See Bo Karl’s co-designed rug and more
Less doors, more space
Replacing doors with curtains can free up wall space and create an airy feel to a small apartment. Elin, IKEA Sweden, did just that – this is her story.
“We maximised the space in our apartment by removing most doors and putting up thick curtains instead. They give a sense of privacy and dampen noise, but you can also use a curtain rod in the door frame without the fabric to hang tomorrow’s outfit, air clothes or dry laundry.”
Elin Anvedal Jörnevi
IKEA Sweden
Upgrade your furniture with paint
One cool thing about flat-packed furniture is that you can get creative with each part before assembling them. Sanju Priya, IKEA India, shows us how she transformed an inexpensive step stool into a unique and colour-matched bedside table.
“This step stool is my favourite IKEA product. Before assembling it, I painted some parts to coordinate them with my bedside runner. I also framed a very special memory that I want to see every day and put it on my new bedside ‘table’. I use the second step for my phone, watch, and a book.”
Sanju Priya
IKEA India
From desk to home theatre in a jiffy
Save space by making your room work double shifts. With this simple idea from Filip, IKEA Sweden, you can turn your workspace into an entertainment centre – just add a plain white blind, a projector and some popcorn.
“I like to be smart with space, and one of my best ideas was attaching a white blind above my crafts corner. It hides the clutter when I’m not there, and I can also use the blind as a screen and project films on it!”
Filip Kosatik
IKEA Sweden
Co-design an IKEA rug
Carpets have a big impact on a room – they set the style, the colour scheme and add warmth and a homey feeling. If you want your rug to be unique, here’s some inspiration from Bo Karl, IKEA Denmark.
“I wanted to add a personal touch to my dining area, so I bought a large rug and got started with needle and thread, old coffee bags and a lot of patience! I sewed details from the much thinner coffee bags directly onto it by hand without cutting the rug. I think the result looks even better than I had hoped for.”
Bo Karl Donslund
IKEA Denmark
Clever ideas that put lazy walls to work
It’s amazing how much storage you can create with just a couple of shelves, hooks and a trolley. Folding chairs add flexibility and free up floor space, and a light colour palette gives a calm, spacious look. Laura, IKEA Spain, explains:
“I created this solution in my apartment, and I’m so happy with it that I re-created it in the store where I work as well. Shelves, hooks and high glass jars keep all kinds of small but necessary things in place. I hope you love it as much as I do!”
Laura Maria Consuegra
IKEA Spain
What are you looking at?
Click below to see the story behind these (and more) home-furnishing tips, and how they came to be in the actual homes of IKEA co-workers.