Box O' Karlstad

Materials: KARLSTAD sofas (2), birch plywood, wood edging, walnut

Description: Two of the things I love most in this world are modern design and cats. My cats have destroyed furniture in the past so when it was time for a new sofa I was determined to outwit them by finding a modern sofa they could not use as a scratching post. In my search I came across the 'box sofa' by Autobahn. Perfect but at $7K, way beyond my budget.

Then I got the idea to make my own. Using birch plywood I bought at Home Depot, I made a box that would fit snugly around the Karlstad sofa. I finished the edges with 1/2 inch wood trim and stained it walnut. I had some red paint and used it on the bottom just for fun. I finished it with three coats of polyurethane. I bought the legs online -- not IKEA. It fits the Karlstad like a glove and the cats are foiled... for now. I made two boxes for two sofas. I just love it.

~ Susannah Koger, United States

Karlstad Swings

Materials: Karlstad Chairs and Loveseat, U-Channel, Cables

Description: We wanted to create a fun sitting area for employees of our advertising agency to brainstorm creative ideas for clients. We took standard Karlstad furniture, bought some metal U-channel, plastic coated cable and suspended them 8" from the floor.

~ Bronson Smith, Smith Brothers Agency, Pittsburgh, PA