Make space that wasn't there.

If you've never heard of Ikea hackers you should really do yourself a favor and check it out. They have an assortment of projects people submit that takes parts from Ikea and use them differently than intended.  Sometimes it's a pretty radical transformation other times it just mixing and matching various families to get an end result that is different than how the package is marked. It can range from really easy when the families are cut with uniform dimensions and holes, to really hard when people completely free form structures using pieces from the box.

This particular post from Ikea hackers was about a built-in closet with sliding doors that transformed a fairly useless space into a closet. The end result is really polished, and what got me interested in it in the first place.

Via ikeahackers

Hidden drawer in a toe kick

If you aren't familiar with Ikea hackers this is a great project to get most anyone interested in the site.  It's a drawer hidden in the toe kick of a cabinet.  I think it is brilliant, and think most people with even a modest interest in security would think its cool as well.

via Ikea hackers

Click through as the article has more images of how they went about it.  Pretty slick and well done.

Ikea hack that doesn't suck

I subscribe to Ikea hacker based only on the premise that it is fun to mix and match from different series and get interesting results.  My trouble with most of them is that rather than a repurousing the "hacks" often are a little more art project than furniture.  Fancy lamp shades or some other b.s.

This hack is actually pretty much the reason I follow, the diamond in the ruff so to speak.  A lift up bed for access to under bed storage.

I have a King size bed that I actually use the void beneath for storage and the way it works for me is I have to pull the mattress all the way off the bed and then pull out one of the box springs.  Thankfully the box spring is just two full sized box springs rather than a single king, I could not imagine trying to maneuver that size of a box spring up the damn stairs.  I think I could ditch the box springs and switch over the the Ikea equivalent, but the hydralics would have to be really heavy duty to hold the weight of the bed.