Not to bore you about Ikea, but…
Not to bore you about Ikea, but…
One of the things Melinda sent to me in her surprise package was the 2009 Ikea catalogue. Of course, I fell upon it, pawing through the pages, mouth agape at all the good stuff at such good prices. I mean, look at the cool fabrics…
And this bed (below) is totally yumlicious too! Most of the thumbprints and droolmarks were left on this page, actually.
The catalogue is so big, I found it pretty overwhelming to pick out what I really like (a visit to an Ikea store must be fairly exhausting). So to get a handle on my Ikea envy, I went through the catalogue once more, and drew all my favourite things. Here they are:
So impressed with that shelf unit, and the gateleg table, not to speak of the very hard-to-draw plastic rocker. And you can get furniture in red or blue!
Hey, there’s that bed again. And another drop leaf table. I’m big on those.
Love the idea of a rocker for kids. And actually, I have the wooden lidded Celeber container, as it’s one of the things Melinda sent me!
So that’s it. Three pages of things I like, selected from a 374-page catalogue. That seems to put my Ikea envy into perspective: the stuff is really nice, and really affordable, but actually, there are only a few things I’d go out and buy, so why be miserable about my Ikea-lessness? Ah… that was therapeutic. Thanks for listening to my trivial consumerist ramblings.
PS: I just have to state for the record that this is NOT some kind of monumentally crass hint to other kind souls out there, eager to pack up a box of goodies to send to Cape Town. Really, it isn’t. No, really…
Cicada Studio
Ha! I was about to hop in my car and take the 20 minute journey, have some Swedish meatballs for lunch, get a shelf for my office and peruse the isles for a little something for you. Well, it can wait for a legitimate need to go now (like I need one!).
emma
i love your sketches! my dad works at IKEA, that’s good. …has many advantages. 🙂
strikk
great sketches – i’m impressed that you managed to wittle it down to only three pages – that’s discipline 😉
orange you lucky!
I too am a fan of the white ceramic canisters with wooden lids:)
The rockers, unfortunately aren’t all that comfortable. I find that IKEA is great at making things look good and simple, but the comfort is often missing. Hope this makes you feel better about not having one:)
The one near where I live also doesn’t carry fabrics (which is what I’m interested in the most).
Love the doodles:) h
DEE BEALE
Yes I could spend hours in Ikea much to the annoyance of my 2 young children although they do have great play areas for little ones. Agree with orange you lucky not always as comfortable as you might think but fabrics are definitely fab!
Tina
I couldn’t put my catalogue down when I got mine. I love Ikea.
Kristi
And those dang catalogs are like gold here; I’ve been on their “mailing list” for years, and it gets stolen before it ever reaches my mailbox. And of course the stores (when I can make the trek) are always out!
MGU
Oh dear, love your drawings, but I’ve got to break it to you: you just can’t go to ikea anb buy off your shopping list. There would be something else you’d buy. And they have a bargain corner too.
MGU
Oh dear, love your drawings, but I’ve got to break it to you: you just can’t go to ikea anb buy off your shopping list. There would be something else you’d buy. And they have a bargain corner too.
Janne
You’re not mistaken – a trip to Ikea is exhausting. It takes me a whole day, almost… If it makes you feel any better – it’s with Ikea like everything else; once you have it, a lot of the initial attraction disappears…
It’s very interesting to see the photos of the American catalogue – it seems to have a slightly different style to the Norwegian one.
mikodesign
Wow, the drawings are great, love to see them on some fabric/ cushions!
Billy
There´s an Ikea where I used to live but not where I live now and I certainly missed it when we needed affordable kitchen accessories, for instance.
But as other commenters said before, Ikea is great for some of their things and not so great for others, so don´t be too sad. And buying local is always best, right? 🙂
Colleen Mulrooney
I’d go green when i went into ikea, and then have horrible withdrawal symptoms, knowing i couldn’t buy everything i wanted to… the pages of my my old catalogues are glued together with drool – sigh – NOT a cool addiction!
katiecrackernuts
Your drawings are too cute. Better than the catalogue.
mizu designs
You’ve got no idea how exhausting a trip to ikea can be! I mean really really exhausting. The one here in Melbourne is just HUGE – 2 floors! You need an focussed ikea shopping strategy when you go there. None of this dithering about looking at everything. You have to know what you’re going there for and stay focussed on that section and then get the hell out of there. But they have some nice stuff 🙂
julochka
you do so much more with your ikea goodness than i do. me, i pretty much just eat the meatballs…
the sunday project
my, my what lovely sketches!
and if it makes you feel any better (unlikely) there’s no ikea in new zealand either! thankfully, a trip back to australia meant i could get my fix. but the excess baggage charges were a killer!
🙂
(sorry – that’s my comment removed above – my technical internetty skills leave a lot to be desired).
Heather Moore
Loved hearing all your comments about Ikea, and pleased to hear that most are positive! For some reason, I’d gathered that people love to moan about Ikea more than they celebrate it.
Mikodesign, I LOVE your idea of putting these drawings on fabric. Maybe…
roro
rocking chair rulzzz
I had it at work at dining table…
roro
rocking chair rulzzz
I had it at work at dining table…
Shannon
I used to work at the IKEA in Melbourne (Australia) so most of my house is fitted out with IKEA furniture (not as exciting as it sounds!). They do have some great things (I have one of those drop leaf tables in your drawings!) but sometimes you wish you weren’t living in an IKEA catalogue. We’re slowly updating some of our IKEA pieces – the uncomfortable dining chairs were the first thing to go (now replaced with lovely bentwood solid timber ones – delightful!). Loved this post : )
steviewren
I used to have terrible Ikea envy until they built one 2 1/2 hours away. Now about twice a year I gather up some friends or my daughter and we take off for a day trip. It’s funny but I almost never come home with anything very big, but I love being there. So much good design for so little money…it just makes the heart sing.
Ozinsa
As an ex-Sydney-sider living in Bloemfontein, South Africa (I know) I am missing many, many things and Ikea is definitely one of them!! Along with good coffee, the sea, sourdough bread …
Lisa
Im happy to see a southafrican blogger 🙂 I love SA, my boyfriend are from v-town outside Johannesburg but he moved here (sweden) to me a few years ago.
Im quite suprised that S.A do not have Ikea yet. Ikea have some nice fabrics. Make great pillows http://pinkfriday.blogg.se/images/2009/2_25814182.jpg
Heather Moore
Thanks for getting in touch, Lisa. Love that bright pic of Ikea fabrics!