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‘Hacking’ is very quickly becoming the most talked about trend in the renovation and design world. Hacking is the process of converting ordinary household materials into something with a totally different function. You can hack almost anything, big or small, old or broken, anything you have laying around the house.

For the Ottawa Fall Home Show, we’ve teamed up with the Habitat for Humanity Restore and Rust-Oleum Canada to revamp the fan-favourite Upcycle Challenge to bring you DIY Inspirations: One Nightstand. Ottawa’s next generation of designers, Algonquin College design students, are being put to the test, armed with a small budget, some paint and all the creativity they can muster. The participants will be hacking a previously owned nightstand from the Habitat for Humanity Restore in order to turn it into a creative and functional piece that attendees will have the opportunity to bid on.

So how can you become part of the hacking trend? With almost anything!

One of our favourite ways to hack a night stand is to turn it into a fun play station for children. By removing the doors on the front, adding a fresh coats of paint, cutting a hole in the top and adding some DIY fixtures, a tired nightstand becomes the kitchen of a toddler’s dreams. If kitchens aren’t for you, a coat of paint and some pegboard can turn your forlorn night stand into a crafty tool bench


Turning a nightstand into a cozy pet bed is not only adorable, but a great space saver. By removing the doors, adding some cushion and finishing everything with a coat of paint, you can easily hack a nightstand into a functional piece that will make you and your pet’s day.


Like we said, we’re all about hacking household items into something functional that’s also looks amazing. Turning a nightstand into a sweet bench for your front entryway can provide a practical spot to put on shoes, while also storing mitts and hats.

The Ottawa Fall Home Show will be at the EY Centre from September 28-October 1, 2017. Don’t miss the DIY Inspirations: One Night Stand on September 28th! Buy your tickets today!