IKEA fun!

[partgypsy]

Well, for the first time in my life, went to an IKEA. The purpose was to redo the kids'' room, and I could have purchased most of what I wanted online (for a $300 shipping fee), but I wanted to go. Woah. They have stuff there they don''t have in the catalog or the web! I mostly stuck to my list but there were lots and lots of other areas I would have explored if I was on my own and had more spending cash, like the kid''s area (all their stuffed animals are so cute!) foodstuff area, kitchen, and linen/pillow section. As it was, even my husband had some impulse buys such as a poang chair and a cookware set. It''s 2 hours away so who knows if I''ll ever visit it again. I''m actually rather cheap and picky at the same time, which prevents me from doing alot of purchasing, but the combination of their esthetic and price point makes this place rather dangerous. Also something about it makes me feel rather nostalgic; when my parents were doing well they sprung and redecorated their den with all danish modern pieces (Scandia I believe?) so the style also reminds me of favorite pieces my family have. That and the Askerhaus at Disney World

.

Lots and lots of fun.

anyone else Ikea-obsessed?

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

LOL many of us are! DH and I are lucky to live about 30 minutes from the one near Boston so we go a few times each year. We went this weekend actually and picked up a new Hemnes dresser, a patio table set and some picture frames. We''re at the point now where we have to go with a plan and a list or we''ll end up spending the whole day there and spending WAY too much money!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

YAY for IKEA! We love it and go on "dates" there a few times a year (it''s only 15 minutes away). Infact, we''re hoping to go in June. I''m excited and saving my pennies--we''ve been renting out our second bedroom for a freidn to use as her office during the day, but she is vacating this week so we want to get some stuff to make it a guest room/things that will transition into a nursery down the line. I can''t wait

 

[partgypsy]

Our damage this trip, which was actually pretty close to the list I created beforehand: Leksvik wood wardrobe, Expedit 2x8 bookshelf in birch, Brimnes dresser, Poang chair with green netting straps instead of cushion, kvart clamp light, cookware set, plastic wastebasekt, kid's clotheshangers, netting toy holder, queen duvet set (kajsa rosor), and a couple stuffed animals. Ironically the duvet cover doesn't totally match the style we just redecorated, but it's kind of an aspirational set, where I can imagine it in an airy loft bedroom with all wood or white walls somewhere... and the food was good too! Yum!

 

[zoebartlett]

We live about 30 minutes or so from IKEA now but when we move, we''ll have to drive pretty far. I love it there but I haven''t found anything I *need* yet. That''s probably a good thing, otherwise I''d be there all the time.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Here''s our list for June if we can swing the budget

the 96 inch PAX wardrobe in white with either white or frosted glass and alumnium doors(I think it''s like 39 inches wide--the two door version, not the mammoth one....)

a white dresser (not sure which one yet--we want a height that will work for a future changing table)

2 white table lamps

I think 1-2 of the narrow shoes cupboards so excited for these!!!

possibly a set of curtains

some drawer organizers for our 36 inch deep drawers in the kitchen

and a few fun things I''m sure

Plus lunch

 

[SarahLovesJS]

YES.

Welcome to the club!

I am looking forward to at least 3 IKEA trips this summer. I am a relatively new initiate myself I discovered it and fell in love last year.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 5/3/2010 4:41:26 PM
Author: Zoe
We live about 30 minutes or so from IKEA now but when we move, we'll have to drive pretty far. I love it there but I haven't found anything I *need* yet. That's probably a good thing, otherwise I'd be there all the time.

Zoe, when you move we can have Ikea dates! Seriously, I use Ikea as an excuse to get all of my not-so-local friends into the state for a visit.

List of other things to get this year:

Hemnes bookshelf in white
Kid stuff
2 small table lamps for nursery
possibly the Ektorp love seat
A set of Billy bookcases with glass doors

 

[geckodani]

IKEA junkie here! It''s a good think it takes about an hour to get there, or I''d be in trouble!!!

 

[partgypsy]

I really like the PAX wardrobes for how you can customize the interior with pull out drawers, etc. I also liked the Billy bookcases but my husband''s response "I can build something like that" while he liked how the Expedit looked, so we went with that.
I really really liked the lamp section, but we were in information overload and other than a clamp lamp, didn''t get anything there. What I thought was really cute was these molded glass lamps basically in the shape of a lamp, with the whole interior lighting up (hope I''m explaining it). If you didn''t have to worry about breakage I thought that might be a good choice.

The only thing I didn''t explore was the upholstered furniture and mattresses since not in the market for either.

Put together the poang chair last night! Very comfortable, would make a good tv watching chair. But, a little too big for the room we are intending. We will keep it in there for now, but may end up moving it somewhere else.

 

[partgypsy]

I wanted to post updates of the before-after of the kids'' room. Unfortunately the before pics are bad because taken in the afternoon (sun shining in).
In addition to changing out furniture, we took out the old PB oval rug next to the bed and put in a wool rug where the windows are, so the kids would have a place to hang out and read and such.

 

[partgypsy]

pic facing the door. The "bookshelf" is a changing table my husband made, that was then made into a bookshelf. But it is way deep and so books keep getting lost in the back/hard to keep organized. There is a wood 2 drawer dresser below the mantle, that was pretty, but the drawers were rather heavy so it ended up becoming a junk drawer.

 

[partgypsy]

After with Brimnes dresser. I do have to say a couple of these drawers are sticky as well (but don''t feel like taking it apart and putting back together again!). The way it works, each child will have 1 side. Our daughter even wants us to put a piece of tape down the middle so the younger doesn''t "tresspass". So far they are respecting each other''s side, which is nice.

 

[partgypsy]

New rug, to the left is new Leksvik wardrobe, and Expedit shelving unit.

 

[partgypsy]

detail of corner. I realize it doesn''t look much different, but to me a relief the small differences.

 

[partgypsy]

And here''s a picture of the poang chair (green nylon straps) in bedroom. Its'' very comfortable but I know we''ll end up using it as a clothes way station.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

everything looks great

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 5/4/2010 9:10:55 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk

Date: 5/3/2010 4:41:26 PM

Author: Zoe

We live about 30 minutes or so from IKEA now but when we move, we''ll have to drive pretty far. I love it there but I haven''t found anything I *need* yet. That''s probably a good thing, otherwise I''d be there all the time.

Zoe, when you move we can have Ikea dates! Seriously, I use Ikea as an excuse to get all of my not-so-local friends into the state for a visit.


List of other things to get this year:


Hemnes bookshelf in white

Kid stuff

2 small table lamps for nursery

possibly the Ektorp love seat

A set of Billy bookcases with glass doors

It''s a date HH!

 

[Pandora II]

Total IKEA junkie here... my current and last kitchens are from there (if rather customised to the point of not really looking IKEAish anymore...).

IKEAfan.com is one of my favourite websites.

Their pillows and duvets are great - although they''ve just stopped doing the feather-range which is really sad as their goose-down duvets are glorious - however, their bedlinen wears really badly. It''s great for male college students though... it''s so cheap that their mothers can just bin it all at the end of each semester and start over

DH and I normally go on Friday evenings - we have dinner in the restaurant, and then a leisurely shop... the place is empty and much more relaxing than fighting your way round on a Saturday. My parents are also big IKEA addicts, my father considers it a great outing!

Also, if you know you want certain things, it''s a good idea to call in advance to make sure they are in stock - I''ve been burnt several times on that. My nearest branch is only an hour away which is very dangerous...

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Part gypsy your kids room makeover looks wonderful!! Love it!

 

[Haven]

I love IKEA!

Unfortunately, my DH was raised in a family that owned furniture stores, so when I brought him to IKEA he refused to buy anything there. I called him a furniture snob.

I am able to coerce him into going to Crate & Barrel every now and then, at least!

Now I can live vicariously through all of your fun IKEA pieces!

PG--I love your kid's room!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

pandora my kitchen is from IKEA too We did it last year. Adel medium brown, with the Domsjo farmhouse sink, gooseneck faucet, and beech butcher block countertops. We love it

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 5/9/2010 10:46:50 PM
Author: Bella_mezzo
pandora my kitchen is from IKEA too We did it last year. Adel medium brown, with the Domsjo farmhouse sink, gooseneck faucet, and beech butcher block countertops. We love it

Sorry to thread-jack, but it''s looking more and more like I''m going to be following your lead Bella...we''re going to get the Domsjo sink and butcher block countertops. Do you mind posting pics? I bet your kitchen is beautiful!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Sure-I''ll see if I have any...if not i''ll try to snap some tomorrow...

 

[mtjoya]

We go to the one that is in west covina, ca. I love the hot dog special!

 

[Pandora II]

I have the Domsjo sink and the Kullavik units in solid oak (although I painted them with ''Pointing'' from the F&B range), but I have solid marble countertops and I buy all the finishings like taps, door knobs etc from expensive brands (although normally at bargain prices on eBay!)

 

[Mara]

ikea has some great stuff ... not all of it is good but some is great.

i am planning to go this week (i never go on wkds so i figure i''ll put the last week of mat leave to good use and go during the week!) and get a few things for the kid''s room. the long 1x8 expedit is great on it''s side for a little ''bench'' and bookshelf -- i saw this under a window in a nursery and loved it! also i need more picture frames and want to see if i can get a cheap bookcase or nightstand that i can paint blue or green myself.

we also have the poang in the brown leather and we love it. it''s actually REALLY comfy.

i love that green and rose rug, did you get that at ikea??

 

[lizzyann]

Part Gypsy, do you or anyone else have any more pics of the expedit shelves/bookcases? Just like Mara, I am thinking of getting this one for my sons playroom that we are working on. I would get these bins for all his toys. I am going to lay the bookcase horizontally. Part Gypsy, are you happy with the quality?

 

[Mara]

lizzy i have an expedit in our family room, one of the big square ones with 4 shelves in the dark espresso. it really is pretty good quality for the price--it looks just like something you''d get at west elm or crate and barrel. i never would have thought of putting a tall skinny one horizontally for a little ''seating'' area for books if i had not seen this pic! you can also go onto flickr and search for expedit and nursery or just expedit kids --that is how i saw some pics with ideas too.

 

[lizzyann]

Thanks Mara! I''m glad to hear you are happy with the quality. I am going to see if I can find more pics! I''m like an hour and a half away from an Ikea so I think I will end up ordering online and save the aggravation. Downfall is that I won''t be able to see them in person. I am debating on the espresso or the white. I have an extra changing table in his "soon to be" playroom that is in espresso (not ikea) so I don''t want to end up with a million different shades of espresso you know? I''m glad to hear you got the espresso and liked that shade, so now I just need to figure out which color!!!