Ikea

[viscousmemories]

I love Ikea.

I've been to Ikea in Schaumberg, IL, San Diego and Costa Mesa, CA, and after November 15th I'll be going to Ikea in Round Rock, TX.

:eager:

[inland wave]

Round Rock, really?? Ikea has some really cool stuff. They have a store in Houston too..

[Dingfod]

Uhn-uh, you're not going there. We have enough furniture already.

[wildernesse]

When the IKEA opened in Atlanta, my friend and I went for fun. It's interesting to wander through, but I wouldn't want to live with much of it. I feel like an oddball for thinking that, though.

[freemonkey]

Whenever the new Ikea catalog comes, I get all excited and start picking out what I'd like. But every time I've been to the store in Seattle, I get completely overwhelmed (or disappointed that what I thought I wanted isn't as great as it looked in the catalog) and leave with almost nothing.

[quiet bear]

I've never been in an Ikea. I don't know if there are any in Delaware. I suppose there are, somewhere.

[Julie]

I live near one of the largest Ikeas in North America.

I love it there. We go all the time. The have breakfast for a $1 Its good.

And ya my house is full of Ikea stuff. All my book shelves, my lamps. My Mattress on my bed. The kids beds and matresses. Shit even my plates, cuttlery and utensles are from there. heck 90% of my kitchen stuff is from there. Everything but my pots (My frying pans are even Ikea.

I'm going back on Saturday. I need a new dish scrubby and they have the best one around and its only $0.95

[ms_ann_thrope]

Actually, an IKEA might be larger than the entire state of Delaware. :giggle:

Even if they don't have anything I came for, I never fail to leave without a whole bunch of $1 SNÄÄRFENs or FLERVIKs.

[Plant Woman]

Uhn-uh, you're not going there. We have enough furniture already.

How's that working for you?

[Plant Woman]

I've only been to an Ikea once and it was overwhelming. I found only one piece of furniture that I liked and it was pure wood. I don't think it's my style, but my friend who I went with loves it.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

The one in College Park, MD, is like 150k square feet. :whoa:

[inland wave]

He's not kidding...almost half the furniture in the house right now will go with our youngest daughter when she moves out on her own.....which would be nice if that were soon......but alas, we will have her around for a while. Better her than the oldest daughter. I know that sounds terrible, but you would just have to be here to believe it..........


Uhn-uh, you're not going there. We have enough furniture already.

How's that working for you?

[viscousmemories]

Round Rock, really?? Ikea has some really cool stuff. They have a store in Houston too..
There's one in Plano, too. I would've gone but I didn't have any money when I was in Dallas.

I can see how Ikea would be overwhelming if you went in looking for something in particular, but I just approach it like an amusement park. I could spend all day wandering around in there looking at stuff, and the Swedish meatballs are great. I'm into the Ikea style, too. Looking around my bedroom: my filing cabinet, printer table, dresser, a couple small lamps, bedside table and pencil holder are all Ikea products.

[JoeP]

Actually, an IKEA might be larger than the entire state of Delaware. :giggle: :giggles:

Even if they don't have anything I came for, I never fail to leave without a whole bunch of $1 SNÄÄRFENs or FLERVIKs. :ROFL:

You might be entirely serious, but I'm still :rofl:ing.

[wei yau]

I love Ikea, too. Although, I'm not so crazy about their furniture anymore. I think I've outgrown them. That is, my big fat body doesn't fit in chairs designed for slim little Nordic people. Actually, I find that anything that needs to bear weight, such as sofas, chairs, tables and beds aren't very good at Ikea. But, I might just be putting them together wrong.

What they also have are well-made toys, but cheap. I bought a wooden train set for my daughter from Ikea. It was a fraction of what these things cost outside of Ikea.

[Julie]

*nods* their toys rock. We have toys that were bought when my 7 year old was a newborn...and they are still going strong, even after being abused by 3 kids.

[D. Scarlatti]

I never fail to leave without a whole bunch of $1 SNÄÄRFENs or FLERVIKs.

:laugh:

(Also, that's a weird quadruple negative you got goin' on there.)

[Sock Puppet]

I never really understood the attraction to the Ikea style. To each his/her own, I guess. The stuff all looks so sterile and uninviting to me. I prefer carved-wood furniture, cherry/mahogany colors, that sort of thing.

[Julie]

Ahhh the attraction to Ikea is...I can afford Ikea! heh

[Miisa]

SNÄÄRFENs??? :rofl:

I love IKEA, too. But I have had to cut up my store card, it was getting absurd, so now I have to buy with cash, or regular credit. Best not to go there at all, but it is addictive.

[Plant Woman]

He's not kidding...almost half the furniture in the house right now
I was just joking, if my husband said that to me, I would take it as a challenge. :laugh:

[Plant Woman]

I prefer carved-wood furniture, cherry/mahogany colors, that sort of thing.

I like built in book cases, thick wood, arts and crafts style. Ikea seems more minimalist, which I can appreciate, but its not my style. Besides my style is early marriage ecletic.

[LadyShea]

When the IKEA opened in Atlanta, my friend and I went for fun. It's interesting to wander through, but I wouldn't want to live with much of it. I feel like an oddball for thinking that, though.

I feel the same way; the furniture is all too modern and the wood is too lightly colored for my tastes. I found some fun accessories, but that's it, the one time I have been to one, somewhere in SoCal.

[RevDahlia]

IKEA to me is like American Apparel; it's a jumping-off point. Most of their stuff is customizable for anyone with some paint and a glue gun, and it works out great for me because I cannot incorporate a piece of furniture into my house without painting on it, sticking things to it, reupholstering it or covering it with other items. Half the fun of IKEA is disguising the IKEAness. (The other half is the meatballs and lingonberry jam.)

[Plant Woman]

IKEA to me is like American Apparel; it's a jumping-off point. Most of their stuff is customizable for anyone with some paint and a glue gun, and it works out great for me because I cannot incorporate a piece of furniture into my house without painting on it, sticking things to it, reupholstering it or covering it with other items. Half the fun of IKEA is disguising the IKEAness. (The other half is the meatballs and lingonberry jam.)

Isn't that the way it's supposed to be done?

Meatballs and lingonberry jam fun. :foocl:

[Widget]

Even if they don't have anything I came for, I never fail to leave without a whole bunch of $1 SNÄÄRFENs or FLERVIKs.


worth a lot more than $1... that was frigging pricless, now to get coffee stains off the monitor.

[RevDahlia]

Isn't that the way it's supposed to be done?
I always thought so, but I keep meeting people whose entire houses are done in virgin IKEA. It never looks bad... but it's just so damn IKEA.

Tangent: my pretend boyfriend Jack White of the White Stripes, who was a furniture designer/upholsterer before he was a rock star, was once asked what he thought of IKEA. "I think it's great," he enthused, "that now everyone can afford stylish design." Well then.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

But I thought Michael Knight was your pretend boyfriend. Slut.

[RevDahlia]

But I thought Michael Knight was your pretend boyfriend. Slut.
I dumped him after that disastrous final collection.

[Ensign Steve]

I thought Al Yankovic was your pretend boyfriend.

[Prince Vegita]

The one in College Park, MD, is like 150k square feet. :whoa:
Hey, I live in that thing!!!!


Btw, if you're in the cafeteria, DO NOT eat those little oval tea cakes with the thin coat of icing on them. They have some insane amount of calories, like 500 or something.

[biochemgirl]

Never been to one, I'm pretty sure we don't have one in our state. I did pass by one in Minneapolis one time but didn't go in.

We get all our furniture from a little Amish furniture shop. My latest purchase was a gorgeous cherry dining room table and chairs that was practically a steal. Gotta love the Amish.

[livius drusus]

Hey, that sounds cool, biochemgirl. Is there a recognizable Amish style of furniture, like there is Shaker?

[biochemgirl]

All of my furniture I get is in a Mission style, just because I like the classic look but they'll customize pretty much anything in any style or color for you. I'm not sure if they have a style specific to Amish but to me it similar to Shaker furniture - clean lines, sturdy. I don't know, kind of country-ish I guess. (Yeah if you can't tell by my using the term "country-ish", I know nothing about style!)

[Julie]

Aww Hell Amish furniture beats Ikea hands down....Its Quality stuff that will last for your, your kids and your grandkids life time.

I'd buy that too if I could!

[rigorist]

My pretty much Ikea office--desk, bookshelves, lights, weird boxes full of seebs' shit . . . .

[Julie]

*snort* I forgot my puter Desk is Ikea.
Paid $20 bucks for it. It rocks It's small and sturdy. Exactly what I needed.

Oh My Puter chair is Ikea too.

So are My frying Pans.

Did I mention My kids asked me to call Grandma to ask her if they could go out shopping for the day with her this weekend? Ya they want to go to Ikea.

(I'm not sure If I should admit this but the one and only living plant in my house is from Ikea as well)

[Carl Spackler]

:pied:

Hahahahahaha!!!!


Dear, sweet, Julie.......

You have been :pied:


A nice, warm apple pie for the All American girl.

Mhuhahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!Victim number four!!!

[Dingfod]

Hey, that sounds cool, biochemgirl. Is there a recognizable Amish style of furniture, like there is Shaker?Not really, a lot of it is just plain old fashioned country style.

http://www.amishoutletstore.com/

Q: Is it ironic that the Amish make computer desks?

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

Julie's not even American, genius.

[Julie]

Heh And I'm not innocent either. Or sweet come to think of it.

[livius drusus]

All of my furniture I get is in a Mission style, just because I like the classic look but they'll customize pretty much anything in any style or color for you. I'm not sure if they have a style specific to Amish but to me it similar to Shaker furniture - clean lines, sturdy. I don't know, kind of country-ish I guess. (Yeah if you can't tell by my using the term "country-ish", I know nothing about style!)

Having followed Dingfod's link, I see just what you mean. Lot's of Mission, Shaker, country solidity. Gorgeous work. I have to say, the only way Ikea competes with that is on the price tag.

Not really, a lot of it is just plain old fashioned country style.

http://www.amishoutletstore.com/

Yup, and a lot of gorgeous too. The quilt site they advertise in the sidebar has some of the most beautiful quilts I've ever seen. If I had a million dollars, I would seriously buy almost every model on offer.

Q: Is it ironic that the Amish make computer desks?

I don't know, but those corner ones are way hot.

[viscousmemories]

Aww Hell Amish furniture beats Ikea hands down....Its Quality stuff that will last for your, your kids and your grandkids life time.
Meh. I don't intend to spawn or live forever in one place, so everlasting isn't much of a selling point for me. I'm not a big fan of heavy or antique looking, either - I've never had any desire to live in my grandmother's house. I like Ikea because I like furniture that's lightweight (because I move a lot), flexible ('cause I like to reorganize things in the house/apt. a lot), utilitarian and cheap. Cosmetically, the fact that it isn't hideous is sufficient for me.

[Plant Woman]

I see nothing wrong with Ikea stuff. I am amazed at some of it.

My favorite furniture store is a place called Bad Blanche. They have the coolest stuff! I can't afford most of it, or have to save a lot to buy a piece. I also like garage sale finds. I picked up a fabulous old trunk that still had a Wells Fargo shipping tag on it. Only it's going to go in my closet to store some linens in, because of its rounded top I can't use it as a table and have no room for it otherwise.

[pescifish]

Aww Hell Amish furniture beats Ikea hands down....Its Quality stuff that will last for your, your kids and your grandkids life time.Yeah, but I betcha you can't fit two rooms worth of furniture in the hatchback of your 300zx like I did in the '80s.


p.s. These Amish-made chairs frighten me.
http://www.amishoutletstore.com/uploaded/products/s1119c.jpg

[Ariadne]

Well I'm surprised that so many people like actually visiting Ikea stores because to me they represent hell on earth. I can never find my way round them without getting utterly frustrated. I like the furniture and other stuff but have had a couple of bad experiences putting them together - packets of screws missing and bits not fitting very well. The quality is poor but that is reflected in the price and I wouldn't talk about them in the same breath as Shaker furniture.

[Miisa]

Ooh, I just love the assembly. Legos for grown-ups. :excited:

[Julie]

LOL I know My Ikea like the back of my hand. I even know where all the short cuts are.

As for putting things togeather and the quality? My Book shelves are from 86, they are still going strong. They were $20 back in 86.

WE threw away the dining table my parents bought back in 86, but still have all 6 chairs, all still on excellent quality.

[viscousmemories]

Ooh, I just love the assembly. Legos for grown-ups. :excited:
:)

I wouldn't say I love the assembly, but I've never minded it. My experiences have always been positive, though. All the parts were there and solo assembly (even for large bookcases, etc.) was a breeze.

[roastelk]

Ive got a few thing from Ikea, but Usually i just go for a cheap meal. the raw pilcked salmon stuff is really good


oh, and they have thoes tubes of fish pate in the littel grocery section...I love that stuff.

[Ensign Steve]

Oopsie. (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=317619#post317619) :blush:

But also, :hyper:

[Corona688]

Aww Hell Amish furniture beats Ikea hands down....Its Quality stuff that will last for your, your kids and your grandkids life time.Yeah, but I betcha you can't fit two rooms worth of furniture in the hatchback of your 300zx like I did in the '80s. Probably not. Does that thing still move?

[viscousmemories]

I sneaked out of work at around 1:30 to go check out the Ikea grand opening, but I didn't make it inside. My first clue that this wasn't an unknown event was the giant construction sign on the side of the highway flashing "Store Opening - Exit 256". Okay actually it said "Store Opening - Use 1431" which happens to be exit 256 but of course I didn't realize that until after I'd driven by. I got off at the next exit, though, and then proceeded to get back on the expressway still going the wrong direction. :doh:

Anyway when I was finally able to turn around and go back there, the scene around the store was ridiculous. There were at least a dozen cop cars blocking various lanes and roads and cops out there directing traffic by hand up to the entrance, and then a dozen or more "Event Staff" directing traffic in the parking lot. When I realized it was going to probably take me another 10 minutes to park, I turned around to leave. It still took me about 20 minutes just to get back out of there and onto the adjacent highway. Rumor has it people were camped out in the parking lot for this event.

This was a furniture store opening, people. Bruce Springsteen was not there.

[RevDahlia]

My husband works with a woman who is romantically aligned with one of the carpenters who worked on the new IKEA, and she said that pre-opening everybody who was implicated in the store was allowed in with one friend or relative, to run around, drink beer, and have anything in the store they wanted for 50% off. It was like the affordable Swedish furniture version of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". Damn not knowing any IKEA carpenters, I could have had that leather sofa for $250!

[Miisa]

This was a furniture store opening, people. Bruce Springsteen was not there.
:lol: Thanks, man, that one made my day!

[viscousmemories]

My pleasure!

I went back there this afternoon, and it was even worse. Various "event staff" waved me along all the way around the parking lot then almost back out the way I came in, but I managed to dive into a parking spot at the last minute. On getting out of the car I realized it was a handicapped spot, but I wasn't about to try to move.

I went into the store and it was ridiculous. Every square inch of the place had people. I seriously didn't feel comfortable stopping to look at things because I felt the massive crowd pushing me along. By the time I was halfway through I just wanted to get out, but of course there IS no way out but to follow the snaking mass of people. :mutter:

I think I'll wait until next year to go again.

[Dingfod]

Survey says Swedes have more faith in their local Ikea store than in the church. (http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2090945.html?menu=)