So I actually made something in one day (?!) and it's my kotatsu! Although it was initially very daunting to complete such a project, it was made just in time for the polar vortex to hit Wisconsin. ^_^;
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| Maru the Cat loves his kotatsu! |
What is a Kotatsu?
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| Cute kotatsu inspiration from Tumblr |
Materials
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- 1 x LACK Coffee table (used this one: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40198396/) NOTE: it doesn't have to be square and it may be cheaper to search your local Craigslist; any wooden coffee table will suffice
- 1 x Kotatsu heater (Ebay, Amazon, Rakuten, etc. used this one: http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/yamakishi/item/21846069/)
- 4 x Kotatsu heater screws (included with heater)
- 4 x L brackets
- 4 x Screws
- 4 x Washers
- 1 x Comforter
- 1 x Rug and cushions (optional)
Total Cost
$74 (heater w/shipping) + $30 (table) + $3 (washers and L brackets) = $107
TOTALLY cheaper than getting ripped off by jlist~
Instructions
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| Kotatsu Instructions |
- Assemble IKEA Lack coffee table! Cut off 15cm off the table legs before starting so it will be a comfortable height when sitting.
- To align your heater in the center of the table, mark out thirds and place tape or draw in pencil lines to fit the heater.
- Place the heater in the center on the bottom of the table.
- Get your drill out! Drill holes where the L bracket hits the table (can also perform with step 6).
- Washers and L brackets bought from Walmart.
- Place your L brackets in alignment with the screw holes in the heater and manually tighten the heater screws. Screw in the regular screws into the table.
- Turn your new kotatsu right side up on your rug, put a comforter on top, and put the shelf that came with the IKEA table as your tabletop. Plug in the electrical cord and turn it on!
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| Please be careful and don't leave your kotatsu on & unattended! |
VCT VT-500J - Japanese Step Up/Down Voltage Transformer Converts Japan 100 Volts To 110V OR Vice Versa - 500 Watt [link]
More Tutorials
- Build an American-Style Kotatsu [link]
- IKEA Hack: Kotatsu [link]
- Kotatsu: The Heated Small Space Desktop [link]
- The Kotatsu Project [link]
Originally, I didn't shorten the legs and the default height was too tall so I brought the legs to Home Depot and a very nice employee helped me saw them into the right size. The LACK table legs are hollow and the cut was slightly crooked so I just cut out cardboard squares to make the table level and prevent scratching on the floor. Later, I switched to another comforter so it's a boring blue color now. However, it's super easy to make a duvet out of cute fabric! I ended up getting chair cushions and a floor rug for my room too.
Did you end up making a kotatsu? Please share your pictures of it in the comments!
