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What You Need to Know About IKEA Furniture

Ikea Opens New Store In Berlin
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IKEA is one of the best-recognized furniture brands all over the world. It appeals to a young and hip audience, as it makes affordable furniture and home furnishing choices that are especially favored by those just starting out on their own.

If you're looking for high quality, heirloom furniture, you will need to consider other brands as you shop around, but IKEA furniture is certainly affordable, attractive, and provides the opportunity to be creative.

Plus, IKEA increasingly offers higher-end furniture to appeal to shoppers of all income levels and tastes. You can buy unfinished furniture, or even mix and match parts to create your own customized furniture. The brand is so popular that an entire industry has developed around DIYs and hacks of IKEA products in an effort to help you customize your furniture even more.

The Pros for Buying IKEA Furniture

Affordable and Attractive

There is something to be said about affordable furniture that is also attractive. It is possible to furnish an entire home from top to bottom for a comparatively modest amount, making IKEA furniture ideal for those on a budget or those who are just starting out.

That is not to say that their furniture does not have other, more luxurious uses, though: Even well-known designers such as Lori Dennis throw an IKEA piece in the mix when designing an interior.

Lots of Accessories

Lighting, rugs, bedding, textiles, and accessories are available to complement any furniture purchase, and there are also plenty of efficient storage solutions for the entire home. IKEA offers signature lines of furniture, making it easy to choose accessories that match.

Great for Small Spaces

IKEA has much to offer for small spaces. This is ideal for those of us living in smaller homes or studio apartments. IKEA even offers online guides for small rooms, laying out the specifics of what minimal furniture you need for a functioning living room, bedroom, etc.

Easy to Assemble and Transport

The furniture is relatively easy to assemble, and you can even find pieces that don't require tools for assembly. Efficient packaging makes it easy to transport.

Sustainability Efforts

IKEA is also paying more attention to sustainability and making their products greener. For instance, the brand has banned PVC from its products, and reduced formaldehyde from lacquers and glues. The company is also using and looking to increase the use of new and sustainable materials. 

Favorite IKEA Pieces

There is always something new, but some affordable favorites have endured over the years:

  • The Poang armchair has a layered and glued bentwood frame of birch. The chairs have enough give to make them comfortable. The cushions are available in fabric or leather.
  • The Lack series, with side tables and coffee tables which come in many different finishes, have also been popular through the years.
  • Billy bookcases, which come in many sizes and finishes.

What's Not to Love About IKEA Furniture

When you shop at IKEA, you should not expect to find heirloom quality furniture. While most of the products are certainly affordable, longevity is not typically a common attribute. (Very often affordability and quality do not go hand in hand unless you are buying used furniture.) Certainly, IKEA is not the only brand that sells affordable but lesser-quality furniture.

Largely made from particleboard, IKEA furniture most often does not stand up to years of use. Disassembling and transporting the furniture during a move can also shorten its lifespan. And while IKEA has done much to address environmental concerns regarding its furniture materials, to call it entirely green is a stretch simply because it lacks one very important feature of green furniture—durability. That is especially true of the more affordable furniture at IKEA.

How To Shop for Furniture At IKEA

A single IKEA store carries everything you need to furnish a home: from furniture to kitchen cabinets, to lighting, down to brushes for washing dishes. Since IKEA stores strive to present the same shopping experience at all their locations, you can maintain a single strategy for shopping at any IKEA. 

You can find a lot of information about their products, including dimensions, colors, prices, and availability at your local store or online. This allows you to decide beforehand what you will be buying once you get there. If you show up without making plans, you can spend an eternity in their labyrinthine showrooms.

You can purchase the furniture and take it home with you right away. If you prefer, it can also be delivered, but make sure to check out delivery charges. (For large deliveries, IKEA charges a flat-rate fee.) To find an IKEA store close to you, visit the IKEA Store Locator. If there is no IKEA store in your vicinity, you can shop online.

About IKEA

For all its youthful appearance, IKEA is not a newcomer to the industry. The company started out in 1943 in a small village called Agunnaryd in Sweden. IKEA's founder Ingvar Kamprad was only 17 at the time.

Today, the company has grown into a major international furniture and home furnishings brand operating across the world. are more than 400 stores in countries around the world that stock home furnishings and furniture for the entire home under one roof, all easily recognizable by their blue and yellow logo.