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Some More Window Shopping At Ikea

We finally got back over to Ikea to see all the new stuff this year (and to pick up a catalog in person since we waited and waited for one to come to our door with no avail). Let’s just say it didn’t disappoint! So we snapped a few photos of some of the things that inspired us most. Here’s an office that we really liked. Although having all that space in our current house to devote to an office is a pipe dream, maybe our next house will allow for it. And even if not it’s still fun to look at.

Ikea Office Space

Speaking of dreams for our future house, we’ve always adored the idea of an island (even though we widened both doorways surrounding our kitchen, an island never made sense with our current house’s floor plan). So of course we stopped to drool over this sleek yet charming butcher block beauty.

Ikea Island

And we had to snap a photo of this not-finished-yet kitchen because we were so amused by our reaction to it. We actually both stood there and reminisced about how exciting our own kitchen reno was back in the day. I guess most people would hate looking at this “mess” but we paused for a moment and soaked it up.

Ikea Kitchen Reno

We also loved this warm and cozy arrangement of photos on the wall so we grabbed a shot for anyone out there who might be looking for a semi-balanced but not totally symmetrical plan to implement in their own home. Tip: use paper or even brown paper bags (cut into rectangles) to represent your frames. Then move them around on the wall until you like the arrangement and tape them in place with blue painter’s tape. You can even nail right through the paper to hang the frames in that formation.

Ikea Frame Collage

We were also charmed by this bathroom since it’s just one wall but it’s packed with tons of storage and function. The bowl sinks keep things feeling less boxy thanks to the soft curves (since this set-up could look a bit too angular and grid-like without them) and the seeded glass on the middle cabinet was actually really pretty in person.

Ikea Bathroom

We couldn’t pass this mirror without grabbing a photo for you guys. Not only because it’s huge and modern (and sure to add polish and bounce around tons of light) but also because it was reflecting that fun white geometric chandelier. We like how the curves in each item play off of each other.

Ikea Mirror Chandelier

And I nearly took to the streets hooting and hollering when I came across one of Ikea’s new-this-year additions to their furnishings and accessories. Faux sheepskin rugs! So for anyone who doesn’t want to DIY them, now you don’t have to! And they’re just $12.99. Oh happy day. Needless to say we returned home with a few (just for good measure). I love tossing them on the backs of chairs, over the bench in our dining area, and even under the Christmas tree in lieu of a traditional tree skirt. Note: Clara’s not still that teeny, I borrowed this old pic from this post of yore.

Ikea Sheepskin

This stately gray glass fronted cabinet was also spot on for us. The fact that it was up on elegant legs (which make it feel a lot less heavy) and that it had such nice top molding and chic hardware wooed us to no end.

Ikea Hutch

This New York City map print was also cool and graphic thanks to the high contrast and detailed design.

Ikea Ny Print

Oh and this rug made us laugh because we both thought it said Petersik for a split second. And let’s face it, an Ikea product coincidentally bearing our last name would probably make me break out my dorky Elaine from Seinfeld dance.

Ikea Persisk Rug

We also noticed these plaques in a few of the showrooms, and really appreciated that they not only listed the size of the room, they also shared the color of the wall paint for anyone walking by who happened to like what they saw. Convenient, right?

Ikea Room Finishes

And this larger than life chandelier was just that. Large and in charge. It would look unbelievably amazing in a lofted dining room or den (we definitely think it can be dressed up or down).

Ikea Chandelier

And just as I stopped to cuddle the faux sheepskin rugs, John made himself right at home in one of the amazing walk-in closets complete with a pair of shoes that had been cable tied to the shelf. Someday we’ll have a closet system like this… someday…

Ikea John Closet

And last but not least are these gorgeous smoky acrylic chairs (which also come in clear). Paired with a chunky rustic wood table we think they would make for an amazing mixed & matched result full of texture and interest. Plus they’re impervious to jelly covered fingers and spit up (which is definitely something that I take note of these days).

Ikea Chair

So there you have our little virtual tour through Ikea. Have you guys been yet? Have your catalogs actually arrived? Are you loving anything in particular this year (and obsessing over old favorites that they brought back)? Let’s talk Ikea. No umlauts necessary.

Psst- Try as we might, we couldn’t locate links, prices, or names for all of the items that we photographed above, so feel free to consult ikea.com or breeze through the store in person for more info since we’re hardly experts when it comes to those details! And we weren’t paid or perk’d for this post, we just love us some Ikea and we wanted to take you window shopping with us. See more window shopping adventures here.

Comments

  2. Vic says

    LOVE this post… so fun to “travel” to someone else’s IKEA. And for all of those curious about the sheepskin rugs… the faux ones are indeed faux, they are called Oleby (and they have a nubby texture on the back, like a pair of kids “no-slip” socks). The real sheepskins are the Rens and the Ludde. And sadly they are all in store only purchases. If you are making a trip out just for the rug, call your local store first and ask to be transfered to the textiles department, to have someone double check for you! I seriously heart IKEA! And thanks for the fun window shopping trip!

    Reply

  3. Heather @ The Cozy Cape says

    Six months ago I took my husband to Ikea… it was his first trip and I’m pretty sure it will be his last. I tried to explain how big and vast that place is but he just didn’t get it until he was actually in the store. He got so overwhelmed. He was trying to be patient but I could just see his body getting tense. He puts up with a lot as I change our house around constantly, but I think the Ikea trips from Va. Beach to Washington D.C need to be strictly a girls trip from now on.

    Reply

  4. Andrea says

    Hubs and I just dropped $1500 at the Pittsburgh Ikea over the weekend.
    That closet John was admiring? Yeah, we got it!! We’ve only got one section built so far, but I love it! Sort of sad I didn’t know the heaven on earth known as Ikea until I married my Pittsburgh-area native husband! I’d say I picked a good one, no? :-)

    Someday, I want that office/craft room. *Sigh* Guess I better get a bugger house first though!

    Reply

  5. Molly says

    Thanks for the intel on the IKEA kitchen cabinets. My hubby and I are *not* handy enough to plan it ourselves and figure out every individual part that we need to buy. Plus, we’re loving our Lowe’s kitchen planner Kevin :). Thanks again!

    Reply

  6. Corinne says

    One thing I miss about living in Baltimore is the IKEA store. Here in Columbus, the closest one is in Cincinnati. It’s only a 2-hour drive, but not nearly as convenient as a 20 minute drive! Knowing that they have faux sheepskin rugs though may convince me to drive out there in the coming weeks!

    Reply

  7. Liz says

    YAY for this post! The closest Ikea to us in our little “city” of La Crosse, WI is 2.5 hours away in Minneapolis. Boo. However, I ordered a catalog and it actually came! I got a great idea for our open floor-plan living room in which the back of the couch faces the eating area but a long coffee-type table hangs out behind it. We can put a cute plant, come cook books etc, on it. It works!

    Reply

  10. Kristin says

    Glad to know I wasn’t the only one not getting my IKEA catalog in the mail! I requested it 3 times and months later when I finally made my first trip to IKEA I picked up 2 catalogs and wouldn’t you know it when I got home…there was my IKEA catalog in the mail!!

    Reply

  12. PaulaR says

    I had to laugh about your catalog comment. I ordered 2 of them a few months back. I didn’t see them coming at all! So, finally we drove 5 hours to see family and popped into Ikea. I walked out with 3 books (sister, mom, and me), only to find my 2 ordered catalogs in the mailbox! Oh well… my bff was happy getting the extra one. Now I have 1 to cut up for inspiration, and the other to use as reference! YAY!

    Reply

  14. tarynkay says

    Molly,
    We have Ikea cabinets. The cabinets are great, sturdy, inexpensive, come w/ a 25 yr warranty, and we were able to put them together ourselves. The customer service on the cabinets, on the other hand, has been horrible. They didn’t send us some of the cabinet doors or the toe-kicks. Then they discontinued the cabinets that we bought without calling us and telling us, even though we had an outstanding order for those pieces. We called, and called, and called. Finally, after SIX MONTHS of trying to get someone in the kitchen department to call us back, they tell us that there is one store in Seattle with what we need. They are “not sure” yet whether or not we can get these things from Seattle. Some of our friends have had similar problems w/ ordering things from them. At this point, I want to break up w/ Ikea. I wish they didn’t have so much great, cheap stuff! I wouldn’t recommend them for anything that you can’t physically pick up in the store and take home the same day.

    Reply

  16. Marcy says

    I love IKEA! We spent 5 hours in there, Saturday!? We sat in on the Life Improvement Workshop taught by a life coach who trained under Martha Beck (Oprah Magazine). What are your thoughts about the kitchen you photographed, Liljestad? We are debating about buying those cabinets or custom ones; however IKEA is approx. half the price! I love the chocolate color oak cabinets but worry that it may be too dark?

    Reply

  17. Candice says

    I live pretty far away from an ikea…boo :-( and everything I want online can’t be shipped. I guess I’ll have to take the truck the next time I go to Atlanta.

    Completely off subject questions though-where did you get that sling for Clara? It’s adorable. And, Sherry, how did you have energy while you were preggo for all of your projects? After work, I’m exhausted in the evenings and weekends, so I’m getting a few things done professionally around the house before the baby comes.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Candice,

      That was a HotSling that I found on clearance at Babies R Us. Love that thing. As for getting things done when I was prego, I had 100 days of morning sickness (yes I counted) but no tiredness to speak of. We still stayed up until around eleven or midnight tackling projects and hanging out like we always do- for which I’m very grateful. I guess everyone has different pregnancy afflictions though, and some would argue that tossing your cookies for over three solid months might be worse than being tired, so perhaps you’re the lucky one!

      xo,
      s

  19. Kasey says

    A trip to Ikea is ALWAYS good for inspriation! We just purchased the Expedit bookcase (the one with 8 cubbies). We had seen it in the showroom turned on its side (horizontally) and with baskets. That’s what we did. We bought the one in the black-brown finish and bought some of the Knipsa baskets to go with it. The baskets go well with the finish and their texture looks really cool with the piece. The lines of the shelf look much cleaner than what we had in its place before. Please continue to show your IKEA finds on your blog!

    Reply

  20. Lesley says

    I love the office in the first picture. Are those 2 desks put back to back? I couldn’t find anything on their website that looked that large.

    Reply

  22. Kimberly says

    I love IKEA and love the sneak peeks, I MUST know the name of the “stately gray glass fronted cabinet” and the chandelier in the pics! PLEASE SHARE :)

    Reply

  23. Chrissa says

    What’s funny, Sherry, is that I was just at IKEA last week and I, too, took photos of that chandelier. But at what ($79?) for it, and it being paper, it made me nervous.

    I can totally see myself breaking down soon and getting it though. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.

    Reply

  24. Hally says

    To answer Lesley’s question- lol- yeah those are two desk tops put together with different options for leggings. We did that in our home with the sanded wooden tops. Looks great!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We can’t think of anything off the top of our head but checking out stores like Ikea, Target, JC Penney, and even thrift stores and garage sales might yield something great. Happy hunting!

      xo,
      s

  26. amanda says

    We ended up with 3 Ikea catalogs. I didn’t know if the mailing list carried over, so I signed up again and we got 2 in the mail, then one in the newspaper. I love the Edland furniture (the gray). I really wish they sold the hardware on there separate, it’s droolworthy. I also like the color, the legs and the papered insides. Very cute.

    I love it when the rooms have plaques with the paint color & brand, I just wish it were more consistent. Some have it, some don’t, and it always seems to be the colors I love that aren’t posted.

    I really like the rooms in your Ikea. They just finished a major remodel at our Ikea and I was sort of underwhelmed at the new rooms (except the kitchens). Yours are a lot better. Feel free to post more room pics next time you go! I love getting inspiration from Ikea on everything from room layout to ways to hang fabric & curtains and colors. I walk around taking pics too.

    Reply

  27. Jessica says

    Kimberly – the dresser is called “Edland Linen Cabinet”. In Sherry’s photo the wood looks like such a pretty gray, but the image on Ikea’s website makes the cabinet appear very dark, almost black? I think I’m going to have to put in the miles (our nearest Ikea is an hour away) to check the color in person.

    Reply

  28. Reese says

    I never received my new catalog either, I even requested it again and still didn’t receive it. Neither did my mom.

    The Ikea locations I went to earlier this year and last (Tampa and Orlando) had the sheep skin rugs already, it wasn’t a new item for them.

    Reply

  29. Livi says

    I have the Tobias chairs in clear – they’re great. Very comfortable and they have a little rocking motion to them.

    I have them in the dining room with a table that’s a big cedar slab on custom black steel angled U legs – looks fab.

    Reply

  30. Livi says

    And…because someone asked – they are EASY to clean. Some spray cleaner and a cloth and kid messes are gone. They aren’t getting all scratched up either (and I have a 17, 12, and 9 year old) – I expect some scratches to emerge, but they are thick acrylic & very sturdy. I have the clear.

    FYI – the smoke color was on sale recently at the Seattle Ikea, as a close out.

    Reply

  31. Jessie says

    I love the color of the grey cabinet! I went to Ikea about a month ago with my mom and fell IN LOVE with the room with all the grey furniture and four poster bed. I have been dreaming about it ever since. I am going to DIY the furniture and just paint what I already have grey, but I’m not sure whether or not to use spray paint or real paint, suggestions?! I’ve never done any DIY projects!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Jessie,

      Real paint! We only spray small things like metal candlesticks or lamps. When it comes to big furniture, especially wood furniture than oil-based primer followed by latex paint (applied with a brush or roller) is the way to go. Check out our Projects page for a step by step tutorial!

      xo,
      s

  36. Isabell says

    I am Swedish and I am living here on the west coast right now, and Ikea is where we shop at in Sweden. Ikea is THE store for home furnishing. When we remodelled our kitchen here in the US we went to Ikea as well and got the WHOLE kitchen for $3000, and put it in ourselves. Just awesome.
    When I get homesick I just go to Ikea for some strolling around and eating lunch. It makes me feel just at home. I usually go to the kitchen section and sit down at ‘Norden’ dining table which is the table we had in the kitchen in Sweden. :)
    PS. The rug carrying ‘almost your name’ actually means “Persian rug” aka Persisk.

    Reply

  37. ellen says

    Re: the hutch/linen cabinet (I think it’s called Edland?) – on their site it appears almost black, but in your picture it definitely looks gray. What’s it like in person, color-wise? Thanks!

    Reply

  40. Melissa says

    I just love browsing through my Ikea catalogue. My Hubby teases me about it, referring to the catalogue as my “furniture porn”!! That and the fact that I know most of their furniture on a first name basis.

    Reply

  41. Ginette says

    I lurve IKEA window shopping. (Yes, lurve.) Even if you don’t buy anything it’s a great way to get inspiration. (Like the comment about paper templates for hanging photos. I use white tissue paper and then it’s really easy to nail through and then just pull it away.)

    Reply

  42. vtlogcabin says

    I just spent the last two hours putting the Edland together and I can attest that it is DEFINITELY grey but its like a charcoal grey– its NOT black. I really like it except for the 3/4″ gap between the glass doors and after fiddling around with it for 45 minutes I still can’t figure out how to get them closer to each other. I’m going to IKEA tomorrow to see if someone can show me how to fix that- other than that, its pretty money! It’s the perfect size and wasn’t hard to put together at all.

    Reply

  43. Maaike says

    I loooove ikea.. I grew up about a five minute drive from a giant ikea, and it’s true, you don’t miss it until it’s gone.. Now I live a full three hours away, having to rent a uhaul whenever I want something big.. But I still remember the Saturday mornings, when my mom would take my sister and me to ikea for breakfast, wonder around, getting inspiration for whatever room we were furnishing.. Then we would have lunch (meatballs!) and pick up all the stuff we fell in love with.. My mom hated paying retail so the first section we would hit up was the “as-is” section, and it is still the first place I drag my boyfriend to.. :) Although, one note; the Dutch (I grew up in Holland) ikea has way more stuff, especially kitchen stuff, and it’s about 30% cheaper! Rip off..

    Reply

  44. Kate says

    Hi John and Sherry! I have spent the last few weeks in the YHL archives, diligently reading years worth of posts and enjoying every one! It’s so funny how this post foreshadowed your current bedroom- falling for that oversized chandelier and the way that other geometric chandelier was reflected in a super-curvy mirror. Anyway, I’m 330-some pages back now, and I’m continuing on! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us :)

    Reply

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