Old laundry hamper repurposed into a stylish floating coffee table.
This is a movable, small coffee table ideal for a small apartment. The idea struck me when I was discarding an old ANTONIUS laundry hamper.
After removing the bag I discovered that it has an attractive, one piece frame.
That was my a-ha moment when I decided to turn it into floating coffee table.
IKEA products used:
- ANTONIUS laundry hamper
- RILL wheels set
- SKYDD wood oil
Other materials:
- Two pieces of plywood
- Bolts
- White spray paint
Floating coffee table process
I decided to make the table stand on the narrower side of the rectangle frame, mostly due to limited space.
Besides that, I also wanted to be able to hide it next to my sofa when needed.
However, if you need a lower, wider table you can place it on the wider side of the frame.
This is totally up to you.
One thing to consider is the thickness of the wood material used.
The profile of ANTONIUS frame is exactly 1x2cm and I wanted the plywood to be the same thickness as the frame below it.
If you decide on a lower table you might consider 2cm thick material.
Related: Modern side table from ANTONIUS laundry stand
I chose plywood as I didn’t wanted it to be too expensive. I had it cut to exact dimensions at my local hardware store.
Adding the shelf
After sanding down the surface and sides I cut the corners of the piece that was intended for the bottom.
The cuts were 1x2cm. I cut them with a saw so the angles were not perfect and needed a bit of sanding down to fit nicely.
Next, I treated both pieces of wood with SKYDD oil but any oil dedicated for wood will do. The treatment revealed very nice texture of the wood and made it slightly darker.
Just like I wanted.
Meanwhile I painted the corners of the frame with white spray paint I had laying around. I didn’t consider it might be a wrong shade of white, though. I ended up painting the whole frame.
This is a completely optional step.
After that it was a matter of assembly. I decided to secure the wood with bolts. To do that I drilled two holes on each side.
While fastening the plywood, I had it secured in place with wood clamps.
The last step was to attach the wheels. I placed them exactly 2cm from each side of the frame. This way they don’t stick out and when I look from above the table appears to be floating.
And that’s it. The table is ready 
More photos
How long and how much did it cost?
It took couple days.
I paid:
- $22 for plywood
- $5 for wheels
- $5 for oil
What do you like most about the hack?
That I made it myself I also love that it’s movable and it doubles as a night stand.
What was the hardest part about this hack?
Fitting in the lower shelf. If you have access to precision cutting tools they will definitely help.
Looking back, would you have done it differently?
I would have paid closer attention to masking out the frame corners before painting. Also the top surface isn’t super precisely fitted. I might try to adjust it in near future.
And other thoughts/ comments that you have received about the hack:
I think it could look nice just with top surface and without wheels. There is also enough space to fit one more level in the middle but it would require attaching with corner profiles or in some other way. If you don’t want to drill you can use strong tape or glue to attach the top surface. I wouldn’t risk it on the bottom as it has to carry the whole construction weight.
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