{Memphis}: IKEA Coming to Memphis!

If you've been around the blog for any amount of time, you know of my obsession/love for IKEA.

In January 2010, I wrote an open letter (that in retrospect is a little ridiculous but was early in my blogging career) to IKEA outlining why they should open a store in Memphis (and I'd like to think they listened to me): http://www.makinitinmemphis.com/2010/01/open-letter-to-ikea.html

In December 2010, I made a polyvore collage in anticipation of my New Year's trip to Atlanta: http://www.makinitinmemphis.com/2010/12/trip-to-ikea.html

And then, after our post-Christmas trip to Atlanta, I blogged about my experience: http://www.makinitinmemphis.com/2010/12/atlanta-ikea-experience.html . We still have the dog tails and that huge canvas in our den.

In July 2012, I posted twice about IKEA - the first time I did a "browser window shopping" post using the gorgeous eye candy that is IKEA's website. Their catalog-esque interactive rooms are drool worthy and I highlighted my favorites: http://www.makinitinmemphis.com/2012/07/browser-window-shopping-ikea.html

The second July 2012 post was about my design inspirations on the showroom floor and my purchases at IKEA during my trip to Atlanta: http://www.makinitinmemphis.com/2012/07/shopping-ikea-2012.html

For Easter 2013, we went down to Atlanta again and so naturally I blogged about our experience: http://www.makinitinmemphis.com/2013/04/shopping-ikea-adventure-2013.html . We ended up getting my beloved kitchen bar cart on that trip, as well as a duvet for our guest room among other things.

So rumors began flying Monday and were confirmed via press conference on Tuesday morning of this week that indeed, Memphis is getting an IKEA (*pending all legal approvals) in fall 2016!
(http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2014/dec/15/wharton-to-make-major-retail-announcement/)

Obviously I'm overjoyed, not only selfishly because I love those crazy Swedes and their sleek, inexpensive furniture and accessories, but also because it is a great move for our city from an economic standpoint!

So what kind of advice do I have for a novice IKEA shopper?
1) Be prepared - scan the website inspiration pictures to get an idea of what you are looking for

2) Bring a list of "must buys" so you don't forget those things in the amazing chaos that is IKEA

3) For your first time, plan to spend 2 -3 hours. The showroom (2nd floor) is eye candy and a magical experience, if only to get inspiration. A lot of the accessories and furniture pieces at IKEA do require some imagination because of the various configurations and it is nice to see them in action. Additionally, if you like the furniture you see, make sure to mark down the location in the warehouse area so you can find its home and get yours.

4) For subsequent visits if you're in a hurry you can skip the showroom and just go to the first floor (the shopping area) where there is a maze of home goods and then a warehouse area with all the furniture in their happy boxes. The way the home goods maze works is that it is designed to make you walk through all the departments but there are short cut doors if you know specifically what you want and don't want to get distracted.

5) Expect some major assembly. Like ridiculous amounts.

6) Not everything is best to buy there and sometimes you have to weigh the cost versus expected outcome. For example, I love their furniture but some of it isn't top quality. But you've got to think about what you're paying for it, how long you expect to use it, etc.

What kinds of things should you buy at IKEA?
These are my personal favorites...

• picture frames
• lighting
• organization/storage
• bedding

And now, some of our favorite IKEA buys from over the years...

These turquoise metal vases were gifted to me by my Atlanta hook-up and have gotten miles of use:

Hanging racks for the kitchen renovation, with what were going to be mini herb gardens but turned into little flower displays:

Magnetic spice rack and another hanging rack for the kitchen:

Kitchen bar cart:

A huge city scape canvas from our 2010 trip:

Can't wait to have our own IKEA in Memphis, even if it does mean we have to wait a while. What are you excited about most?

In meatballs and tiny allen wrentches,

{Shopping}: IKEA adventure 2013.

While we were down in Atlanta for Easter weekend, we had to hit up IKEA (of course). I've written about my previous adventures at IKEA here (Dec 2010) and here (July 2012). Those Scandinavians are crazy and I love it. Just walking through the showroom is inspiration for both beauty and function.

This year's adventure was just as fun as always - and Jake even was game to come along!

We started off walking through the showroom. I snapped pictures of the things that I liked...

This kitchen cart (spoiler alert, I got one) used as a side table was super cute:

I loved this outdoor scene:

As well as this one...

This coffee table, metal on casters, was super cool in an AV-cart kind of way:

I also loved these folding chairs (they had several colors). I thought they would be fun for spare chairs:

I loved the idea of using two table runners going short-ways:

They also had these hilarious finger-puppets that I thought were so fun:

I always love seeing their prints - these two in particular stood out to me:

 Their bedding usually isn't my favorite but I loved this set up:

And these orange gingham kitchen towels used as place mats were so cute I had to make them mine:

Here's another bedding set I loved. I actually tried to buy this yellow duvet to go in our bedroom but it was all sold out:

Here it is on the website - you can see that it is a subtle yellow and white stripe. It is available for purchase off the website but the shipping is $30... so not worth it.

Nyponros

We also were on the hunt for shelves for our pantry. We liked this set, the IVAR, but they were expensive and crazy to figure out what pieces you need (it came as all different parts that you bought separately).

We ended up buying the much less expensive GORM unit, which is what Jake looks so excited about in the first picture:

We ended up walking away with the shelves, the orange gingham napkins, a picture ledge (more to come on that), a melamine serving tray, and the kitchen cart that I've been lusting after for over a year...

Raskog

And we have already assembled it and it is in use in our kitchen!

And here's where Jake wins husband of the year. After driving 6 hours home, Jake put together my cart using those silly little IKEA tools. 

Here's how it looks in the kitchen! I love that I've gotten more stuff off the counters:

Here's to another successful IKEA trip! I'm already dreaming about what I can get next time...

{Shopping}: IKEA 2012!

My trip down to Atlanta meant that I got to experience IKEA for the third time in my life. After going a year and a half ago (blogged here), I couldn't wait to get back. While last trip was marked with excitement over kitchen stuff, I didn't really have any objectives of this trip other than a shelf for above the fridge. That meant I could just soak it in, love the design, and calmly pour over all of the innovation.

Beth and I decided to go to IKEA on Monday night after she got off of work. Best decision ever. It was not crowded at all (versus going on a Saturday and it being sheer mania) and we got to mosey through the various displays.

The design of the shopping experience at IKEA is sheer brilliance. When you walk in, you can either cut directly to the floor with all the products or you can head up to the showroom floor where you see rows and rows of rooms set up with all of their products so you can visualize everything and how it fits together. It is like being in a real life magazine catalog.

One thing I love about IKEA design is how it utilizes every given space. For instance, many would put one large print on this wall and be done but IKEA makes a gallery wall. I love that and want to try something similar in my house.

I also love all of the storage ideas that are design based at IKEA. Proves being organized doesn't have to be ugly. This room very much reminded me of my buddy Eric. It screamed his taste.

Since IKEA sells everything from furniture to bedding to kitchenware to fabric, it is really fun that they fill their displays with their own products so you can see them in action. I loved this table setting and could see myself using it for a shower or girly party. I also like that it shows that one pink plate per setting and a set of cloth napkins can change white dishes into something girly.

This little bathroom display called to me as well. Mostly because I hate our vanities and sinks. I love the furniture look that is so trendy with bathrooms right now and love the open shelving as an element in a bathroom.

Down on the bottom floor with all the merchandise I had to restrain from buying things I didn't need (and couldn't afford or fit in the car). I loved this potting bench/outdoor shelf. I could totally see it on a fab balcony in NYC.

I also love IKEA's kitchenware. Everything is cute, functional, and priced low.

I love IKEA's furniture and find something new to lust after each time I'm there. This little cabinet was super cute and functional. I could see it as an entry console with a resting place for keys and mail on top and stuff hidden inside. Or even a cabinet for towels and toiletries in a hall outside a small bathroom.

I also love that IKEA sells large numbers of everything. Take these trivets - there were hundreds of them. And yet I've been to IKEA (after Christmas during a sale) when this wall would have been barren because people just buy this stuff up!

At the registers there is an area where you can buy food. I took that as an opportunity to take some "artistic" pictures:

But we really did buy the meatballs. I had eaten them once (my first trip to IKEA, which was with Eric) and have craved them ever since. We didn't have time to eat in the restaurant so we bought these and had them for dinner on Wednesday.

Finally it was time to check out. Here I am with my loot:

And here's Beth!

And here's what I got:

From left to right - three wooden brackets for creating a shelf above the fridge, cloth basket to use for serving rolls at dinner, two rubber trivets, moose shaped pasta (I love shape pasta!), popsicle molds, coasters, and four melamine trays to use when we eat outdoors.

I'd say that I did a good job of restraining myself! I love what I got and satisfied my IKEA need for another year. I sense a trip coming in 2013 that will be a blow-out as we work on the guest room and continue organizing closets and pantries. Ah, I do love a good IKEA trip. Thanks for being my IKEA buddy, Beth!

In those crazy Swedes,

{Browser Window Shopping}: IKEA inspirations.

It is no secret that I love IKEA. I even wrote an open letter to the Swedes themselves attempting to persuade them to come to Memphis (by the way - no one has contacted me about this very serious request).

As I prepare to visit Atlanta next week for some training for school, you better believe I'm prepping myself for a trip to IKEA. So in the spirit of the visit, I've been stalking their website and getting ideas and inspiration from their pictures. Here are a few of my favorites, with commentary (naturally).

(I screenshot these off the IKEA website, which is why they have strange pluses and such on some of them)

 
What I love: glass door wardrobes & stenciled walls.

What I love: Am I too old for a lofted bed? Probably... would be perfect in a teen's room. Also, that rug - so chic.

What I love: Built ins with frosted doors, red dresser, yellow door.

What I love: Butcher block counter, rails with kitchen prepware hanging, cabinet in the corner with glass doors.

What I love: Can I just have this whole kitchen? Love the open doorway between the kitchen and dining room with the glass top?

What I love: plants in the window sill, baskets on the shelf under the cabinets, large subway tile on the walls.

What I love: the picture rail above the dining table.

What I love: the red benches and chalkboard wall with hooks for bags.

What I love: black glass front cabinet for all our dishes, open to the kitchen.

What I love: a station for my sewing machine with inspiration boards.

What I love: color on the wall (reminds me of SW's Lemon Verbena), entry station for shoes and such, mirror hung lengthwise with lights above, gallery wall on left.

What I love: another lofted bed (again.. too old?) but this one has a precious reading nook under it.

What I love: when I was a kid, I would have loved this coloring station with ledge for displaying my art.

What I love: can I say everything? I love the porch, the pennant bunting, the chaise loungers, the umbrella.

What I love: the splash of green on the wall in an otherwise white kitchen, the table coming out from the wall seamlessly since it is painted the same color.

What I love: the media center, the amount of seating in the living room, the large coffee table, the gallery wall in the dining room, and the way the kitchen is open but not open to the living space.

What I love: the amount of light is wonderful but really the green open bookshelf system sells this picture for me.

What I love: this wall color is soothing and I love the open shelves on the side.

What I love: this couch, the pillows, those bookshelves.

What I love: those polka dotted curtains, the way the "library" is open to the den, the blue color on the walls, the lights on top of the shelves.



As you can see, IKEA can be a place of great inspiration for home decor. I've found the store to be overwhelming and the website shopping unhelpful, but if you have patience and innovation, you can really make something special for your home!!

Now about IKEA coming to Memphis....