When a Scandinavian customizes your favourite Scandinavian furniture we all win.

I love it when I get emails like this. Sweden-born Lotta Lundaas dropped me an internet line a couple weeks ago saying she has a startup called Norse Interiors, based out of New York, that works exclusively on upcycling Ikea furniture—and due to high demand, they’ve started shipping to Canada, too. OH, GOODY!The concept is simple, you buy the basic furniture base from Ikea (like this one, or any of these), and you can outfit it with custom doors, panels and accessories in a multitude of colours and finishes (of which there are more than 1,000 different combinations), all available for order on Norse’s website.And the results? Feast your eyes on these: The Eleanor features wide-set herringbone. All of Norse’s main looks are named after prominent women in history, too. This one, Eleanor Roosevelt. The Marie (after Polish physicist and Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie) shows off a mid-century modern parquet pattern. And that mustard yellow colour, to die! The Frida (after Mexican artist Frida Kahlo) has an elegant arch-like art deco-inspired treatment that forms a sequence with each additional door. The sleek and lacquered mint Rosa (after Rosa Parks of course) has an elegant off-centre line, but it’s still so neutral it will go with everything. The Eva is a touch of Gastby glamour, with the intersecting curved lines that almost mimic feathers. A nod to Argentina’s first lady, Eva Perón. The Amelia (after Amelia Earhart) channels clean and simple. We like the old-timey feel of the ribbed wood panels and modern minimalist design on the Astrid (named after Astrid Lindgren, the author of the Pippi Longstocking series).

For more combos and looks for your next Ikea furniture makeover/hackstravaganza, head to norseinteriors.com.

Julia Dilworth

Julia Dilworth