Things our apartment doesn't have: closet space (-) (remedy found here), a couch (-), a place to work/study (-), any extra storage space what-so-ever (-).
So when Mr. Landlord asked if we'd be renewing our lease, our first instinct was a resounding no. However...
Moving is a royal PITA. Not to mention disgustingly expensive. Did we really want to pack everything in our current apartment up only to move a few streets away and into a place that would likely be just a smidgen larger than our current apartment? The answer: a resounding NO! (clearly a "no" with more umph than the one above)
And so, I put my dusty DIY hat on and whipped out my tape measure. I, my friends, was determined to craft something that would make our space at least a little bit more functional.
Here is a photo of our living area pre-Hemnes Hack. Cute? Sure- but, in reality, the space was looked at more than it was utilized...which when you live in a space as small as ours is a really big waste o' sq ft.
Here is a photo of our living area pre-Hemnes Hack. Cute? Sure- but, in reality, the space was looked at more than it was utilized...which when you live in a space as small as ours is a really big waste o' sq ft.
The space is long and narrow making it really difficult to define different areas (office area/living area, etc)- I knew that my solution had to be multi-functional: in my dream world it would offer comfy seating, an area to work and eat, and would provide extra storage- dream on, right? Wrong!
It just so happens that Ikea's Hemnes TV Shelf is 72 inches long- the same length as the area I was working with- it is a mere 18 inches wide and the height of a standard bench....oh, and it has 3 deep drawers along the bottom. Jackpot.
The Ikea in Brooklyn wanted to charge me $229 for the unit + $175 shipping (they are the ones who should dream on), and so, I became obsessed with craigslist and krrb....searching for "hemnes" morning, noon, and night. After may hemnes-less days, the "no-results" message turned into "1 result"... 1 hour and $100 dollars later, she was all mine.
As you can tell from the below, my plan was pretty sophisticated...Color coded and all.
In all honesty, I knew what I wanted the finished product to look like, but really had no idea how to execute it.
It wasn't without numerous expletives, but my vision ended up a reality. Take a look at our new work/dine/store living area below.
The Ikea in Brooklyn wanted to charge me $229 for the unit + $175 shipping (they are the ones who should dream on), and so, I became obsessed with craigslist and krrb....searching for "hemnes" morning, noon, and night. After may hemnes-less days, the "no-results" message turned into "1 result"... 1 hour and $100 dollars later, she was all mine.
As you can tell from the below, my plan was pretty sophisticated...Color coded and all.
In all honesty, I knew what I wanted the finished product to look like, but really had no idea how to execute it.
It wasn't without numerous expletives, but my vision ended up a reality. Take a look at our new work/dine/store living area below.
