apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Now for someone other than PBTeen to make this...

a discreet chord hole coming through the side or table top would help so folks wouldn't have to have the door open all the time.

The regular pottery barn also has the smart technology furniture (for the not-so-teen-look). Just type 'smart' into the search function to see what they have...

I've designed desks for hotels that integrate a power strip into the top and takes the cords through the legs to the floor. I wish this was more widely available for the residential market. Commercial office furniture has had things like this for a long time.

Can this be DIYed into an existing piece?

Thanks for the tip, ssford99.

shani-o--
If you didn't know this came from PB Teen, would you?
There is nothing about htis that screams "teen" to me.

heatherleaf--
I think the drawer is only open to show how it works for the catalog. I think you're meant to leave the stuff hidden away in the drawer while it is recharging.

I think I will live with the wires and keep my $299.99.

"Can this be DIYed into an existing piece?"

Yep. My electrician boyfriend did this for our entryway table and for a drawer in the bathroom (for the hairdryer and flatiron). I have no clue how but he did it in about two hours. Ask an electrician- they'll be able to help you.

Michelle: I did this with a Florence Knoll credenza that I use as my landing strip. I had an outlet installed behind it, drilled a hole in the back big enough for a grounded plug (don't worry, the credenza has seen better days -- a hole in the back isn't going to hurt anything), and Velcroed a power strip inside of one of the four shallow pullout drawers. It's great to be able to charge our phones, iPods, etc. out of sight, and to be able to easily switch off the power strip when not in use.

I'm going to do the same thing at the other end of the credenza inside of one of the file drawers -- it's the perfect size for a paper shredder.

Years ago, I cut a hole into the back of an antique sideboard for my stero (receiver, tape deck, 6-cd player)--rationalizing that even though I was harming the piece, I'd always need stero components... and now my little ipod has replaced the big stero, doh! But it was easy to saw through the wood and run the cords through the back.

p(too) -- good question. I don't think it screams "teen" either. It's just not my style, and I find that is often the case with the PB Teen line (although I do like some things). The PB items are more along the lines of what I like.

I agree that this is perfect for a "landing strip" solution. If my kitchen layout was better suited to it, I'd put a power strip in the "junk drawer" so that I could stow my cell phone away when it's charging.

...Is it UL certified?

Just a plug for the "command adhesive" from 3M (no I don't work for them) velcro strips---I've used them to hang power strips before. I've also used the regular command adhesive strips. You could use them for this purpose too in an existing piece, and they'd be easy to remove if you changed your mind. Of course, you'd then have to drill a hole at least large enough for the plug. However, if you're handy with wiring, you could get away with a hole just large enough for the cord--put the plug on when the cord's outside of the piece. This would not be me!