Shoppers eager to nab discounted furniture at cut-rate prices may soon be able to bypass Craigslist and head straight to the mother ship of cheap home furnishings: IKEA. A few days ago on August 28, the Swedish furniture company started selling second-hand Ikea products online in Sweden and they intend to extend this idea to other foreign outlets. Here is what Peter Agnefäll, CEO of IKEA Sweden told the daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter about... 

The Hunter Fanaway Ceiling Fan is an innovative ceiling fan that has a stylish design which features clear retractable blades. Yes you’ve heard me …retractable blades …when the Fanaway fan is turned off the blades retract and are hidden so you are left with a modern pendant light fixture. Isn’t it cool ? The Fanaway ceiling fan is made from recyclable materials and has a sleek, energy efficient design. The WhisperWind... 

The layout of your home is probably one of the most significant choices you will ever make regarding your home. Regardless if you live in an apartment, a condominium or a house, the layout of the rooms and how they flow will largely depend on your lifestyle.  Whether you prefer single story or multiple stories, and all the bedrooms on the top floor – choosing a perfect plan can be stressful.  Here are 5 tips to help you decide on a plan... 

Providing “comprehensive protection from evil, power surges, and AC contamination.”, this unusual electrical extension comes from architect Alexander Pincus and was designed for Means of Production . What you can observe in the pictures below is a surge protector shaped like a crucifix which has no less than 12 outlets. The project’s name is “Power”, which does not come as a surprise, considering the amount of energy it... 

RAYMOND: Currently I just bought new apartment, it will be empty without furniture when handed to me. Since its just 30m2, I don’t have much room for bathroom, living room, and kitchen. The developer allow only to change the layout without change wall’s structure. Could you share your ideas how it should be re-decorated? For the interior I would like to apply a modern-minimalist style. If you also have some examples of modern-minimalist... 

We ran across Magdalena Keck ‘s portfolio a while ago, when we featured some of her work on Freshome. We decided to forward our 15 question interview to her as a challenge and she kindly replied. We received some strong and determined answers which unriddle an impressive experience as an interior designer. And if they were not enough, we’ve also added a few photos of Magdalena’s projects to convince you of her passion for hard... 

Are you thinking of renovating a bathroom, or knocking out walls to make your kitchen larger?  If you aren’t experienced yourself, most likely you will be hiring a general contractor.  Do you know how to weed out the bad ones from the good ones?  There are several television do it yourself programs out there that showcase bad contractors and good contractors having to “clean up their mess”. Before you are dreaming of what your remodeled... 

When I first saw this exercise bike I’ve immediately told to myself “This is a damn good looking exercise bike.” Designed by Luca Scheippati and produced by Lamiflex, Ciclotte is an exercise bike that is designed to blend into the décor of the office, home, gym and the outdoor. The concept of Ciclotte was born out of the need to create a product that is an expression of contemporary life ; where work and relaxation, exercise... 

This incredible looking wall faucet comes from designer Andrew Tang-Smith and the idea is said to have been spotted in the popular Star-Trek movie series. Even though it has a futuristic feel, this faucet is as real as it gets. “Reveal/Conceal” is a wall embedded device with a multiple functionality. The sci-fi inspired project has a tiny led that acts a fun illuminating light. At a first glance it looks like an interesting wall... 

Today’s interview is special because we decided to take a step forward and challenge architects to answer our questions as well. Carolyn Trevor established her studio in London, in 1997 and currently collaborates with 20 architects and interior designers. In this interview you will find out about the ups and downs of being an architect while also going through an impressive portfolio. Enjoy! Freshome : What determined your passion for... 

Home floor plans have evolved over the years.  In the 1950’s-60’s, the idea of compartmentalized rooms was a common theme.  Starting at the entry door, individual rooms were centered off a main hallway and the activities of each room were isolated. By the time the 1980’s floor plans evolved, rooms began to flow into one another. The concept of half walls and visual dividers allowed a family to converse and interact while staying in their... 

It has been a while since we featured a lighting project on Freshome. Today we would like to present this stylish floor lamp from the “Tree Series” by Spanish company Dab . Designed by Werner Aisslinger, the lamp has an interesting “sliced” aspect, which happens to be a distinctive and appealing product feature. At the same time, it allows light to create interesting effects in the room where it is placed contributing... 

LUKESF: That’s my home office which is made on the former balcony. The main thing is how to properly arrange all storage & get some recreation space left (kinda read, watch a movie, doodle with feet up).  So far the only things which seem to be more or less certain are to make a workspace where the niche is and to place a radiator either below the external or internal window. EDITOR: Freshome Reader’s, LukeSF could use some... 

The decision to hire a housekeeping or maid service is a personal one that has its pros and cons.  For some, the idea of strangers entering your home and cleaning is an invasion of privacy.  While others would argue that the time, energy, and peace of mind saved by having a cleaning service is well worth the alternative.  Here are 5 tips to consider when hiring a housekeeping service to get you off the fence of decision making. 1.) Choose... 

ANNETTE: Please give me some ideas on how to make my frozen yogurt counter stands out from the crowd! I have included my initial idea within the layout plan. As the location of the kiosk is quite hidden, therefore I need ideas on the layout and designs to attract visitors or shoppers attentions. My preferred concept is contemporary, young, simple  Read More →