Liz Libre of Linda & Harriett

Click through for tips on replicating this look after the jump!

(more…)

via Design*Sponge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/designspongeonline/njjl/~3/6AQ2CGBaf8E/story01.htm From Grace Bonney

ALGOT vents: Ceiling air outlet By: Kostas Syrtariotis

Materials: ALGOT shelves

I needed a white metal supply air outlet for my HVAC system. Commercial items are usually rather expensive, nevertheless I did not find something I really liked for my environment. Then I stumbled upon a couple of Algot shelves at the as-is corner for €1 each, they were just perfect!

So I made a custom wood plenum (casement) for each one and installed them over my drywall ceiling. Four neodymium magnets keep them steadily in place from inside. You can hardly notice them, they’re easy to pull off for cleaning and, most important, they’re hacked!

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1woFskh From Kostas Syrtariotis

Gulliver travels to the laundry room By: Jules

Materials: GULLIVER crib

We needed a laundry rack without a foot print because our attic is small and our laundry was growing with one kid and one underway. Racks suspended from bannisters are very common here but as a kid I always hated having to walk the stairs with wet laundry touching my face. Ugh!

I had seen some pictures of a rack with pulley system which would make perfect use of the height under the roof. My boyfriend (the builder) thought that was a bit too complicated and came up with this version. We’ve had it in use for almost two years now and I am still very happy with it!

We used a Gulliver crib (picked up at a thrift store for €12,50), but any crib with round bars will work.

Additional materials needed from the hardware store:

- 4 big flat brackets (about 30cm by 3cm)

- 2 heavy duty hinges

- pulley (doesn’t have to be big, but make sure it can carry the weight)

- rope

- cleat hook

- screws (appropriate for your type of wall)

1. Determine how big your laundry rack can be. This is dependent on how much height you have available to you and how much space to lower it. Ours is about 1.8m.

2. One side was trimmed and then affixed to the other side of the crib with the 4 flat brackets, two on each side, bottom and top.

3. Attach the rack to the wall using the hinges. Make sure it is at the right working height.

4. Fix the pulley to the wall, a little below where the top of the rack would touch the wall.

5. Fix the hook to the wall, somewhere where you can easily access it.

6. Tie the rope to the end of the rack and thread it through the pulley, loop it on the hook. When the rack is completely lowered, cut of any excess rope.

You don’t want to make it much bigger than this, with this design. With a full load it bends a bit where the two sides are attached to each other plus it is heavy to pull up. (I am really not a strong person at all and can manage, just.) If you want it bigger strengthen the attachment of the sides of the crib and use more than one pulley to distribute the weight.

via IKEA Hackers http://ift.tt/1yqqtqr From Jules

9 Questions with Baked Bakery By: Grace Bonney

I’m not sure if it’s the sheer joy they get to be around all day (Sugar! Icing! Sprinkles!), but bakers are some of happiest and kindest people I know. And two of my all-time favorite bakers, and people, are Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of Baked. This talented twosome just released a fantastic new baking book, Baked Occasions , and are about to open up a new bakery in Manhattan any day now, too. Their current schedules make even the busiest person seem like they’re in slow-motion, so I’m especially grateful that they were willing to sit down with us last week (in the corner banquette of their beautiful new location!) to answer a few fun questions. Tomorrow we’ll be sharing a recipe from Baked Occasions , so stay tuned for meringues you will not want to miss. Click here to check out more of Baked’s delicious work online.

Video by Maxwell Tielman. Thanks to Julia Turshen & Radio Cherry Bombe for inspiring the rapid-fire questions for this video!

via Design*Sponge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/designspongeonline/njjl/~3/Fjx4sSIYe-k/story01.htm From Grace Bonney