This Designer Built A Chair In The Time It Takes To Make A Sandwich

Watch This Designer Build A Chair In Five Minutes
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If you've ever put together an Ikea bed (or, say, attempted to build a piece of furniture yourself) then you know full well that furniture assembly and construction is one of life's most toughest tasks. But for one artist, it's anything but difficult.

Meet Jenny Nordberg, a Swedish interior designer who takes pleasure in what you probably find painful. Nordberg's series, called "3 to 5 Minutes," highlights how she makes pieces of furniture at incredibly fast speeds. In the video below, the designer builds, assembles and decorates a chair, all within less than five minutes.

Just for reference, in the time it took her to build that, we could've:

  • Taken a relaxing nap
  • Finished "Parks and Recreation"
  • Scanned Pinterest for more DIY projects
  • Gone online shopping
  • Taken a yoga class

All jokes aside, Nordberg is an incredible artist and designer. Even if her style of "DIY" is different from others, we do have a few easy hacks for making things in nearly half the time it would normally take.

Try this hack for making a T-shirt rug quickly, or try making your own coffee table tray with just a few power tools, some tape and a cake pan.

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Before You Go

11 DIY Cheats
Problem: Hate Net Curtains, But Don't Want The World Peering In(01 of11)
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Solution: Frost your window, which gives you privacy but still lets light inCheat: There are two ways to do this. The first is to buy glass frosting spray and painter’s tape. Laura Gummerman advises on A Beautiful Mess: “First, clean the glass with glass cleaner and wipe dry with a soft towel. Use the painter's tape to make your pattern (such as stripes), and make sure the edges are firmly pressed against the glass.”“Use the glass frosting spray as directed, and spray the exposed areas of glass. Once your frost is dry, slowly peel your tape lines off and you're done!”You can also buy sticky-backed frosted window film – just peel off the film, which comes in gorgeous patterns or colours, and stick on to your window. (credit:Darjeeling decorative film by brume.co.uk)
Problem: Blu-tack Makes It Look Like A Student Room(02 of11)
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Solution: Japanese Washi-tapeCheat: “Washi tape is a DIY girl's best friend!” says Michelle Hinckley from 4 Men 1 Lady. “If you've never used it, it is one of the most versatile applications ever. It's just tape that comes in various widths, colours and prints.”Michelle’s top Washi tape tips: • If you have vinyl roller shades, use Washi tape to outline or frame the plane white shade.• Make a cool design with several different colours on your wall to fake the look of wallpaper.• Use Washi tape on the length edge of a shelf to give visual interest.• Use Washi tape to make frame outlines for pictures on the wall• Use Washi tape on boring, unsightly power cords. (credit:donovanbeeson/Flickr)
Problem: Not Enough Storage Space(03 of11)
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Solution: Pop to the offie!Cheat: Ask your local wine store or grocers for their old, unwanted crates. Hey presto! Room for shoes, books, towels, you name it...Amy Hadley says in Decor Hacks: “Simply take old crates, paint them and then attach them to the wall. It’s functional and actually adds a bit of color and charm to your space as well.” (credit:Diverse Images/UIG via Getty Images)
Problem: You Can't Find A Rug That Isn't Crazy Expensive(04 of11)
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Solution: Use a tableclothCheat: To turn a table cloth into a rug, all you need is a few coats of water based polyurethane, a rubber rug backer and a bit of double sided tape. Laura Hayestone at Design Share promises: “No painting, no measuring, no planning, just roll on a few coats of poly and you have a durable, easy care and gorgeous floorcloth! Already hemmed and everything!”To find out how easily Laura does it, click here (credit:hemeroskopion via Getty Images)
Problem: Kids Keep Drawing On The Wall(05 of11)
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Solution: Turn the wall into a giant chalkboard Cheat: Laura Frantz from Apartment Therapy shows us just how easy it is to make:“Sand wall until it's relatively smooth. Tape ceiling and trim to make a clean line where the chalk wall meets the ceiling. Apply two coats of chalkboard paint, allowing four hours of dry-time between coats. Don't forget to put the tarp under your work.”“Once dry, cover the entire surface of the chalkboard wall once with chalk and erase. I'm not sure what the point of doing this is, but it's part of the instructions on the paint can and I am too law-abiding to ignore this step!” (credit:Peathegee Inc via Getty Images)
Problem: Lush Curtain Panels Too Expensive(06 of11)
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Solution: Make them with flat sheetsCheat: “My favorite DIY/decorationg tip is to use flat sheets instead hung from simple clip rings,” admits Michelle Hinckley from 4 Men 1 Lady. “They are a fraction of the price and come in so many great prints.” “If you're in to the cool industrial vibe you can use plumbing pipe as a curtain rod instead of a traditional rod. They are just as easy if not easier to install than the traditional curtain rod. Big home improvement stores can often cut and thread the pipe to your specific dimensions.” (credit:Kansas City Star via Getty Images)
Problem: Your Furniture Looks Drab(07 of11)
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Solution: Go nuts with the Sharpie!Cheat: The kids will love this one. Interior designer Michael Garvey takes off the covers and draws geometric patterns on throw pillows and the arms of his sofa with a Sharpie and a nonslip metal ruler.In fact, Sharpies are “the go-to instrument for upgrading basics of all kinds,” says Kate Puhala on Brit + Co. See her round-up of 30 Sharpie DIY ideas here (credit:jm3/Flickr)
Problem: Damaged Woodwork(08 of11)
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Solution: Put the kettle on!Cheat: Rub a paste made of vinegar, coffee and water into scratches on wooden furniture or wooden floorboards. Once it’s dried, spray with furniture polish to remove any residual decolouration.Ashley Thurman says on Cherished Bliss: “I prefer instant coffee because it dissolves whereas regular coffee would leave the grinds in it. That isn’t the end of the world, but you just have to deal with them when you are staining. That’s it!”You can also remove small dents by wetting the area and covering with brown paper, then applying a hot iron for a few seconds. The steam should expand the squashed wood fibres back to how they used to be. (credit:thomasmales via Getty Images)
Problem: Can't Afford Wall Art(09 of11)
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Solution: Spray paint large canvases with masking tape. Cheat: Spray paints aren’t just for wannabe Banksys graffiti-ing railway stations anymore – your local DIY shop will stock them in a range of bold hues from primary colours to neon or gold. Mask out a geometric pattern on your canvas and spray each section a different colour, or lighten the spray as you go up the canvas, creating an ombre effect.You'll find some great ideas here (credit:Vicki & Chuck Rogers/Flickr)
Problem: Vintage Dresser Missing A Handle(10 of11)
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Solution: Make one with over bake clayCheat: Nancy from Artsy Chick's Rule reveals how to in a few easy steps…• Make a mould of one of the handles using the clay.• Place on an old tile, bake it in the oven to harden. • After the mould cools, squish more clay down into it really well. • Cut two small pieces of wire to put in the ends (to add strength & stability). Take a sharp knife and shave off the excess clay. • Slowly and gently pull the soft clay out of the mould. Lay it out onto the tile, and using the real handle as a guide, make sure it’s the same shape as the original. (credit:DEA / A. DAGLI ORTI via Getty Images)
Problem: A Hundred Niggles Around The House(11 of11)
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Solution: Get WD-40 Cheat: From wiping off tough stains and preserving leather furniture, to preventing snow building up on windows and keeping squirrels, wasps and pigeons at bay, WD-40 gets pretty much everything done around the house.Nicolette from How Does She calls it “the handy-woman’s miracle elixir. I have personally used it to stop squeaky doors and my much-used rocking chair, fix a window that wouldn’t slide shut, and get gum out of my daughter’s hair.” (credit:ocean yamaha/Flickr)

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