As mentioned in our crazy-weekend-teaser post last Thursday, we slipped through two different Ikeas in two different states two days in a row (one just to poke around and the second to decorate Carrie’s awesome new high-rise apartment). Well, here are a few photos we snapped during our just-browsing trip. What’s not to love about these fabulous finds? Oh Ikea, you’re the banana to our peanut butter sandwich.
First we have this awesome red glass hutch. We’ve been oggling this thing since last year so it had to make our Ikea favorites round up:
And wouldn’t it look awesome in a living room with these punchy curtains…
… and these sleek little red side table lamps?
If the rest of the room was neutral, those few pops of color would really go a long way- all on an Ikea budget!
And speaking of implementing a few Ikea ideas en masse, we love these hanging basket pendant lamps with the punchy table runners and the slate blue color on the back wall (Try Benjamin Moore’s Bella Blue for something similar). It’s practically a room to go!
If you’re looking for something a bit softer, these new tone on tone botanical curtains totally had us at hello:
We also loved how these two curtains came together to form a gorgeous layered look. The top panel is a sheer with some white swirls and we just placed it in front of a leafy green curtain for ooh la la elegance. We love the almost-lattice effect that it evokes:
And sticking with the patterned golden-green accessories, we love this geometric duvet cover that adds modern jute-like movement to any space- all for just $19.
And for slightly more than $19, this amazing kitchen concept had us drooling. We especially loved the oversized dark pendants and cabinets paired with the super light countertops and mosaic backsplash. Dramatic but still totally liveable and classic.
Here are two oversized pendants again, this time in white above a gorgeous oversized parson’s dining table. A piece like this wooden beauty will virtually never go out of style, and we love the curvy chairs they paired with such a boxy table.
Look there’s John, being reflected in one of the best Ikea deals ever. This floor mirror is giant. It’ll practically double your room’s perceived size. And it’s $99 (as opposed to this dead ringer from CB2 which is $300 more!). Heck at that price you can get two to flank your media cabinet or even splurge for a sconce for either side like they did below.
There were also tons of fun finds in the marketplace, like these intricate and exotic little elephant drinking glasses…
… and these delicate printed OJ glasses (we actually snatched up a set of six for $6).
And you guys know we’re suckers for all things natural- so these woven planter baskets get us every time. We love the idea of using them beyond the holding-plants agenda, like as chic little wastebaskets or even a place to corral magazines next to the couch. Heck you can even top some of the bigger ones with a round of glass to create a super cool living room side table.
And on the subject of woven wonders, have you guys seen the latest basket pendant that just came out this month in the new catalog (the hemisphere-shaped beaut on the right)? We love the vintage-modern-meets-beachy vibe that it has going on.
And we can’t forget these oldies-but-goodies that we’ve been loving for ages. White Ikea planters are so cheap (sometimes under a buck!) and so sleek for popping plants into throughout your home that you really can’t go wrong snagging a few each time you visit. Plus they can also be used a chic little storage containers for everything from toiletries to keys. We’re always sure to have a few extras on hand… just in case.
When it comes to rugs, we must admit that sometimes we think Ikea is hit or miss, but this bold and gorgeous orange-swirled circle rug is a showstopper in any room (check it out in one of the homes we House Crashed here).
And this little square rug woos us to no end. If only our bathroom was bigger- how cute would two of these look in front of a nice big double sink? Sigh.
So that concludes our camera-in-hand-Ikea roundup. For more info on the items featured above (prices, measurements, etc) just head on over to Ikea’s website– or better yet, swing through Ikea whenever you get a chance. We like to think of it as the equivalent to a ball pit or a moon bounce for adults. There’s just so much zipping around and grinning like a fool.
And while we’re on the subject of favorites, sound off about your favorite Ikea items (old or new) and feel free to include links to them so we can all check ’em out (either in your flickr photos of your home or on the Ikea website). Think of it as a book club meeting except it’s an online Ikea catalog club gathering. And of course we should point out that we are in no way affiliated with Ikea nor are we receiving any compensation for this gushing little post. We just like ’em and we think most of you guys do too! So let’s chat Malm and Lack and all those other funny names that have become a part of our decorating vernacular. Spill the Expedit beans.
Ele says
OMG! That round, orange rug is to die! I can’t find it on the IKEA web site, do you remember the name or price??? It is a MUST have for me!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Ele,
That rug is somewhere around $250 I think (it’s huuuge) and it certainly does make a statement. I don’t remember the name but it’s certainly easy to spot once you’re there. My sister in law has one too and it really makes the room. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah says
Absolutely LOVED this virtual shopping trip to IKEA! One of my favs! My favorite piece from them lately is this super cool and mega comfy office chair: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80121649. Comes in this great pattern or black and white faux leather. Love IKEA!! Feel like heading there today after your post.
Amy says
I have these in the master and guest bedroom:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70153749
They come in 8″ or 5″, and I have 1 large and 2 small with a large white and 2 colored, then a large colored and 2 white.
Wendy says
I actually visited my first IKEA this past weekend and it was wonderful!!! I’m going to do a post on it at some point when I get some time. We just got an IKEA in NC several months ago, so I headed down to Charlotte where my cousin lives and helped her do all of the curtains in her house with the help of IKEA!!! I loved it and can’t wait to go back. The one thing I didn’t know is how kid-friendly it is! I actually purchased that green and white duvet cover and I’m in the process of updating my bedroom – will share pictures when it’s all done!
Hilary says
I just met hubby at IKEA last night for a fun Wednesday night after work “date”. We picked up a Mongstad mirror for our stairway landing: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00081591
While there, we discovered a cute desk and console that we’re considering for our beachy den: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30103676
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80116596
Heck, the whole Liatorp line is on my list!
Oh, and this pedestal table (they’re calling it a nightstand) for a game table in our family room: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60108088
I took lots of photos, I’m sure we’ll be back to purchase these things soon!
Clare says
I love Ikea, and I really enjoy wandering around their stores, looking for design inspiration (hopefully when they aren’t too crowded). Our #1 favorite Ikea piece is the NORDEN occasional table (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60045393).
We have had it for 6 years, as it has moved with us through 4 apartments and has served so many functions: as our eating space (in a small studio), room divider, extra counter space, and now sideboard storage. We recently resealed it with their food-friendly lacquer and it looks brand new. If that piece doesn’t last us another 5 years, I’d be shocked. Not only incredibly useful, it has actually realize how much I love the Scandinavian light wood aesthetic, so now I’m eying the NORDEN 58″ dinner table, which is easy, knowing how well its cousin has treated us.
OMG-YHL says
I love all your picks! I saw that green rug on my last trip to Ikea and loved it also!
I’ll be the first one to admit that Ikea is my home decor destination.
In yellow, this could really make a room:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00134108
These vases (I have one!) are perfect for a touch of texture in any room:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50102911
And so much more that I can’t seem to find right now!
Becky says
I’m not really a fan of Ikea, mostly because some of their stuff tends to break pretty easily, but when my husband and I were faced with a giant closet sized dilemma, Ikea was our answer. The house we are living in at the moment is an awful bi-level, and it had a huge closet at the top of the stairs with mirrored doors (yuck!) that wasn’t really deep enough to be a closet, and the shelves were too close together to actually store anything.
So, we ripped off the doors, tore out the shelves and then we bought 3 Billy bookcases to shove into the empty space. We were in desperate need of book storage anyway, and the 3 book cases ended up being the EXACT width of the closet. It looks like a built in without actually building anything. We affectionately refer to it as our “crammed in” since we just crammed the bookcases into the space.
Pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/becko513/2634344673/
And here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/becko513/2635184894/
rachael sudlow says
I love ikea, but mostly I hate them because everything good on their website is available IN STORE ONLY. UGH, it sucks living in Kansas sometimes
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rachael,
One way we’ve found to get around the “in store only” annoyance for people who don’t live near an Ikea is to check out ebay. A lot of times there are tons of the very same “new in box” items that you covet on ikea.com and the ebay sellers are willing to ship them to your door. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Shannon says
Yay, I was hoping you would do your Ikea post soon! I am heading down to Ikea next week! I was there a few weeks ago and snagged some awesome decor items such as these prints which I placed in white ribba frames:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60147626
I also bought these matching vases that I can’t wait to display in my freshly painted living room (just painted it a nice neutral sandy tone–it was red–what a difference paint makes!)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50155004
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90153140
Now I just need to find a rug to add a punch of color to the space. Any suggestions? (It can’t have any wool in it, my dog is allergic–oh and we have a chocolate brown couch in the room).
Blair says
Quick question: As for the geometric duvet cover, did you actually feel it? We are in the market for a new duvet for a mini-bedroom makeover, but the website says it is only a 104 thread count. I love the look (and the price!), but I don’t know if it has the snuggly quality that we’re looking for. 104 thread count is next to nothing!
YoungHouseLove says
Blair- Good question! It definitely didn’t feel scratchy or crinkly, but it did feel a bit soft and thin. Nothing a fluffy comforter can’t beef up though. Hope it helps!
Shannon- We just checked out some of the online rugs and couldn’t really find much in the way of something colorful that isn’t wool. They have a lot more options in-store though, so we’d definitely recommend a walk-though over an online browse session anyway. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lydia says
We bought this MALM storage unit which fits perfectly under a window by our media center and holds more video game systems that I’d care to mention. It has a sliding lid so you don’t have to take what you have on top of it off to open it.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70127977
Headed there next weekend to pick up this floor length mirror to lean against the wall in our bedroom:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10121252
Jessi says
We just did a makeover in our basement and used a TON of stuff from Ikea! We had a few ideas of our own, and a few that I got from your awesome site.
Here is a list of the Ikea goodies we used:
* Markor Bookcase
(in antique stain which is no longer available)
* Markor TV storage unit
(also in antique stain which is no longer available)
* 2 Grevbak bookcases
* Vivan curtains
* Taljare curtain rod
* Several white planters with plants
* Tindra scented candles in green
* Ritva throw in green
We also got baskets and a huge fabulous clock from Home Goodes. We got a suede sofa slipcover from Bed Bath & Beyond, but I’m having a hard time getting the right fit on the sofa.
Any suggestions on sofa pillows? I need crisp white and some green ones (to match the Ritva green throw). I never knew ho whard it woudl be to find solid white sofa pillows.
YoungHouseLove says
We always love Target, Crate & Barrel, and stores like TJ Maxx and HomeGoods for hunting down pillows we love. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Holly West says
Just wanted to clue you in to these lamps from IKEA:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70153749
We bought the large turquoise, the large white, and the small white and frankly, they are lovely. This past weekend I planned an IKEA-only update of my master bedroom and these lamps featured big (as did an Expedit white bookcase). I’m going to post about it but am waiting for the $39 chandelier I got to be installed before I do it.
Funny story: My husband “stole” a bookcase from IKEA this weekend. In the parking/loading melee, he accidentally loaded someone else’s Expedit (brown) bookcase into our car and we drove home with it. Oops. IKEA was very nice about exchanging it for what we had really purchased (a Malm chest of drawers) and I hope whoever wound up with our flat box that day did the same.
YoungHouseLove says
Ha, the story of your husband *stealing* a bookcase is hysterical. I’m glad it all worked out in the end!
And thanks so much for the link-fest everyone! It’s so great to hear what you’re loving and taking home from Ikea!
xo,
s
Jessi says
ooohhhh…forgot the Motorp DVD drawer unit from my list. We got 4 of them, and they hold a TON of DVDs!
Jo says
Thanks for all the cool Ikea shares! :)
Monika says
For a long time, I’ve been drooling over the MONGSTAD mirror.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00081591
Anytime I was in an IKEA I would run up to it and practically hug the thing. Unfortunately, we could never figure out a way to bring it home that didn’t require a hefty shipping fee (try $125) or a U-Haul.
The other day my husband happened to have a huge rental SUV for work. After a secret trip to the Paramus IKEA, he came home with this thing and now it’s in my dining room where I can hug it all I want without weird stares from fellow IKEA shoppers.
Clare says
Looks like my earlier NORDEN occasional table link is not working… let’s try again.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60045393
Kasey at Thrifty Little Blog says
I remember when I got as excited as you are about IKEA. I would drive three hours to my nearest store then back in the same day. Now that there’s one 20 minutes away, it’s not quite as special. You should feel lucky that you *get* to make a trip out of it. Still, it is one of the most fun stores to shop in!
Carolyne O says
Sherry, You have to check out ikeahacker.blogspot.com
It is an oh so cool blog on how people “tailor” their Ikea finds. My favs are the kids’ play kithens…to cute!
Carolyne O says
I meant play kitchens.
YoungHouseLove says
Carolyne- Not only do we love Ikea Hacker, we’ve actually been on it for our bedroom wardrobe hack! And you’re right, the play kitchens are super cute!
Shannon- Yup the long floating shelves in the dining nook are super affordable Lack ones from Ikea (hung with metal anchors in our plaster walls).
CarMaj- Any photo of a product that’s not linked or specifically named in the post means we don’t know the name off-hand and couldn’t find the product on ikea.com. Boo! A trip to the store might be the only way to hunt those things down. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Laura@JourneyChic says
OMG – Must have those botanical curtains for my living room!!
Shannon says
Thanks anyway! I’ll have to take a look around the store–last time I was there I was short on time.
Quick question for you–the shelves that you have in your dining room–are they these lack shelves in white?
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70153075
I love Ikea!
CarMaj says
Ribba Frames…. by far one of THE BEST things to have from IKEA. My home would look so sad without them!
Quick question: What is the name of the tone-on-tone curtains you have pictured above (5th picture down)?
Thanks guys!
Johnna says
I always grab a couple of the white planters from IKEA also! The last time we had a BBQ the empty clean ones cam in handy for holding pretzle rods and tortilla chips!!!!
Alyzande says
Hi Sherry and John,
I’ve long been an IKEA fan, since living virtually next door to one in 2001. My living room is LESKVIK heaven –
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/search/?query=LEKSVIK a wall of 4 bookcases, the desk, a little side table, and all the other woods match. Lightened up the heavy feel of it with a very light natural string-ball ceiling lampshade.
The upstairs hallway has my old ANEBODA drawers and shelves as linen closets keeping it very light and cheap up there. Those drawers are huge. http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/search/?query=ANEBODA
I’m saving up for a leather EKTORP family sofa to replace the too-modern KLIPPAN.
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/50051619
However, it’s the accessories that get me in the wallet every time I visit, coming out with soft furnishings (Cath Kidston style duvets), rugs, cushions, crockery and cutlery. Pictures, frames, lampshades, plants, towels… white painted bekvam stool and on and on and on…
In fact, those neutral curtains would look rather nice in my living room with the dark LEKSVIK natural vibe! hm…
Mimi says
Love Ikea. We plan a special trip to northern Va just to go to Ikea. The last trip we picked up some great lamp shades for my bedroom (dark purple) and some gorgeous print shades for my daughter’s new living room addition. Once we got them home we found they would not fit the lamps (from Pottery Barn and Target). The rings were too big so I took industrial strength black electrical tape and built up the lamp socket so the the shades would fit. Worked like a charm!
Alyzande says
I forgot to add, if anyone has an old sofa from IKEA and dont like any of the new coveres, you can try http://www.bemz.com/ for endless new covers!
Jacci says
Fun finds, youngsters! :) I think my favorite was the tone-on-tone set of botanical curtains. I still haven’t purchased any window treatments… I’ve been planning on plain white with bamboo blinds – not sure where I got that idea ;) I’ve been deliberating on whether to go with the less expensive IKEA whites or whether to nab the lined linen ones on Overstock for more dough, but also a more sophisticated look. Now, here are John and Sherry posting these beauties. Sophisticated and cheap. Yeesh – and I was getting close to making a decision! ;)
XO,
Jacci
Danielle says
~~Sigh~~~ I heart Ikea for all these reasons, Sherry….
kristy says
On a recent trip to Ikea, I grabbed a square tray in that same delightful elephant pattern. The blue/green/brown combination looks so charming on my dark wood kitchen table against tiffany-box-blue kitchen walls!
Alison says
LOVE the IKEA post!! I still have a basic white table that I got years ago for my first apartment – they don’t make it anymore :( but it’s serving as a great nightstand in the nursery. I picked up a bunch of the white and colored planters. They are great for serving dips and crackers or storing silverware and because they are so cheap you can buy a ton!
JenO says
Oh man – this post is awesome! I am completely addicted to IKEA, and it’s gotten worse now that I’m only 15 minutes from one (last place I lived, it was an hour+ away). We just moved into a bigger apartment, where we’ll be staying a few years, so I took that as an excuse to go shopping at IKEA!
My favorites right now are:
These glass airtight jars for food storage
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40065867
This awesome table lamp – the slim silver pull with the creamy textured shade are awesome – and it’s under $10!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40018183
These pillows – I love the little bit of shine it brings to our big giant dark grey couch – and according to IKEA, they are good because silk is a renewable material!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20140603
This bed frame, which was on sale at our local store – I only paid $70 combined for the frame and metal support bar!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S99849961
And of course I love the entire Hemnes bedroom series, but for now it’s a little out of our price range.
I also second the lamps Holly West posted – I bought them in the clear frosted glass.
And the white planters Sherry posted – I bought them too. I was actually thinking of this site while I was looking at them – somehow I kept being reminded that I needed texture texture texture in the apartment, and so I got the one with the narrow horizontal stripes!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey JenO,
We love that when you were standing in front of the white Ikea planters you remembered us babbling on about texture, texture, texture. Too funny!
xo,
s
Ash says
I noticed those adorable curtains at Ikea last weekend! I think they must be inspired by a popular Swedish textile company called Svenskt Tenn (http://www.svenskttenn.se/). LOVE IT. I think we visited their store at least three times on our trip to Stockholm last summer. If only it were as easy on the wallet as Ikea…the three Svenskt Tenn pillows we bought cost more than our Ektorp couch!
Jen Z. says
Love what you guys picked out. I was just there last week and this is what I picked up. Check out the last six pictures in my ablum link. The only things that are not from IKEA are the three thin blue vases and the start fish (those are from Michael’s)
http://www.lifamilies.com/community/album/?ID=2201
Sherry, gotta love those white planters. Couldn’t resist for $1.49 each.
Sarah says
I LOVE those woven baskets. I used them as recycling baskets in my kitchen.
Kelly says
Arggg…..Now I REALLY want an Ikea closer than 5 hours away.
vanessa says
Best thing at Ikea, their butcher block kitchen countertops. We’ve used them in both kitchen remodles we have done. Pics in the link below
http://kleypas.blogspot.com/2009/06/countertops.html
Artsy Fartsy says
Oh Ikea. How I love you. Please move to Memphis! YHL – you guys never fail to brighten my day!
Lindsey says
I love Ikea…I’m totally going there this weekend! We’re totally picking up another Expedit bookcase, you know, the one that EVERYone and their brother owns!
LauraC says
Hey! I fell hard for those cute elephant glasses about a month ago and picked up a set (didn’t need ’em, but use them all the time now!)! Cool to see them featured here! Too bad I only live 15-20 minutes from an IKEA, hehehe . . . ;=) Been there more times than I can count the last four months!!!
Amanda says
I love how those layered curtains look as well as the more muted patterned ones. But, those ELEPHANT GLASSES… I LOVE them!! I’m in Michigan now, leaving on a plane today, wondering if I can squeeze in a trip to IKEA to pick those babies up!
Sarah says
Blair, I have that geometric print duvet (which I love, btw). It gets a little softer when you wash it, but I still tend to use a sheet underneath it.
Jessi, if you have an Ektorp sofa, this is what I did to get a slipcover to fit it because I didn’t like any of the colors Ikea offered: I bought two Sure Fit slipcovers from Bed Bath & Beyond: a 3-piece stretch slipcover and a 2-piece stretch T-cushion slipcover. I put all the pieces from the 3-piece slipcover on except for the back cushions cover. Then I used the T-cushion seat cover for the back pillows of the sofa. It fits really well. It is a little bit pricey to buy two slipcovers (but still cheaper than Bemz), but if you order from BB&B online, you bring your invoice and one of those 20% coupons to a BB&B store, and they will give you a price adjustment.
Olga says
Check out http://www.onekingslane.com – it’s a website of items from designers for much cheaper- some 50% off etc. Very nice things!
Robyn C says
I love IKEA! I’ve never actually been to a store. The closest store is Atlanta,and that’s a 4 hour drive one way.
I also get frustrated when everything on the website says “IN STORE ONLY” Thanks for the ebay tip you gave Rachael above. Maybe one day I will get to visit the store!It looks so awesome!
Amy @ Renovation Innovation says
I am totally jealous! The nearest Ikea to me is about 3 hours away. I’ve been meaning to make a trip for months now, but something always comes up at the weekend. I’ve been eyeing up the Tullsta chair for ages – it would go perfectly in our soon-to-be-renovated library.
http://amyhogan.com/blog/renovation/?p=1523
Sara says
When I was as young as 12 I would wait for the Ikea catalogue to arrive each year. Then I would pick out my favorite rooms and imagine what my house would look like when I “grew up.” Today just about every room in my house has at least something from Ikea. Sometimes the furniture doesn’t hold up or survive a move, but for the smaller items, shelves, and hardware, you absolutely can’t beat the prices.
Jessi says
Sarah:
Thank you so much for trying to help out with the slipcover issue! We have a hand me down couch from the inlaws. It isn’t an Ektorp. We got the Soft Suede Sure Fit. I thik that the 2 piece t-cusion would fit better, but we were almost out of money (per our budget for the room) and were tryinh to save some cash. We did get to use the 20% off coupon! I am goingot work some more on it tonight and see if I can get a better fit. Also want to pick up some PVC pipling to stick down into the crevices…a secret way to ensure a tighter fit! Works like a charm (used it in the past).
Sarah says
I love Ikea. I used to live about 45 miles from an Ikea, so I hardly ever went because I don’t like to drive. Then, just recently I moved to about 7 miles from it. Now I go about every other day. Yeah, I have a problem!
I own:
Ektorp loveseat (so comfortable)
Leksvik side table
Alve “drawer unit”
all kinds of decorations and kitchen paraphernalia
Aneboda shelving unit (I call it the Amoeba)
and my futon which I’ve slept on for about 9 years now. So comfortable and sturdy!
I’ve had lots of other Ikea things come and go throughout the years, too. I live in a pretty small apartment now, so I am trying to keep it under control, and I’ve pared down to the pieces that I really like and are useful.
I wanted to ask, does anyone have the Valby rug and what do they think of it? It looks like a Persian rug, about 4′ x 6′ big. Thanks.
Jennifer S. says
I love IKEA.
We just got this bathroom cabinent ( http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/bathroom/15093/ )to put in our kids’ bathroom. They can each have a drawer and stay organized.
In the same trip we bought this kitchen island and I am totally loving it. It doesn’t seem to be for sale any longer. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/kitchen/10471/
I’m thinking about buying some laminate flooring from them. Have you heard any good or bad reviews of it? It’s a big investment so I want to get something that lasts.