Just back from Atlanta, I took a quick trip by Ikea to see what was new. What was meant to be a quick jaunt in and out turned into an hour and 1/2. There’s SO much to see in this fun store. I stopped by really to pick up a set of beautiful drapery panels that you’ve probably seen around blogland.
They are just adorable curtains and I love them. I’ll show you the whole room we have in mind for these very soon from one of my online clients. It’s going to be a really fun master bedroom redo.
So, let’s see what else Ikea has these days. I totally did not think I would like Ikea all that much until I visited in person almost 2 years ago. Then, I really understood what all the hype was about. It’s a very fun store with SO many great things. The storage items are one of my very favorite things they have, as you will see. Check out this post if you’d like to see more pics from my first trip there a couple years ago.
The famous Ektorp sofa was front and center. This fabric was a yummy oatmeal colored linen-like fabric. And get a load at the price. I mean, really you can’t beat that for a slip-covered sofa. I’ve heard good things about their sofas. Anyone have one who can chime in on this one?
Here’s the Ektorp in the classic white slipcover.
What a deal! I can hardly get over the prices.
What I love about their displays is that they have all the items tagged and which department you can find them in. Nice to see how they are used together. This store is monumentally GI-NORMOUS!
These cute little vases were $1.99 each and they would be great in a display.
The Ektorp chair in white or pink:
So many storage and bookcase options.
As well as storage containers and boxes. You can definitely get yourself organized and do it cutely at Ikea.
I’ve seen these Billy bookcases all over blogland and one of my friends said she has some of them. What a great price and they can be spruced up with some crown molding.
Lots of great looking things to see.
Complete kitchen and dining displays.
Even though it’s primarily contemporary, there’s a lot to like in this store for Traditional lovers too.
And I’ve heard that a lot of folks are using Ikea for their kitchen cabinets. Cost effective and pretty.
More cabinets
I think all of these chairs were $79 each, a great deal.
Melamine dinnerware in such pretty colors.
Love these!
This pretty and colorful orange round wool rug was not a bad price at $299.
And how cute is this for I think around $30. I think it was about 4×6 or so. Not wool, but still just adorable.
Here’s the chair that goes with those panels. This fabric just makes me smile big time!
More pretty throw and pillows, you know how much I love black and white.
Crewel pillows were very pretty.
These shelves were very cool for $19.99, lots of colors to choose from. You could always add your own bracket underneath to make them more cottagey.
More shelves and brackets, all reasonably priced.
Check out these cute clocks for $9.99.
Here we are in the storage and organizing area. So many cute things to choose from.
Here are some like the cardboard ones I decoupaged last year. Remember these? You could easily do the same to these inexpensive Ikea ones, at $2.99 for a 5 pack, a real steal.
Soooooo much to choose from.
And plenty if you don’t want to decoupage, colors galore.
Cute lamps and lighting, Ikea has it all.
If you haven’t had the chance to spend a few hours in Ikea and there is one close to you, I hope you’ll take the opportunity and go. I hear the cinnamon rolls are killer, as well as the Swedish meatballs, so you could really make a day of it. It could take hours to totally see everything. Not kidding!
I bought this set of 2 storage boxes for my office space, at $7.99 for the pair. You have to put everything together from Ikea, but that’s fine with me. These should hold file folders just fine.
And this paring knife, which I desperately needed a new one, was $6.99. And I bought a couple of REAL plants too, so that was it for my day.
And no, Ikea is not paying me to say any of this. I just think it’s a very cool store and the prices are SO reasonable. I can definitely see why people shop here. If I needed more, I would definitely keep them in mind.
I really need to plan a trip to my Ikea, Rhoda! {It has to be a planned trip as it’s about 45 minutes away via expressway}. I have two Ektorp chairs and have had them for about 15 years. They have held up wonderfully and I have moved them around to a couple of rooms. Now that I see they have a white slipcover for it {mine were an olive green that came with the chair}, I may move one down into my living room! Thanks for showing that!
When my son and I traveled to Orlando in February we decided to stop in and see Ikea – for a few minutes. It turned into a half day! We have NOTHING like it in little Bend Oregon so we had a ball.
I KNEW visiting this post would be big time trouble for me! 🙂 While I’m not into alot of their more contemporary items, I certainly am loving that sofa and chair! If it’s comfortable, I’m very tempted…. bleah. I must go to work to pay for it now…
Donna
http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
IKEA does have some really cool stuff. We bought our kitchen island there and absolutely love it…, in case you want to check it out, here’s the link:
http://www.completely-coastal.com/2010/02/my-kitchen-remodel-before-and-after-i.html
I’ve only been once and like you was blown away at their prices…
Thanks for the tour !!!
Cute panels….
Kathy 🙂
I loooooove going to IKEA. We have one about 45 minutes North of us. I like to go without the kids so I can really look around. 🙂
I think they have great prices, but people have to realize that their prices are great b/c the quality isn’t exactly “heirloom” quality. I probably won’t have my IKEA buffet in the Kitchen in another 20 years, but I knew that when I bought it. 😉
My hubs is very anti-IKEA (he’s uber traditional, likes furniture that is ALL real wood, quality, etc. etc) so I have to be careful about what I bring home. I’ve not heard so much cussing as when he had to screw together that buffet for me. :s
Such a fun girls’ day to shop there though! 🙂
I also have the Ektorp couch, chair, and ottoman. I got them with the white slipcover about 4 and a half years ago, and they’re still going strong! I have a husband and 5 dogs (yes, you heard correctly), and they are still in good shape for the amount of wear that they get.
The one thing I’ve noticed about Ikea things like curtains and slipcovers is that they have a tendency to shrink a little. Fortunately, their things are so well priced that I can afford to go and buy new slipcovers every couple of years, or as I need them.
Never plan on going for a quick jaunt in a home goods store. I could be there for hours and hours and it only makes me wish I had more money!
Lila Ferraro
Queen Bedroom Sets
I have the Ektorp Sofa and Loveseat. We have 5 kids and they are holding up beautifully! I find some people have trouble with the slipcovers shrinking, but I wash mine as usual and dry them on low heat or the air dry cycle and they are perfect! The closest Ikea to me is over 4 hours but it was so worth the trip.
I have 3 slipcovers that I have posted about on my blog a few posts back, I also have the Crewel Pillows and LOVE THEM!
I have lived in the Atlanta and still haven’t ventured into Ikea. I think this post has finally convinced me. I am actually looking into having some slips made for my sofas, but I think one of those Ikea sofas may be a better option. Thanks for the great post!
love love love ikea! I have the ektorp sofa in white and I do LOVE it! It is in our living room so it doesn’t get used much, except by me! My husband is 6 ft and he looks a little silly sitting on it because it is not a deep sofa at all!
This post makes me want to go visit my ikea!
xoxo
I have only been once to a store a couple of hours away, and I totally got lost in it. Literally…LOST! So much stuff to choose from. Glad you had fun. 🙂
Ikea is awesome! I used to dislike it immensely because I thought it was too modern, but having an Ikea in my backyard (I live in Portland, OR) made it much easier to fall in love all over again!
I just used their kitchen design service to design my laundry room. It’s still in process, but we couldn’t be happier with the quality of the cabinetry!
Thanks, Rhoda! Love your site!
Lindsay from Tell’er All About It!
I love IKEA!! My husband and I always spend at least 2 hours there, and we always leave with at least $70 worth of stuff! There are just so many wonderful things to choose from, it’s impossibly not to leave with your arms full!
Great finds, by the way. Can’t wait to see a pic of those punchy curtains in your home! 🙂
The closest Ikea here is over four hours away. My sister made the trek last month to purchase an entertainment center with bookshelves, 12 foot long! It looks fabulous and custom made in her living room. I am going to have to go there someday!
Hi Rhoda,
The last time I went to Ikea I met a fellow blogger there, (Delores of Vignette Designs) we had a blast shopping and looking at everything, but only after we spent at least an hour in the lobby talking like old friends. We even had lunch together in the cafe’!
It’s funny, I took pictures of some of the same items you photographed, I was saving them for a future post. Brilliant minds think alike!!
Have a great weekend.
XO
Heidi – Heart and Home
I actually bought the Ektorp couch at a consignment shop for about $200 about four years ago. It had a chambray cover on it and the cover is in great shape. So very cozy! I wanted to get an extra cover for the couch last year. If I’d ordered it from the local Ikea about 40 miles from here, it would have cost $100 more than the Ikea website. I live in a major shipping city and that made no sense to me (or the customer service rep at the website). My one complaint is that you cannot dry the washed slipcovers in a dryer. They have to be air dried, which in the winter in our basement can take four days.
I have never been to Ikea, so I loved your tour. It looks like an amazing place. Love & blessings from NC!
I haven’t been to an IKEA in years, but I’m thinking I really need to make the trip to Charlotte. Honestly, I’m not sure I have a car big enough to carry all the things I’d find there. With prices like this, though, I suppose I could afford to rent a truck!
Thanks for the virtual tour!