Christine Schwalm Design

I took a field trip last week to Ikea to pick up a few things for the new apartment.  Some folding bar stools, a curtain rod and assorted other items that managed to add up to about $150.  Isn't Ikea just like Target that way?  You go in for a few things and walk out a while later sort of dazed with a cart full of stuff.  And I walked in there with a list! 

Many design folks turn their nose up at Ikea because they feel it's generic, poorly made, particle board crap.  And, to be honest, plenty of it is.  Plenty, but certainly not all.  And creative types have been redesigning their Ikea finds and posting them for a few years now on an Ikea Hack blog.  I'm pretty amazed at some of the creativity displayed here--especially the Top 10 of 2009 featured in the current post.  What caught my eye, though, were a couple of ads on the sidebar for us decidedly less crafty types, like the one pictured here.  This company offers custom slipcovers in really fun fabrics.  Another makes drawer front covers and the like for other Ikea pieces.  Now that's some easy hacking.