Uppgradera, inspired by IKEA products, opens new perspectives in product development

Who hasn’t bought any of their furniture, decorative objects or accessories from IKEA? Based on a concept of self-service and ready-to-install kit furniture, the brand surfs on the notion of ease and speed. And yet it can be a real headache to assemble a piece of furniture, or to buy an accessory that fulfils 100% of its primary purpose. With this in mind, Hungarian designer Adam Miklosi has created a collection of 3D printed accessories to enhance existing IKEA products. Entirely open-source, the range is called Uppgradera and enhances everyday objects such as soap dishes and clothes hangers.

“Hacking” IKEA furniture with 3D printing is not a new idea: many designers have started creating 3D models to give furniture a new look, change the original purpose of an object or customise an accessory to suit different needs. We wanted to share Adam Miklosi’s collection during these strange times: why not take advantage of confinement to print the collection and make your life easier?

These 3D printed accessories make it easy to use some IKEA items | Photo Credits: Adam Miklosi

In Swedish, Uppgradera is a verb that means to level, improve, perfect, which led the designer to choose this term for his collection. This one is composed of 6 accessories to be 3D printed, entirely open-source. Take the KLIPSK bed tray from IKEA for example: although it is practical for eating breakfast in bed, its surface is very slippery, which is not ideal for a cup or glass. Adam Miklosi’s KL01 accessory is a glass holder that can be attached to the tray along the groove to prevent accidents.

If you now go into the bathroom and have bought the ENUDDEN soap holder, you must have noticed that at the bottom of the moulded plastic, there is no opening, so your soap is constantly soaking in water. The EN01 is a grid to be placed on the object so that the soap is raised and can be “aired”. In the long term, this improves its quality and of course its lifespan. Other accessories in the range include hangers, lamps, cheese graters and toothbrush holders!

The EN01 is a grid that can be placed on your soap dish | Photo Credits: Adam Miklosi

This initiative promotes local manufacturing and the sharing of ideas. Adam Miklosi concludes: “My ideas aim to complement the original designs and correct the mistakes I have encountered on different IKEA products, using 3D printing. My goal was to design products that solve real problems and, with a little “uppgradera”, make the user experience more enjoyable and efficient. Anyone in the world can download the 3D models and build a simple and intelligent solution locally“.

All of these accessories are currently being tested and should soon be available via the online shop, according to the designer. It is assumed that the open-source files will also be available as they are not on the site at the moment. By the way, you can find all the printable objects HERE. 

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