Hack Jobs
The real beauty of IKEA products is that they aren’t precious, which makes them ripe for reinvention.
MAKEOVER MATERIAL I used to think there would come a time when I would live an IKEA-free lifestyle, when every room in my house would contain only “Grownup Furniture” —you know, just antique or artisan made pieces mixed in with factory efforts from glamorous Italian manufacturers. And I do have a few of these items in my life. But I also continue to have some IKEA because, let’s face it, the pieces are well enough made and their design is considered, sometimes even by the boldface names (in downmarket mode) whose work I see in fancy furniture shops.
One of the best things about my IKEA furnishings is that I take liberties with them that I would never take with pricier stuff. I learned recently there is a term for what I do. It’s called IKEA hacking (I know, I live under a rock).
While some hackers, such as B.C. superstar artist Brian Jungen, have used IKEA as a supplier of parts for their own artistic endeavours, my purpose is more pedestrian. I have cut down, mashed up or repurposed IKEA products to make them exactly suit my purpose without going custom from scratch. For example I bought a Grundtal stainless steel wall shelf and spice rack (shown in the photograph here) and had Quest Metal Works custom fit the shelf for the space above my range, and separate the three stacked shelves and reattach them side-by-side to fit perfectly under the shelf.
So what does the practical hacker need to know before they take tools to their Billy (as in bookcase)? I asked talented Vancouver architectural designer John Mason, a hacker from way back, for advice. “Hacking IKEA is not a typical weekend project. You need the right tools—a table saw (with a laminate blade) is imperative—and some skill because you don’t want to destabilize the product.” Mason says he has even taken IKEA pieces to a millwork shop when he wanted very particular cuts. “Don’t be afraid of hacking IKEA,” he says, “it’s a great resource if you like the aesthetic, and the beauty of it is that it isn’t precious stuff.” —C.Rule
For hacking ideas, check websites like ikeahacker.blogspot.com and www.instructables.com
Photo: Martin Tessler
Sorry, but telling your readers that “a table saw (with a laminate blade) is imperative” in order to hack an Ikea product is patently false. I have never owned a table saw. I have hacked Ikea products. And they were fun and they worked fine for what I re-purposed them for.
Just pay attention. And be careful not to “destabilize the product” and you will be fine. Although it may take you a couple of iterations simply to know what you can do that will not “destabilize the product”.
Thanks so much for your comments. I suppose we were trying to err on the side of vigilance.
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