I've professed my love for certain thingsIKEA before, but there's also plenty that leaves me cold. For instance, I could do without that sinking certainty after a purchase that–regardless of what you're coming home with–there are hundreds, nay, thousands of homes with exactly the same thing, instantly recognizable in style to all who see it.

Ah, but therein lies the beauty of the IKEA hack. When done right, it turns the mundane into the masterful, and all within a tight budget. San Francisco's Fixed Design understands the power of a successful hack, and recently harnessed it to help a fellow business in need. When friends came to Fixed needing a conference table for under $500, the design company came up with a cleverly simple solution: Two Numerar countertops, a pair of Moliden nickel-plated steel legs, and a handsome conference table was born. Read more...