Ikea sometimes gets a bad rap. So the furniture may not always be solid wood or old world craftsmanship. So you won’t see Krenov or Nakashima there. But hey, the price is right, the innovation is clever and the ergonomics & functionality are clear.
Ikea has empowered me. Not only can this home handyman wannabe assemble his own furniture. I have also solved many a storage and lifestyle issue with Ikea products.
And the store is a trip! Wandering through the labyrinth of displays just generates inspiration and new ideas. You can project your imagination and vision into one context after another. Their designs are stylish and often inspired. Their quality control is first rate and assembly is straightforward. Even the store layout, parking access and loading enhance the whole process. Their marketing is brilliant. I did have to pass on the Swedish meatballs, not being a carnivore, but people rave about ‘em.
Trying out the products can be dangerous though, as it may just lead to purchase. That’s what happened with our Poang chairs. Garrett needed a place to sit in his apt; so off to the store in East Palo Alto. As soon as we sat in the display models, we were hooked. The Poang is for me the most comfortable chair around! (Sorry there Eames) It cradles the lumbar and its springiness is buoyant. And it's style makes a design statement. The myriad of options will fit any taste or budget too.
No, I'm not on the Ikea payroll. I'm just bloggin here... though my ravings do sound like a testimonial. Anyway, I got a Poang chair for G and couldn’t resist getting one from me to me!
