CUSTOMISABLE FURNITURE

Get creative with modular buys that are made to be ‘hacked’

If there’s one company that’s spawned a generation of hackers – furniture hackers, that is – it’s Ikea. For years, customers have tailored many of the brand’s basic offerings to their own personal needs and aesthetics, taking to social media and sites like Ikea Hackers (ikeahackers.net) to share their creations. Suddenly, finished pieces of furniture became catalysts for custom projects, signalling a sea change for the design community. Now, both independent and established retailers – Ikea included – are responding with new, highly customisable modular products.

One label catching on to the need for flexible furnishings is Australian brand Les Basic, founded by up-and-coming designer Alexander Lotersztain. He’s developed a pared down, brightly hued collection, offering plenty of add-ons and ways for customers to alter the designs. As Lotersztain explains it, the collection is ‘stripped of any unnecessary “styling” to provide longevity and adaptability’.