Ikea Hack: Trofast Storage System + Sundvik Chair + Ribba Picture Ledge = Dream Desk

As you guys know, Corey and I like a good Ikea Hack!  We've used Ikea items throughout our house as the basis for projects because they're inexpensive and versatile.

Now that Rudy is almost walking, she needs a space to play outside of her bedroom.  I've never been a fan of clutter and (as my friends with older children warned me) good storage for her toys is the key to keeping our house relatively neat.  Since I love arts and crafts so much, there's a good chance Rudy will be the same and I've often wondered how on earth we could squeeze a little table and chair in our little house.  Living in a small house definitely calls for some creativity.  Then, I had an idea...

Corey and I purchased two Trofast Storage Systems and set them up leaving space for a chair in the middle.  Then, we purchased a shelf from the hardware store and Corey measured and cut it to join the two storage towers before screwing it together and nailing it to the wall.  He then ran a bead of silicone along the edges of the shelf to ensure there was no space for little crayons (or tiny fingers) to get stuck before affixing the shelves to the walls.  We chose a Sundvik Chair to complete the look and we added a Ribba Picture Ledge just above the desk for added storage.

I then purchased some colourful wall decals for the storage bins and the chair to make it look more fun and playful!  For the seat of the chair, I purchased some batting from the craft store and some colourful bird fabric (She loves birds!) to cover the seat with some extra cushion.  Normally, I'd use staples to secure the fabric but I didn't want to risk them coming out with a curious toddler picking at them so we secured the fabric with a (less ideal) plan B: hot glue!  Although tightening the fabric while using glue was a challenge, and the seat came out just a tiny bit lumpy, it felt like the safer choice!  Using clamps, we were able to screw the seat back on.

Our finished product is a space for toys, exploration and arts and crafts that any toddler would be excited about!

The Ikea Kitchen Event Is On NOW!

...  And my Love-Hate relationship with Ikea continues.  As some of you may know, this is not our first Ikea kitchen rodeo.  When we purchased our condo, our kitchen looked like this:

And, thanks to Ikea's 2010 kitchen event (we got 15% back in gift cards and used it to buy our dining room chairs) as well as Corey's handiwork and the amazing photography skills of my real estate photographer, Thea Menagh, these next two photos show what our kitchen looked like when we sold nearly three years later.

Not bad, right?  But at the time, we were renovating to sell and I didn't want to over-renovate for the price of my unit.  For this reason, I chose the cheapest appliances and finishes I could find that would still look impressive.  Nothing was to our personal taste and we hated our splashy faucet.  Even the cabinet doors were chosen because they looked modern and were on clearance.  We gave ourselves more storage but I never really loved that kitchen.  To make matters worse, the staff at Ikea didn't give us all the cover panels and spacers we needed (They're supposed to look over your kitchen plan before placing an order) and so we ended up with a huge gap by the stove and a random drawer that we couldn't put a pull on or it would prevent another drawer from opening.  We would have ordered the spacers and cover panels but our kitchen was clearance because it was discontinued and there were none available so we just grew to tolerate our secret drawer.

Last time, we were surprised by the lack of assistance we received when we went to Ikea to plan our kitchen.  Even though we had taken room measurements, we found the process to be complicated and not entirely user friendly.  We lived with our first Ikea kitchen for years and kept a mental tally of mistakes we wouldn't make again.

When we purchased the house, we remembered that Ikea can be a great resource for renovations and the love-hate relationship quickly resumed.

We knew from the beginning that our kitchen would need to be redone and we assumed we'd do another Ikea kitchen... only with nicer appliances and finishes this time.

We had already decided that most of our wedding gift money that had not already been specified to be put towards something else, would help us with our kitchen.  We desperately need more cupboard and counter space before the baby arrives and I had wanted a grey and white kitchen.  The Inspired Room had a great inspiration photo (below) which helped me sell my idea to Corey. ;)

And so, I spent an evening planning our new kitchen on Ikea's online kitchen planner.  I knew I wanted a big apron sink (for baby's first baths) and some glass cabinet doors to display some of our pretty dishes and stemware.  We also wanted a gas cooktop with an electric oven.  Also on my list was a pantry (which will be a great feature when we eventually sell the house) and as much extra storage and counter space as we could squeeze in.  To top it off, I have longed for white quartz counters for quite some time so that is exactly what we're getting.

Hours later, we finally had a rough plan.

I even found room for a small wine rack and a tiny bit of open shelving, which used up some dead space.

After a couple of (not so quick) trips to Ikea, our order has finally been placed.  By the time Corey puts the finishing touches on our bathroom and demolishes our current kitchen, our new one should be delivered.

What would your dream kitchen include?

Ikea Tricks for under $100

I posted earlier this week about some highlights from the 2014 Ikea Catalogue.  Since many items from Ikea are really affordable, I often like to buy them and customize them for our own home.  Recently, we have looked to Ikea (with a few ideas of our own) for Corey's nightstand, our shoe storage unit, a wall shelf, planter, and our living room bookshelves. 

Here's a list of some common Ikea items that either look more expensive or can me "hacked" and made more unique.

The Hektar 19" Pendant Lamp- $79.99 is HUGE and a fabulous price.  It looks a little industrial too.  I would paint it and I think it would look fantastic, either alone or grouped in a kitchen.

We bought the Lappljung Ruta Cushion Cover- $9.99 (actually, we bought two) for our bedroom.  The large-scale pattern looks great when mixed with smaller patterns.  I see these used in styling all the time!

The basic Bekvam Step Stool- $16.99 seems to appear everywhere, painted in different colours.  It would be great in a child's bathroom, or in a kitchen or library and painting or staining it would give it a really custom look.  It could even do double duty as a side table.

We love our Grundtal Magnetic Knife Rack- $14.99 and were sad to leave our old one in the condo for our new buyers, so we bought a new one right away.  The lines are clean and modern and the magnet is pretty strong!

While I don't love the Bekvam Spice Rack- $6.99 for it's intended use, I see these used all the time in children's rooms as little book shelves.  How cute!

The Billy Bookcase- $99.00 is a classic piece and it is the perfect easy starting point if you want to make faux built-ins like ours.

I love the shape of the Lovbacken Side Table- $69.00.  I mean, just look at those legs!  It's very Mid-Century inspired and I think it looks cool "as is" but I would also consider painting the top for a faux marble look.

I think the Frack Scissor Arm Mirror- $12.99 is so practical.  I love anything with a scissor arm and I've seen these hacked to create awesome reading lights.

The comfort and texture provided by a beautiful throw always makes a room look more finished.  The Hermine Throw- $19.99 looks much more expensive than it is.

I stare at the Blanda Blank Serving Bowl- $9.99 each time I'm in Ikea.  I love the shape!  I use bowls like this for staging and fill them with fruit.  This would be perfect in a modern kitchen!

The Promenade Side Plate- $3.50 is just so whimsical!  I would pair the lunch plates with the rest of my white dishes and my mix and match vintage wine glasses (which I collect) to add a little fun to a table setting.

The Papaja Plant Pot- $6.99 is a great price for such a large planter.  I added rocks to the bottom for drainage and painted the top gold for a dipped look.

I don't know if there's a more inexpensive option out there for framing than Ikea.  The Ribba Frame (20.50" X 39.75")- $29.99 is fabulous value for the size and it is an affordable way to incorporate art into your home.

What are your favourite Ikea "go-to" pieces?

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Ikea 2014 Catalogue

The Ikea 2014 catalogue arrived in the mail last week, and I sifted through the pages to see which interior design trends to expect this coming year.  They always have such interesting designs!  For those of you who haven't seen it, I snapped a few pictures so that you could enjoy the eye candy and follow along.

I loved seeing the use of organic wood elements and the fact that oversized industrial inspired lighting is still en vogue. 

As someone who dreams of one day reupholstering the sofa in her family room in a bright blue fabric, I loved seeing these green chairs in an otherwise organic modern room!  I also love that rug. :)

I love the bold yellow pendant light in a geometric shape paired with a rustic modern dining table.  This is sort of the look we'll be going for in our own dining room.  I also love those yellow display cabinets.  They would look fabulous in the right living room, dining room, or even an ultra hip kitchen!

I love these wall shoe organizers.  Sometimes there's a narrow space  on an awkward wall and these would be a great solution.  I also kind of like the idea of using them in a kitchen for additional display and storage.

I love this modern take on a more traditional dinnerware pattern.  The catalogue says they're inspired by tiles.  I think the hot air balloons on the lunch plates are adorable!

 

Have you seen next year's catalogue yet?  Did you spot any treasures of your own?



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