IKEA Hacks Archives - Poppytalk

10+ DIYS + Hacks from IKEA’s Stylists

Jan Halvarson — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 07:35:00 +0000

1. DIY Bureau Goes Old School

Turn a RAST dresser into an old filing cabinet look. I would love to see this in it’s original pine.

Click here for the how-to.

2. Give Your Dresser New Life

A MALM dresser gets a new look using fabric. Click here for the video

3. Industrial to Elegant

A HYLLIS Shelf gets an upgrade with a little help from some paint and mesh board.

4. Upgrade Your Plates

Create unique tableware from your white plates using ceramic paints.

Click here for more info.

5. IVAR Folding Screen

We’ve seen this concept before with the IVAR dressers. Turn IVAR end frames into a folding screen.

Click here for the how-to.

6. Summer Fresh Still Lifes

Preserve your favourite flowers in vases or frames.

Click here.

7. Centre Stage

By placing the carpet in the centre of the room, it creates a lighter, spacious feel.

More info here.

8. Sheets Become Curtains

Recycle sheets into curtains, with this simple idea.

More info here.

9. Joy Division

Create a new space by dividing a room using fabric attached to the ceiling.

More info here.

10. Make a Sofa

Add an upholstered cushion and pillows to make a new nook.

More info here.

11. DIY Personal Light Loop

Lights, photos, clothespins!

Click here to see

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99 IKEA Hacks From Mass Produced to Genuine Interior Design

Jan Halvarson — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 05:07:00 +0000

Decorator, Monica Karlstein of the Swedish-based blog, Hemmafix recently published a book close to our IKEA-hacking hearts called, 99 Hacks: from mass produced to genuine interior design. Although from what we can see, the book is only published in the Swedish language with no word yet whether the publisher will be publishing an English version; we still thought it was worth a mention because, really, hacks need no language do they? Also, these just might be the most beautiful hacks you’ve ever seen. Let’s take a look!

Woven Headboard
Love this woven headboard using the GJORA bed frame.

Woven Cabinet Doors
A beautiful enhancement to the IVAR cabinet.

Botanical Chest of Drawers + Lighting
Love, love. love this transformation which looks like it could be made a MALM dresser. As well, the lighting found here.

Dowel Doors
Another stunner using the IVAR and evenly cut dowels. Find the how to on her blog here.

Magazine Rack
Up the ante on the magazine rack set with this gorgeous backpack style leather version.

For more info on 99 Hacks: from mass produced to genuine interior design, click here and be sure to visit Monica’s blog Hemmafix! Happy hacking!

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IKEA Hack | Kid’s Bedroom Bunk Fort

Jan Halvarson — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 05:08:00 +0000

Earlier this past winter we noticed the most adorable kid’s bedroom bunk fort being made (via Instagram) by local freelance stylist, event and wedding floral designer, Natalie Bjordal and her husband Jason, a carpenter. Admiring the work they were doing in their renovated townhouse on the north shore, we asked if they would mind sharing a few pics of the fort for Poppytalk, along with their inspiration. The following is a peek into their daughter’s room, along with a mini-interview about it. Check it out below, we think you’ll love it as much as we do!

1. Describe your inspiration behind creating the room.

We moved four times since Penny was born and we knew all the other houses weren’t long term. We really wanted to figure out where we wanted to be and we love to change it up and move around to experience new neighbourhoods and meet new people. We knew we would be staying in this townhouse for a while so we really wanted to make this room special for Penny since it was her first “big girl bed” and she had a new baby sister coming. I wanted to give her a place to hide out, play on her own, read some books etcetera, and wanted to maximize the space in her room so we decided to build the fort (as we call it). She loves it and it’s a hit with everyone that comes over…both children and adults enjoy it! It’s super comfortable and cozy.

2. How did you build it?

It’s an Ikea KURA bunk bed hack and so we built that in her room first. Then added a piece of sturdy plywood to the bottom so we could add a mattress on both levels of the bunk. My husband Jason used a bunch of spruce 1 x 4’s to create the paneling and then cut out a peek-a-boo window in the front. The handles that are going up the stairs are actually towel racks that I spray painted matte black.
leo.

We were going to add a round window at the back of the top bunk but decided to turn the back into a work space for Penny. We added a piece of spruce that you can buy pre cut and sanded at Rona and added two strong white brackets underneath..so simple!

I’m lucky my husband is a carpenter, I’m always dreaming up new projects so we end up with a lot of custom pieces in our home…he looooooooves me for it..right Jas?

3. What was your budget?

We ended up spending around $400.00 for everything (mattresses included). We chose spruce because it’s light and cheap but still strong.

4. Any tips on making one yourself?

Take your time and be creative!

5. Anything you would like to add?

We are still planning to add a flower box under the window, I’m going to make the flowers out of crepe paper. Penny has also requested some curtains for the window so that is also on the to-do list.

Thank you Natalie and Jason for sharing! What an adorable space, we love it!

You can visit Natalie online at her website nataliebjordal.com. She tells us the majority of the time she’s with her two little gals but she still manages to squeeze in a bit of freelance styling work, event design and florals for weddings. You can also follow her on Instagram at @nataliebjordal.

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DIY IKEA Kitchen Cabinet Fronts Turn Wall Panels

Jan Halvarson — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 06:08:00 +0000

Leave it to the stylists at IKEA’s Livet Hemma to come up with the most brilliant IKEA hack to date. DIY IKEA Kitchen cabinet fronts turn wall panels! A little on the costly side perhaps if doing a large area, but still rather brilliant nonetheless. This would be a nice idea for a bed headboard idea or small entryway too.

For these projects they used the SÄVEDAL fronts, which don’t seem to be available here in North Amercia but the equivalent looks to be GRIMSLOV – which comes in a variety of sizes.

They suggest one can use the fronts as they are or paint them in any color. According to some DIY-ers, professional spray painting offers the best results, although painting with a brush or fine foam roller can work as well if sanded prior as an option.

We’re loving the grey and black. It definitely adds a custom look to a space and would work well in a small nook or wall section. We love the idea of using them like wainscotting too.

Let’s take a look!

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Faux Terrazzo Table Top IKEA Hack DIY

Jan Halvarson — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 23:07:00 +0000

A simple guide to creating a faux terrazzo table top effect.

This weekend I did a little makeover on our plain white LINNMON table that was looking a little worse for wear. With a few stains and scratches, it was time to either replace it or make it last a little longer with a cover up of some kind. Since we’re really loving the terrazzo look lately, I had the idea to cut out little pieces of marble and black contact paper to look like little broken up pieces of stone. A faux terrazzo table top effect. This is a fun little IKEA hack to add to our series.

Faux Terrazzo Table Top

The hardest thing about this faux terrazzo table top project is that it is a bit time consuming, in fact I still have a bit to finish on ours. I love the result though, so the time invested I find worth it.

You will need:
A table top – we used the LINNMON table

Other supplies: 1 roll of marble-patterned contact paper
1 roll of black contact paper
scissors

To make:
This project is super easy – hardly no explanation needed really. Just simply cut random shapes in the shape of rocks either with rounded corners or sharp edges and peel the backing off and place each one as you go, building a natural looking pattern. And what’s nice, because it’s contact paper, you can remove it easily if you make a mistake. Continue until you have the entire table top finished. Depending on the size of the surface you are covering, this project can take an afternoon or a couple of days.

A perfect rainy day project.

You could finish this off more permanently by coating it with a sealing agent if you wished. I have left it as is, and it’s been fairly durable so far as it’s not a table that is used all that often.

A fun little project perfect for a rainy afternoon. Enjoy!

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5 Cool New Decorating Tricks from IKEA

Jan Halvarson — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 05:11:00 +0000

The stylists at IKEA always have a few cool decorating tricks up their sleeves when they are creating scenes for their catalogues and this week’s finds are some of my favourite. From slipping a bed into a closet a la Harry Potter to creating a fresh new look using plywood or curtains for headboards. Here’s 5 cool new decorating tricks we spotted from our favourite Swedish retailer.

1. In the Closet
(Above) Move over Harry Potter, sleeping in the closet is getting an upgrade Love this cozy bed in the closet idea we spotted on Livet Hemma from the home of Emmie Bjernvinge. A great idea if you have a small bedroom or maybe a bachelor apartment and need to create more space. Love using the upper shelf for clip-on lighting too. All looks chic in black and white. Makes one want to do this just for fun, yes?

2. Small Space Tall Storage
(Below) In Ikea’s book FIND IT PART 2 they’ve portrayed a range of kitchens and their owners around Sweden. One of the kitchen’s featured is the home of artist Gunnel who decorated an old school where she made smart solutions to fit in a small space. At the same time she respected the house’s history using a classic color scheme. We love the long upper storage along with GRUNDTAL rail for easy access to utensils.

3. A Summer Bath
A fun idea if you have a private spot in the backyard. Utilize a corner of the garden for a soothing bath under the canopy.

4. Make a Faux Headboard
Give your bedroom a fresh look by threading a duvet cover directly over an existing headboard or a large frame created with three pieces of wood. See the how-to here.

5. Fresh Walls
Tired of drywall and want a new look? Create a fresh new look using plywood. See more here.

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DIY: Faux Marble Table Top

Jan Halvarson — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 09:04:00 +0000

This weekend I did a little makeover (IKEA hack really) on our old DOCKSTA table that was looking a little dingy. We’ve had that table for over five years I think (maybe 7) and the top was showing it, definitely in stains, scuffs and dings. So I know this is more of a temporary solution as I don’t know how long this will last, but whatever it is, it’s a big improvement over what we had. Check out my before and after:

It’s hard to see the stains in the picture (but trust me they’re there), and yes I switched out the kitchen chairs with the dining ones (they just seemed to want to be together after this – and we don’t have a dining table anyway yet). We hope to build a nook type banquette eventually here with maybe even a real tulip table one day (dream).

My how-to? I used faux marble contact paper! I know (pretty temporary) but I might purchase a glass top to cover it, or when it does start to peel (er, um melt), I’ll just lay some new stuff! (I was inspired by Catherine Therrien’s project in April’s Style at Home where she used washi tape). Laying it was super tricky and measuring it was worse, as anyone who has one of these tables knows, it’s super heavy; so to flip over to trace out a nice circle was not going to happen. But basically I just placed the paper (design face down) and then traced with a pencil the circle that way. And then applied! The paper I picked up (Grip-Tac) was pretty bubble proof so really no bubbles to be had, but the ones that did appear I popped with a pin. And that was it. My faux marble table top! (Psssst! I kind of want to marbelize everything now).

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Turn an IKEA Accordian Mirror Into a Light Sconce

Jan Halvarson — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 04:41:00 +0000

Turn a classic IKEA mirror into a wall sconce.

I had a bit of a lightbulb (pardon the pun) moment a bit back when I was posting about Nickey Kehoe Interiors and the accordian wall lamps I saw (and loved) everywhere. I knew I had something similar hanging around the house somewhere and realized it was my IKEA FRÄCK accordian bathroom mirror. I also found an old $5 IKEA clamp light (just hanging around doing nothing) and so I decided to use it and try to merge the two into a simple hack that anyone could do. And well, here it is! The only thing I had to buy was a plaque (to secure it to the wall better) and we were set!

Materials Used:
IKEA FRÄCK accordian bathroom mirror
A clamp light, (mine was an old one from IKEA) but a small aluminum clamp lightwould probably look even better (I will probably exchange mine out thinking about it now)
A wall plaque or piece of wood (I picked up mine at Michael’s)
2 screws
Paint (optional)

How-To:
Remove the mirror from the accordian portion of the fixture if attached (usually they are already apart when you buy them). Our clamp light had one hole (in one part of the clamp) but not in the other – so we had to drill a hole through the other end in order for us to slip the clamp light in replace of the mirror of the accordion fixture. We slipped the clamp part of the light through the metal piece where the mirror would go, leaving the top part of the light clamp on the outside of the screw, so that it wouldn’t fall down. But you could also just have it slip in between the two.

At this point you could paint the plaque if you wished it to be a different color – however I chose to keep our’s white to blend in with the wall colour, but black would look pretty awesome too. Also if you wish, you could paint the accordion part (which I was thinking about) but opted out to. But I do love the look of a black plaque and a black accordion – just like the ones found at Nickey Kehoe Interiors – so I just might paint them later.

Once you’ve decided to paint or not (and the paint is dry of course), you can then attach the accordion part to the plaque by centering it – marking holes where the screws will go with a pencil. And then just attach with the screws. We did this so it’s more secure to the wall and won’t eventually end up falling off due to usage. But you don’t have to use a plaque if you wanted to skip that part.

Next just attach to the wall and you’re done! I placed ours over my old piano my Mom so generously gave to us this past year and which desperately needed lighting nearby it. It’s so nice to have the piano around again and to be able to see the music now too!

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Ikea + H&M = Brilliant

Jan Halvarson — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:10:00 +0000

These IKEA and H&M hacks use a brilliant combination using fashion belts and bringing them into the home accessory realm.

I love the combination of wood and leather and Brigg (a blog out of Norway) has created a few beautiful ways to combine them. First off with an IKEA BONDIS clock and two skinny leather belts. A clever way to hang a clock.

Next, this shelf/belt combo which could be used as a display for nice bottles (below) or to hold newspapers (see the image below that).

And lastly two belts holding firewood. A simple and useful idea in one. For more images and instructions visit Brigg here!

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Ikea Hack Sconce

Jan Halvarson — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 08:42:00 +0000

Jenny of Jenny’s Hus mentioned on her blog this week that she finds it difficult to find nice wall lighting and I tend to agree. Having looked for a while myself, there’s not much out there. But she solved the problem by making her own variation which now hangs in her hall. The wall shelf bracket is from Ikea EKBY(although we don’t get black versions here in N. America – easily solved with a slap of paint). And the cord lighting is from a store called coop in Sweden. One could always use the HEMMA cord set from Ikea I guess but not quite the same, or these from west elm. I found something similar at Zangra (out of the Netherlands) but showed up to this post empty handed for a similar source here in N. America (anyone)? The edison-style round bulbs can be found at west elm; however thought the Plumen lightbulb might work too. Cool trick Jenny!

1. STRALA cord set, IKEA, 2. SANDSHULT shelf bracket, IKEA, 3. Globe incandescent light bulb, Home Depot

Update: Desiree of Vosges Paris sent me a link to another shop in the Netherlands that carries this sort of thing: http://www.snoerboer.nl/ – Thank you

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