IKEA Rules
I am one of the many people who will tell you straight up: IKEA rules. I went there today with Angela and our respective offspring. We had lunch in the cafeteria and then let the kids play in Småland
The best IKEA site on the web is ikeahacker. It is a collaborative blog where people post decorating tips using IKEA furnishings as a starting point. It is definitely an inspiration to check out before you hit the store. Another great IKEA-related site is Bemz, an outfit offering custom slipcovers for many upholstered IKEA products. My experience with IKEA's upholstered products has taught me to exercise caution; the couches suck, but the chairs are okay, and you can't beat the price.
Three more observations about IKEA:
- IKEA's attempts at more "traditional" decorating styles (i.e. Pottery Barn knockoffs) aren't very successful.
- Whither the Marimekko fabrics? I didn't see any today. That is a pity.
- The "It Only Happens Twice A Year" Sale is coming next month, just before they roll out the new catalog.
Oh, this is good timing. The sofas suck, huh? We need a knock-around sleeper sofa for the new basement/playroom, and were seriously considering the Ikea ones. And is the sale in June or July? (please say end of June!!!)
ReplyDeleteOur couch has not held up well under the gymnastics of the monkeys, I mean, children. If I had it to do over again, I'd get an ugly, sturdy couch from a resale shop and get a new slipcover for it.
ReplyDeleteOurs started to fall apart only a couple of weeks after we got it, but we didn't think about complaining to IKEA. It turns out that the problem was a common one in that model, and IKEA was fixing them for free if you asked. So keep that in mind.
I think the sale is actually in July, but I'm not 100% sure. Of course, you can get a good deal in the scratch-and-dent section.