Materials: Expedit, Besta

Description: We decided to move around the furniture in our living room, to get more space around the couch. We ended up with the Expedit and the two Besta bookshelves, which didn't really fit together, because of the different high and depth.

So we had the idea to put the Bestas on top of the Expedit. We only needed to remove the top of the shelves since it did not fit underneath the ceiling.
And we fixed the Bestas to the wall by using the attachments provided with the IKEA kitchen Faktum cabinets.


In between the two Bestas, I added extra shelves to put some decoration. And behind the green painting, we have the temperature control device for the heating system., which is now nicely covered, and can still be easily accessed.

Bye the way, those Bestas have a lot more shelves than the originally provided amount. They where bought in the hardware store. For us its the perfect book shelves, since they have the right depth for soft-covers.

~ Anna, Bremen, Germany

Materials: Besta base cabinets, Besta Chrome Underframes

Description: Creating a budget-conscious work station for two for our small Miami apartment required some thought...and several runs to IKEA.

Materials:
- Besta cabinets and doors (3)
- Besta underframes (6)
- Wood slab top

Two IKEA Besta cabinets on each end serve as our individual storage, with a third cabinet in the center for a shared printer, computer router, and supplies.

Each cabinet was assembled per instructions without the back panel to allow for ventilation and cord management. To make up for the stability of the missing back panel, L-brackets were screwed inside to stabilize the cabinets.


Using two sets of the Besta underframes in chrome for each cabinet (one as the base and one on top) raises the work surface to counter height. The top frames rest securely on screws drilled into the cabinet tops.


The counter top is a 12' slab of bobinga purchased from a lumber yard. By having the lumber yard cut one raw edge off (placed at the back wall), but leaving the front raw edge, we have both an organic look, and an ergonomic, soft edge for typing.


~ Ritch Holben and Ken De Loreto, Miami

Materials: Besta, Vika Amon, Lansa, Vika RunTorp, Inreda

Description: The Besta and Vika Amon table top are combined as one. As a cord storage, the Lansa handle was used. The printer shelf is extended via an Inreda pull out frame and standard shelf.


~ Albert Einstein, Austria

Materials: Besta Boas TV storage unit, medium-density fiberboard, chalkboard paint, industrial strength velcro

Description: We recently moved into a 1000 sq. ft. apartment and quickly discovered that our large couches only fit in one configuration in the living room. Unfortunately, this covered the wall designated for the TV. In order to fit the couches, we had to put our old, ugly TV stand in the area between the dining area and living room. We decided that we needed a better-looking unit that also served as a divider to separate the two areas. We drove four hours to Ikea only to discover that our chosen unit, the Besta Boas, lacked a back panel and, therefore, was unsightly from behind.

After some quick thinking in order to salvage our drive, we recalled how much we liked the kitchen that had a chalkboard wall in the last Pottery Barn catalog. We decided we could implement this on a smaller scale with the TV unit.


After assembling the Besta Boas, we measured the opening on the back. We then went to a local home improvement store and determined that MDF was the best choice material to cover the back, as it was lightweight, durable, and did not need to be sanded (we chose the ¼ inch thickness). We had the MDF cut to the correct dimensions (at no cost). We decided to affix the MDF to the unit with Velcro in order to allow for easy access to the wires and leave space for the power strip to plug into an outlet. Velcro also allowed for the MDF and unit to blend together seamlessly.


We painted the MDF with chalkboard paint (3 coats) and attached Velcro to the back of the top and left side of the MDF and unit. We chose industrial strength Velcro, so this was more than sufficient to hold it in place.

(Be sure to note the Ikea living room rug, Ikea picture frames, and Ikea table and chairs.)

~ Leah and Albert, Texas

Materials: Billy, Besta, Tombo doors, Grundtal rails, brackets and hinges from hardware store

Description: In our 1903 apartment we were facing the typical problem of an ugly surface-mounted fuse box that we wanted to hide. As the ceiling is quite high, we couldn't find a piece furniture tall enough. So we took a Billy bookcase (79 1/2", 202 cm tall) and fixed it to the wall with metal brackets.


The fuse box is now hidden behind a Tombo door. All the extra wiring for the wifi-hardware is behind the door we built from one of the Billy shelves that we didn't need anymore.


To complete the wardrobe and get space for all our winter gear and helmets we hung a Besta shelf-unit/height extension (47 1/4", 120 cm wide) next the Billy, also with Tombo doors. The Besta had to be turned upside down because of the holes for the feet. The rod is made of two Grundtal rails. The Trones shoe storage makes the all-white wardrobe perfect. Unfortunately IKEA has discontinued the white Trones.


~ Jochen and Edith, Germany

Materials: BESTA, LACK

Description: Everything is getting smaller this days: no more vinyls, no more tape decks. But a good amp is still needed, so let's just get a smaller music cabinet for now.


I created mine from a small Lack side table. I used 4 Besta wheels instead of the table legs. I got at my local hardware store 4 metric threaded insterts. I just had to drill the hole to the correct diameter and screw them in. I also got 4 metric compatible bolts (allen in my setup).

~ Felipe Chas, Madrid, Spain

Materials: MOSJO, BESTA extension, VIKA AMON, LACK

Description: I wanted to create a custom headboard for our bed which would fit nicely underneath our bay windows. Since you can never have enough storage the ability to lift up the top and dump winter duvets, extra pillows inside would be even better!

The basic idea was to take two TV stands (the MOSJO and the BESTA extension) which are the same depth but different width's and rotate them 90° so that they become storage boxes. Then custom cut a table top to fit on top of them. The addition of a LACK shelf mounted vertically to the edge of the BESTA provided a sturdy headboard to lean against. Everything was available in the same Walnut finish except for the MOSJO and this was going to be hidden at the back, lucky!


The only additional thing I did was to cut down the shelves that came with the BESTA to make them about 2" deep and screw them to the sides of the cabinet before attaching the LACK bracket in order to make the edge thicker and provide better support to the shelf.


See more of the custom headboard storage

~ Oli, Brooklyn, NY

Materials: Besta, hammer, upholstery nails, pen, ruler, paper

Description: We used Besta cabinets for this project.

1. Cut a piece of paper in a pattern that you like and trace it on the doors.

2. I then marked, with a pencil, where I wanted the nails to be.


3. Hammer down an upholstery nail on each marking

4. Enjoy!


See more of the upholstered Besta as well as her other easy and cheap DIY projects.

~ Tina @ Signed by Tina, Sweden

Materials: Besta

Description: It's a simple Besta living with some little improvements.

My wife and I wanted a furniture with a simple and clean design where we put a flat TV, a Wii and a PS2 console with all their games and accessories (Wii Balance board, controller), a DVD reader (with our DVD collection) and an Hi-Fi: the project was aimed at creating a piece of furniture with these quality.

We bought 6 shelf unit 40x38 cm and 2 shelf unit 40x64cm and we hung them up the wall with plugs, by forming the design you see in the photo.


Because we hate dangling cables, we drilled some hole in the back of the bookshelf to allow cables passages: this solution achieved a clean design without cables in sight.

Moreover, we created a couple of drawers to place the DVD, games and console accessories. Because the drawer front is sold only in 16x69cm dimension, we bought two standard 60x38cm doors and we engraved the inner side using a milling cutter.

~ Gabriele, Rome, IT

Materials: Besta

Description: "How did you find a TV that fits perfectly with Besta?"

It's surprising, but I actually heard many times friends asking me that when looking out our media center installation.

At the beginning of this project, my girlfriend chose the Besta at Ikea and told me that it would fit well in our living room, with plenty of storage place. Fine, but I found that all the TV frames sold by Ikea were ugly and did not provide adequate hiding for all the mess involved with the rather "DIY" style I have.

Then I found the idea of using the Besta TV element, devised to go with sliding doors, but with opening doors, cut to size. My goal was to have the TV included in the neat surface of all the white gloss Besta doors. I also wanted to have access to the back side of the TV, for easier cable modifications. At last I wanted to spare some of the space behind the TV for storage of electronic stuff...

I ended with the solution displayed in the pics.


Installation steps:
- cut a thick (15mm or so) plywood sheet to hold the TV set, with holes for venting and cables access;
- install it in the Besta, keeping in mind the depth of the TV set, so that everything aligns at the end of the trip;
- hang the TV on it. down to the knees, small prayer, everything holds!
- cut the doors to match the size of the tv set. I used first a jigsaw for the rough cut, but for a perfect look, I used a handheld router with a copy bit, with a metallic rule as a guide. I am pretty satisfied with the final result (that was a challenge which my father and brother told me "you'll never have a straight cut on Ikea". Then I added a finishing black liner. I do not mention all the adjustment back and forth steps.
- install doors with a bit of adaptation, since it is not designed for that...
- close everything and enjoy!

optional:
- install a fan to force hot air (40-50°C) out. (not yet done)
- drill 2 holes in the bottom, install IR LEDs for Wii bar replacement...

Final steps:
- Wait for the reaction of friends.
- Take pics for ikea hacker
- Pray your TV set do not die, you'll probably end up cutting a new door, and that's painful.

~ Jerome Samson, Paris, France

Materials: Besta structure, Besta shelves, Inreda magazine shelf

Description: I changed recently my kitchen cupboard opting for Besta. I had jars/boxes I wanted to show but there were a lot of them. During my 54 412 555th visit my Ikea store, I saw the Inreda magazine shelf (which exist in aluminium or plastic) and this made a bell ring in my brain.

Back home, I put it on a Besta shelf, put my jars on, pull and all was perfectly sliding.

As I wanted it on a shelf put above a space closed by a Vara door, I added a shelf directly on the fixed first shelf. Inreda went onto it and 'clipped' on it at the back.


When I pull the Inreda plastic shelf the wood shelf slide with it. This is heavier but also gives more support. If there is no double 'shelving', the Inreda will clip in the fixed shelf and you won't be able to make it slide.

You can also do this hack onto an open shelf (with no space closed by a door below). Inreda won't 'clip' at the back of the shelf as there is no space left, so Inreda will be elevated of some millimeters at the back but this won't prevent it to slide correctly (see drawing).


The Inreda magazine shelf exists in aluminium which is stronger to hold jars but can scratch the shelf below.

N.B.: note you have to hold the shelf when you slide it and take sthg with the other hand. It won't stand by itself.

~ Jerry, Belgium

Materials: Besta bookshelf

Description: I replaced the back of Besta bookshelf with a plexiglass panel and put lamps at the back.


~ JVD textile design, Rome, Italy

Materials: BESTA cabinets NUMERAR counter tops

Description: It has always bothered me that if you wanted to do a built-in at a custom size you cant use the Besta products which have the best finishes.

After some inspecting of the way the Besta units were put together I figured out that you could hack it so it would look finished and still be able to fit perfect into.


If you cut each end cabinet and hanging track and put the rough ends against the walls you can have a perfect built-in look.


The same can be done with the Numerar counter tops to use as a floating desk.

For full instructions see my full post on my blog.

~ Gene, Brooklyn