My Ikea Hack

Most people don't guess it, but about fifty percent of the furniture in our New York apartment is from Ikea. 

The reason people don't guess it is that our style isn't ultra-modern with geographic shapes and bright solid colors, typical to the European apartment look.  

One of my favorite pieces of furniture is our computer desk, which I fondly call "the office" because it can be closed off to hide our computer and files when we don't want to be reminded of work.  

Now, Ikea makes a desk that fits this description (ALVE), but it angles out from a corner and in our apartment, it would reduce the amount of room for our dining room chairs.  Plus, we wanted to customize it in our own way.

My husband and I bought the LEKSVIK armoir instead for $299, $100 less than the computer desk.  It only comes with one movable shelf, but he easily cut two other boards down to fit and then attached the rolling computer keyboard shelf that I think is available in the IVAR shelving line (for about $30) under the shelf that was included.  Below, we set a drawer unit that I already had that provides two storage drawers and a surface on top on for additional storage. 

The computer monitor and speakers are on the main shelf with the printer one shelf above.   Any of the magazine files that Ikea sells are better than a file cabinet in my opinion and hanging inside our LEKSVIK armoir door is a basket caddy that I found at a yard sale and attached with screws.  It holds our pencils, pens, and other utensils.  Phones and lights are easily attached inside and with the doors closed, you can almost forget about the trappings of the twenty-first century.  

Until you feel compelled to share your Ikea hack with other like-minded re-mixers and stay up all night posting about it!  

Check out ikeahacker for more fabulous ideas...