IKEA hackers have come up with ingenious ways to transform and redesign the Swedish mega-store's products. But for those of us without the time, energy, skills or resourcefulness needed for an involved DIY project there are a few other ways to customize your favorite IKEA pieces.
Let's start from the bottom up: Swedish company Prettypegs sells fun, colorful support legs in a range of shapes and sizes. All you have to do is remove the existing legs and screw in the new ones. And suddenly your sofa looks so much less generic. Think of it as buying new fabulous shoes for your furniture.
Shipping charges are flat rate so there is a single shipping fee regardless of how many products your order contains. For US shoppers, the rate is US $26.
Meanwhile, another company company called Panyl (see our Store Profile in Marketplace) creates flexible, self-adhesive vinyl film that is pre-cut to the dimensions of specific IKEA furniture models. You can choose from 34 (and counting) different vinyl finishes in solid colors, wood grains, and a few specialty finishes like brushed aluminum. The newest in the PANYL lines is the EKBY JÄRPEN shelf and bracket. All you have to do is pick from a range of colors and PANYL will send you the shelf all ready to assemble (just purchase the EKBY BJÄRNUM bracket from IKEA to hold the shelf up).
Sources: Prettypegs; Panyl
Store History
Replace your furniture legs with a set of Prettypegs and add some color and playful elegance to the room. Designed in Sweden with lots of love for IKEA.
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These are great. I also love Bemz - fabric slipcovers for IKEA furniture http://www.bemz.com/en-us/
What a great idea, I thought, until I saw the prices of these pretty legs.
These are nice, but for 130.00 USD (before shipping)? I still have to sing the praises of Uncle Bobs Workshop's legs for IKEA's Karlstad sofas. 30.00/set, shipping 8.00.
I'm fairly certain that Uncle Bob will also work with you for a special order, or custom design.
Legs make such a difference. A while ago I got classic MCM taper legs and my Karlstad went from okay to great.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/67567677/sofa-legs-ikea-karlstad
I might get some of the colored ones and switch things around.
@Susannemuc:
Aren't they the greatest? The Karlstad legs from Uncle Bobs have worked out really well for our sofa, as well as our chaise.
Photos of my sofa:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2yhe/4617084452/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2yhe/5632710766/in/photostream/
Susannemuc, wow, thanks so much! Awsome!
I just wish the seller had pictures of different finishes. I am so going to order these today.
I wonder if they work with Karlstad chair as well.
Lovely!!!
These could match with the decals for IKEA furniture with DISNEY characters from Parts of Sweden
http://www.partsofsweden.se/ikea/moebeldekaler/disney-motiv/
@Monicak
Are you talking about the etsy seller Uncle Bobs Workshop? My first set of legs were in walnut finish. A year later, I wanted another set for my chaise, but didn't see the colour I wanted on his site. I emailed him and asked if he could do it in a natural finish, and he did! I have read somewhere that he does them in light oak as well as ebony (which sounds really cool!)
K2YHE, wow, that sounds awsome. It's going to hard to decide what finish I want.
vouching for Uncle Bob's workshop too. he was very helpful with my questions on the different finishes. bought 2 sets of legs for my karlstad sofa and footstool and they look great.
I also have a set of legs from Uncle Bob's workshop, for my Karlstad sofa, and I couldn't be happier!
Unfinished legs are easy to come by online- there MAY be an issue with metric vs US bolt threads, but there are a few solutions (such as buying proper metric 'hanger bolts' and replacing the bolts in the legs; or screwing on US threaded plates to screw the legs into.)
Here's a look at my own leg-redo that I submitted to Ikeahackers! http://www.ikeahackers.net/2011/06/little-country-for-kilippan.html
Ladykatey - very nice job! Do you recall what the overall cost was? I too am a bit perplexed by the high cost of the Pretty Pegs - shipping notwithstanding. As for Uncle Bob's, the price appears to be right, but there don't seem to be too many color/finish options.
Duh, ok, all that info was posted on IKEAhackers - sorry for the dumb question. So $14 per set of pegs, plus another $7 for the brackets. So comparable to Uncle Bob I guess.
@K2YHE: Ha, it was your sofa that had won me over for Uncle Bob's when I googled Karlstad legs. His image on etsy is not so hot. Thanks for posting.
OMG... Who is this Uncle Bob and where is his workshop? The only reason I haven't purchased an Ikea sofa has been the legs! This may solve all my problems. I've got his Etsy shop address now, so no excuses for me!
Prettypegs Give away on my blog!! http://hegeinfrance.blogspot.fr/2012/03/new-fantastic-giveaway.html
I was hook line and sinker when I saw these! But then I found much more reasonable 'legs' online with some searching. Are these def. worth it? And what about for a non-Ikea couch?
Bethany [at]
www.PowellBrowerHome.com
@LADYKATEY:
Where do you get metric hanger bolts? I have been searching high and low. I would be very grateful if you could tell me.
The website is helping out many customers in knwowing information about how to organize their furniture.
Muebles La Rioja
now available in New York Tri State area. Just make a reservation and our Cargo Taxi van will be waiting for you or send us your shopping list and we will pick up your items and deliver them same or next day. Also cheap and reliable service - same as IKEA furniture!
"now available in Tel aviv ikea order delivery and assembly "
seeing the comments here and elsewhere, I decided to give Uncle Bob's workshop a try. Took almost three months to get the legs (I was shocked bc no one mentioned that it would be so long), and when I got them, one of the legs had a 1cm gaping hole on it. Anyone had similar issue or was it just me?