Mismatched kitchen doors

Materials: Faktum

Description: The video below explains what I did.

~ Pascal Anson

Ikea Spice Rack Hack - The Warli Way!

Materials: BEKVAM Spice Rack

Description: I wanted spice rack to match my theme in Indian Kitchen. Got it Painted Black and did warli Painting on it.

Warli painting dates back to 10th Century, found in Maharastra in India. It depicts the daily life of Warli Tribes.

See more of the Warli spice rack.

~ Anitha Murali, Dubai, UAE

Kitchen Island Beauty

Materials: Varde free standing cabinet

Description:
1) Took the Varde cabinet (great organizer, looks tacky from the back).
2) Added a shoe organizer at the end (so when we come into the kitchen from the outside we leave boots at the door, and grab slippers from the shoe organizer)
3) Covered the whole thing in 1/4 ply and 1 x 3 MDF trim
4) Painted
5) Installed new Ikea wood counter on top (removing worn out thinner one that came with the unit)

~ Jenny Moye

When Ikea doesn't make a small enough cabinet

Materials: cover panel, plywoods or cabinet material, IKEA hinges, drawer track and handles

Description: The problem with this space was it was too small for a regular sized IKEA lower cabinet. She really wanted the space for baking sheets and bag storage. We had to custom build two side cabinets with door fronts made from the cover panels that are the same brown stain as the rest of her IKEA kitchen. We ended up using one side hinge drawer from another IKEA cabinet as a track that sat underneath the pullout instead of on the side like IKEA cabinets.

The cover panel was cut down to size and stained on the side that was cut. The cover panel/door was routed to fit the IKEA hinges.

We had the same IKEA handles added to the drawer. Now we have to 7" width drawers that look exactly like IKEA cabinets on the outside.

See more of the slim kitchen cabinet.

~ John Webb Construction and Design, Portland and Eugene, Oregon

Plastic Bag Trash Receptacle

Materials: Rationell, hacksaw, epoxy (optional)

Description: This little hack turns a Rationell trash receptacle into an interior cabinet trash holder that can reuse plastic grocery bags.

I used a hacksaw blade to cut at the red lines. Originally, I tried a utility knife but found the plastic was too brittle and had a tendency to suddenly split.

The plastic bag handles hook onto the little "nubs" left on each side and the handles feed into the little triangles at the top.

By cutting away at the body, it allows the bag to expand to hold much more. Optionally, I laid a little epoxy along some of the plastic bends to strengthen it up a bit.

Install it inside a cabinet and start reusing all those plastic trash bags you accumulate at the grocery.

~ Jeff Yu, Naperville, IL

Stunning Coastal Exterior and Interior Renovation

I am always intrigued by renovation. I especially marvel at exterior transformations and this beautiful home in New York is no exception.


On a breathtaking piece of property on the Long Island Sound it was a perfect home for renovation. Above is the Before - a wonderful, quaint colonial.

And here is the After: Notice the change in the roof lines - the original second story was expanded and a second story was also added to the original one story structure - These external additions changed the ordinary into extraordinary.

The kitchen renovation is stunning boasting state of the art appliances and marble counters. Notice the arched entrances between rooms.

I love the classic details of this kitchen including the subway backsplash tile, lighting, marble counters and the exquisite detailing on the corners of the center islands.

Looking from the other side of the center island we can see the dining and family room area. Notice the arched bookcases which echo the arches through out the first floor.

With the addition of a second story over the original one story structure, the owners were able to add a spectacular wood paneled library with fireplace and vaulted ceilings.



Again if look closely you can great details in the millwork of this room. The arched window provides a spectacular view of the Long Island Sound.

An infinity edge pool gives the illusion that the water's edge begins just steps outside the back door.
Wonderful coastal landscaping seamlessly bridges this outstanding home from land to sea.
I adore oceanfront homes - How about you??

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(All photos by Chuck Choi and property of Oliver Cope Architects & Mayfair Construction)

Dead fridge goes Rationell (retrofitting old cabinet)

Materials: Rationell drawers, old cabinet, various tools

Description: After my built in fridge died we (me and my wife) bought a new one with no built in.
The cabinet of the fridge was a very interesting place for an Ikea hack.
I was inspired by this but mine was a little bigger.
We bought 5 rationell drawers.
The cabinet is 4 mm wider than drawers so we had to use a 4 mm plywood as a widener on the door side of the cabinet.

If you plan to do a same hacking and you want keep your existing door be VERY careful of the offset of the door when you open it.

That's all, now we are planning to do the same in the pottery cabinet.
Not so difficult but a quite longer (an entire sunday has gone).

~ Giacomo, Milan, Italy

The "Bed Above Your Head" Pot Rack

Materials: MELDAL DAYBED

Description: This hack is so simple I am surprised I hadn't thought of it during the past 2 years I've been trying to store the IKEA MELDAL DAYBED in my tiny NYC apartment.

The steps are as follows:
1- Disassemble bed
2- Using the back piece, CAREFULLY suspend it across your upper cabinetry.
{Fortunately for me, my cabinets were hung parallel}
3-Use s-hooks or thick silver tone shower curtain rings
4-Hang your pots!

Other large pots can sit across the top to maximize space.

It took quite a few days before the family noticed it was a bed frame and not an actual pot rack! lol! Hope you enjoyed this!

~ Patrice Mc, Bronx, New York

Happy Hour Hensvik

Materials: Hensvik Cabinet w/Shelf Unit and Hacksaw

Description: I came across this shelf when looking for things for the baby's room. In the kids/babies department of Ikea was a treasure trove of undiscovered things that could be hacked for adults. What started as a potential helpful piece for storing baby stuff and changing diapers of said baby, turned into a helpful piece for storing grown-up stuff and displaying bottles of said stuff.

This Hensvik cabinet was instead used as a pseudo-mini bar. Here, with a few mods I am now able to keep all my liquor and wine in one place, instead of crowding up the kitchen. The only tools I needed to achieve this was a hacksaw, (any sawing devise should do). An original curved wooden valance on the top was cut cleanly on both ends. This can be left if desired, but I decided to remove it to help prevent the baby association.

On the larger bottom space, the extra shelving was removed to make room for a wine rack. I cut my old wine rack to fit in the bottom. Only a couple of spaces for wine were sacrificed.

I am thinking of placing stainless steel paneling on my new liquor cabinet if I find the right size and right priced parts ... Happy drinking!

~ Alastar Buttons, Las Vegas, NV

Custom reed glass in Adel cabinets

Materials: Adel Birch cabinets

Description: The hack is a very simple idea; insert a selected glass into an IKEA cabinet. we chose to insert a reed glass into a dark stained Adel birch cabinet. Any kind of glass will work for this hack.

Take a solid upper door and on the back side of the door you will need a 1/4" route on all four sides of the FRAME to insert the glass. (if you look at the top of the door you can see the existing shelf for the wood center panel) you only route halfway into the depth of the door to expose the shelf for the glass.

We went to a glass shop and had them cut the reed glass to the size we wanted. Get enough 1/4 round for the amount of doors you are doing. We chose to stain the 1/4 round the same color as the door.
Once you have the glass and 1/4 round ready, lay the glass in the back of the door and carefully tack the 1/4 round into place on all four sides of the cabinet. Tack at an angle to get back into the wood. Try and use the thinnest finish tack you can find.

Presto you have a unique glass in a basic IKEA cabinet.

See more of the cabinet with custom glass.

~ John Webb Construction & Design, Eugene, Oregon

Eye candy: The white kitchen

Minimal hacking but wanted to share Edina's gorgeous white kitchen. Love it. ~ Jules

Materials: LIDINGÖ furniture

Description: The lower cabinets furniture Lindingo run, they were nut-colored sheet. To be a little different so we took them to other handles. We put wallpaper on the wall and glass, stainless steel, took over the stove. The hood and upper shelves of the corner shelf, the whole upper part we have prepared and equipped for it. Became a large and beautiful countryside but modern kitchen.

~ Edina Kukla/Kisflanc, Budapest

Butcher Block Countertop Kitchen shelving

Materials: NUMERAR countertop, 3/8" threaded rod with assorted hdwre, 1/2 copper tubing lacquered, 1x1 wood stapping cut to length

Description: NUMERAR counter top was ripped in half lengthwise to make above counter kitchen shelving. Threaded rod supporting the outer edge is concealed by copper pipe which has been lacquered to prevent oxidation. Hardware supporting each successive shelf is counter sunk for finished appearance. Threaded rod extends through ceiling and 2x4's laid across joists in attic. Against the wall, are 1x1 wood straps screwed to wall studs. Shelves are affixed to wood straps using the mini "L" brackets that come with the NUMERAR countertops.

~ Sandra Tarbox and Kurt Lazaroff, USA

RATIONELL Retrofit into an old kitchen

Materials: Rationell drawers, laser level, drill, existing kitchen cabinet doors

Description: I installed 3 drawers with standard NEXUS fronts/covers in my existing kitchen cabinets; then I decided I could use all my existing (hardwood) doors so I drilled holes to attach Rationell drawers and metal bar.

If you plan on using IKEA FRONTS (nexus)

1. Measure your cabinet width, mine was 8 mm wider than Ikea standard so I had to...

2. Attach two widener boards (4mm wide each) on each side of each rail to adjust for width. Be super-careful so that everything is level and exactly aligned. Even a few millimeters of unleveled rail offset will make drawers not slide well.

If you want to reuse your own fronts, in addition to the above:

1. For double doors, stick them together with metal clips drilled along both doors. Skip this step for single doors.

2. Take an Ikea drawer front and measure where all the holes go, replicate on doors being super careful not to drill through... be carefull and drill slowing checking until you can easily insert the either the screw or the metal bar.

That's all. We managed to get slick drawers into our old kitchen!

~ Andres Torrubia, Spain