It’s hard to make your home or apartment really personal when you don’t have a huge budget. Everyone would like impressive one of a kind pieces to decorate their space with but not everyone has the money to afford them. More often than not you find yourself ending up back at Ikea wandering the massive warehouse of furnishings, which are practical and cheap, but not anything special. But do not despair; there is hope for you.
I love Ikea. I have plenty of Ikea furniture in my home and most of my friends and family do too. There isn’t anything wrong with Ikea’s simple style; it’s just nice to not have all the same furniture as everyone else. Also Ikea furniture is very obviously from Ikea. Too much of it and you start to feel like you are in the Ikea showroom instead of your own house.
Altering those inexpensive pieces purchased from Ikea is a lot easier than it looks. There is actually an entire blog, Ikeahaker, devoted to sharing people’s ideas for turning the mass-produced items into original creations. Whether you need an item that doesn’t exist, need to alter something to fit where you want it, or you simply just want to change the color, Ikeahacker has many step-by-step guides to help you along the way. From making handy laptop stands out of cheap stools to entertainment centers out of bookshelves, there is an Ikea hack for everyone.
Even if you don’t have a creative streak in you, and can’t think of anything to do with your bland mass-produced furniture, others are more than wiling to share their ideas with you. Ikea itself encourages people to get creative with their products, as can be seen by their in store displays, often showing things used in unconventional ways. Their stuff is just bursting with potential; unfinished wood is just asking you to paint and decorate it, and the simple designs make using items in different and unusual setting very easy. Also, the furniture is so inexpensive that you won’t mind spending a little to alter it, and won’t be too disappointed if things don’t work out exactly how you had intended.
Ikea hacks inspire you to view Ikea items as a blank palette instead of a finished piece. You don’t need to be a furniture or interior designer, or really all that crafty. Plus the store is never lacking in options and is always a fun place to wander for a few hours and get inspired.
