Ikea hacking: Low-cost, DIY movement finds new uses for furniture

Swedish furniture giant Ikea might conjure up thoughts of affordable furniture and Swedish meatballs - but not necessarily creativity.
During times of economic hardships for many Canadians, people want to save money, but may not want to sacrifice personal style for their living spaces. Enter the grassroots “Ikea hacking movement,” which boasts an online community, too.
“You can marry that budget with an absolutely extravagant finish of your choice,” Toronto-based professional Ikea hacker Karol Kosnik tells Global News.
As Alexia Kapralos explains, Ikea Hacking involves building unique furniture pieces by repurposing inexpensive Ikea parts - and even gives it a try herself.
00:00 - Ikea hacking 101
01:07 - Ikea hack community
01:55 - Ikea hacking vs. upcycling
03:03 - DIY Mushroom Lamp Ikea Hack
04:03 - The online legacy of Ikea hacking
For more info, please go to globalnews.ca
Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: bit.ly/20fcXDc
Like Global News on Facebook HERE: bit.ly/255GMJQ
Follow Global News on X HERE: bit.ly/1Toz8mt
Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: bit.ly/2QZaZIB
#Ikea #Ikeahacks #affordability

[@RiokuAvalon]

Any second-hand store will have solid wood pieces and not garbage particleboard

[@vasilytanygin]

Ok Google, how to build a house from IKEA parts.

[@magnoliaflower3310]

More like finding a plot of affordable land instead.

[@andg5194]

Ikea is not cheap any more... their price has more than doubled since covid...

[@AlexMakesGames80]

I'd say they are still somehow cheaper then alternatives which is nuts

[@mazimadu]

Personally, i would go with wayfair. Its similar but cheaper

[@medusagorgon8432]

I have an IKEA near to me and i genuinely enjoy shopping there.

[@SirJaymesDAudelée]

As a cabinet maker…you can be creative with your repurposed furniture…but you can never make it turn into real wood. And so your going to be throwing it all out for sooner than you otherwise would, unless your into bent and warped structures, peeling plastic lamination, and moisture swollen MDF. My suggestion is that if you’re going to do this, splurge on the more expensive IKEA line, some of which are made of real wood. When real wood warps and bends after years of going through seasonal moisture changes, it can actually be fixed rather than thrown out. You save money in the long term. But when you buy things that are cheap and are made of MDF, and such, you think you are saving money, but these things will find their way to the garbage much faster, and so the cost is higher in the end, because you buy another one. Think about quality natural materials when you buy. Saving your pennies to do so in the beginning is worth costing you more long term.

[@user-fl1pt4jf9v]

IKEA is affordable option. I got my sofa bed, Wardrobe x2, study table, a very sold heavy dinning foldable dinning table,, kitchen cabinets, sink, with around 2000 CAD only.

[@bravotwozero535]

I like the metal and silicone in the kitchen section for projects. The smart home stuff is great as it uses zigbee protocol so you don’t need the ikea app or gateway.

[@barblc3202]

Let's not forget that this cheap furniture is available through the pillaging of old-growth forests in eastern Europe.

[@glenkirk3883]

I have been using Ikea parts to design functional furniture for 3 decades.

[@bxlis]

no ikea pleaseeee ikea is an ikea

[@princessp1735]

Global with the breaking news from 2012

[@JessT-vg7ib]

I do all my shopping online now.

[@LuvableAF]

IKEA is good… till your first move…

[@abfab2517]

buy cheap, and get it tailored !

[@Progressive_Canadian]

ADVERTISEMENT

[@theagta]

Exactly! Why are they not flagged for "paid promotion"
This was all about promoting the downtown store! 🙄

[@ssuwandi3240]

Of course, what else would China promote? Pregnancy?

[@SaHlGood]

The meatballs will give you diarrhoea