I slipped, you guys. Despite my resolution to lay off the IKEA crap once and for all, I bought a whole bunch of stuff there yesterday.
I know it will all fall apart in a few months, and I suspect that it was probably made with toxic, non-sustainable materials by obscenely underpaid workers in Far East sweatshops. But I stopped in to pick up a bunch of Ribba frames so I could finally hang my growing collection of Etsy prints, because those are the only simple white frames I've found that I can afford to buy in mass quantities.
And, well, my resolve to drastically limit the amount of IKEA in my life fell away when I saw all the happy, super-cheap new summer stuff and other recent additions at my local Swedish superstore. (And yes, today I feel hung over with guilt -- but not so much so that I didn't spend most of the morning moving things around to make room for my new scores.)
Sommar Cushions, $8 each
Sommar Paper Tablecloth, $3. (There are so many different ways you could use this large roll of fairly durable laminated paper: wrapping a lampshade, lining dresser drawers, staple-gunning it over a worn table- or dressertop, mod-poging it to cabinet or closet doors ...)
Sommar Food Domes, on sale for $1 each
Sommar Cloth Bags (a little Orla-ish, no?), $8 each
Sommar Gardening Bags, $3 each
Sommar Hanging Planters, $13 each
Sommar Picnic Blanket, $30
Sommar Throws, $13 each
Greno Cushions (I like the yellow), $20 each
More Greno Cushions, $6 each
Hemon Rugs, $15 each
Flyn Ofelia Curtain Panels, $45 for three
Hjordis Fabric, $4 a yard
Knubbig Lamp, $17 or $9, depending on size
Pjatteryd Wall Art, $70
Tripp Storage Tins, $3 a set
Jutanas Decorative Figures, $20 for a set of five
Trollsta Sideboard, $349
Ange Chair, $129, and Hejka Chair, $139
Oh yeah, and they finally have that Egg-like Karlstad Swivel Chair ($329) that I lusted after last summer, when it was only available at overseas IKEAs. Not loving it so much in person.
I didn't actually buy all of this stuff, mind you -- but I bought some of it.
Damn you, IKEA.
(How do you all feel about the Blue Behemoth? Great for deals on fun, disposable decor -- or poor-quality environmental and economic scourge? Post a comment and let me know.)
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Cool Stuff: Summer at IKEA
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15 comments:
True confession: I'm IKEA's bitch.
Especially for the kinds of items you show here. Not as much with the furniture that screams, "I'm IKEA!" but definitely all of the accessories.
I'm sure I'm going to hell for this, where I will be forced to assemble flat-pack furniture with a tiny little Allen wrench for all of eternity.
See you there! ;)
Kelly's comment is so funny! I'm loving the picnic blanket!
IKEA is an evil addiction. Thanks to you, I now have to go and check out the new fabrics.
I think i might need to mosey on up to the local ikea... thanks for the great ideas.
after over three months searching for vintage chairs for the living/dining/entry of my rental house, i went to Ikea and bought the stockholm easy chairs...I also ended up with a perfectly sized dining table. when we moved in last fall, we picked up wooden blinds for all the windows and some freestanding kitchen cabinets for much needed storage. also a small cabinet for the bathroom, a dresser and curtains/drapes. oh, and light fixtures to replace the truly hideous ones that came with the place. Ikea OWNS me.
As a poor college student, I'm still forced to feed my fledgling interior design obsession with the occasional IKEA run. But I do definitely dream of DWR...
Sue:
I live in a country where everything is made in China and has the corresponding taste level. Ikea is my one resource for modern, pretty and practical design. While almost everything from my small apartment is from Ikea, it's easy to add pizazz with antique embroidery, vintage Shanghai advertisements and painted porcelain lamps, and crystal lights. As the previous commenters have discovered, the Blue Behemoth rules because it works around everything.
Umm ... who is Sue?
;-)
Leah
Ikea is great for accessories and little knick knacks. For the larger pieces of furniture, I prefer buying something more robust and better quality. Ikea stuff is short lived and I can't imagine buying myself a new sofa every few months.
I'm with you - Ikea is a trap! An IRRESISTABLE trap. Cute finds though :)
I have a love/hate relationship with Ikea. About half the time, I look at the stuff and think, "that's utter crap." Other times I want to buy one of everything. And then I get mad at myself for outfitting my entire house in cheap, disposable crap. Of course, that's an exaggeration, but sometimes it doesn't feel like it. I love that our bed was inexpensive, but it's the same bed I see in every staged house in the area. It screams IKEA and that makes me cringe. But it meant that I could afford to buy other things, so I'm torn.
I am with you Leah. I like Ikea for the whatnot and am seduced by the happy patterns, but definitely not the furniture. I'll pick up a metal table there for $20, but I am not going to invest in larger pieces that simply will not last in the long run.
Nice post.
I'm in love with Ikea, mainly for the accessories. I already bought a couple yards each of 5 of the new fabrics. I like mixing them in with pricier things (of which we have just a handful, so maybe it is the other way around). People compliment us on our $15 Ikea dining light fixture as often as on our Eames dining chairs. Probably more, actually. Mmm, Ikea. I can spend a whole day there.
Kelly, I'll see you in Ikea hell. I actually enjoy putting the Ikea stuff together though... I know, I have a problem.
The problem with their easy chairs is the ones in the store look so poorly made. The fabric is usually all pulled and wrinkly looking, like the cushions weren't sewn correctly. After a few people sit on it, forget it. I wouldn't want that in my house. We do have a futon that becomes a couch kind of thingy we bought in desperation when friends were coming to visit in three days. It actually has held up well but it isn't beautiful.
Accessories, however, yes!
ok, now your are taking the title of your blog too far- i will definitely have to waste my time with a trip to a ikea to check out all the cutesy little accessories! :)
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