Correction: The IKEA item used is referred to as the IVAR. It should be the GORM (now HEJNE).
So I’ve been an IKEA fan for a while however I haven’t really dug to deep into IKEA hacks until I created my own, now I’m hooked. My hack was not immediate, I’ve had the Ivar series shelves in my house for some time, and about 6 months ago I moved them to my office for storage.
After about 3 months it all the sudden hit me, this would be a bad ass bench solution for when I have conference meetings. So I grabbed the jig saw and went to it! I didn’t get more than two in progress pictures but there’s some of the finished hack. This is using the Ivar 2 section Article number 590.160.75, and a few stolen shelves from the Ivar 2 section Article number 298.963.81. The first step I had taken with this way back was by slicing the Ivar system 2 shelf horizontally in half and stealing a few extra shelves to make this a three layer long shelf system. I then later did the following to create the two seat lounge:
On the front inner supports, cut to 23 1/4”
On the front outer supports, cut to 25 1/2’’
On the back inner and outer supports, cut to 28 1/2’’
Took the outer two top shelves and angled them as a backrest, each pushed in towards the center shelf, with the backrest resting on the back supports. From this point you can right away see the potential for seating and adjust the backrest to the desired angle that’s comfortable and screw it in place. I found it easiest to screw in place by attaching it low in the backrest to the side of the center shelf. I then just took some scrap fencepost wood and made some armrest that screwed into the back support and seat backrest for added support.
Now many people would not even think this can hold a person’s average weight but its actually incredibly sturdy and has so far supported up to 220 pounds no problem. For average 130-200 pound weight range you are totally golden.
This has been the talk of the office, a staff favorite for meetings and leisure and an awesome addition to the furniture hacks, and I have many requests to make these for additions to friends lounge areas and will be building an upgraded version of this in my living room.
~ Zac Magers
Jules is the author of IKEAHackers.net: 25 Biggest and Best Projects".
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