IKEA, This Is Comfortable!

You guys, I thought I knew what to expect at IKEA. Turns out, it was, like, a million times more than what I thought. More what? More space, more fun, more stuff, more people, more choices, more quality, more ideas. Just...more. Oh yeah, I liked it alright. I liked it a LOT, baby!

In case you've never been to IKEA, here are a few tips to make your experience a good one.

1. Go with a friend who's been there before. If you go with another rookie, you're going to be overwhelmed by all the More, and you'll end up lost and crying somewhere in the Geflårken Flögen section. And no one wants that, especially the Geflårken Flögen.
2. Stop at Tim Hortons and get a large coffee to bring in with you. This is the perfect prop to hide your scorn as you smirk at your fellow shoppers' purchases/children/outfits. And, if you're not a judgy brat like me & my friend J, well, at least you've got a delicious cup of hot coffee to accompany your shopping adventure.
3. Go to the bathroom when you get there. It's a big, BIG store. Trust me.
4. Bring your iPhone/Droid/Blackberry with you...something with a camera. During Phase I of the trip, you'll be exploring through model rooms & displays, and the camera makes it really easy to keep track of what you like. Then, during Phase II, which is the shopping part of the trip, you can reference the photos to find the items you'd like to purchase. If you don't have a smartphone, don't despair, just bring a small notebook & pen along. You'll thank me later.

I had two main objectives for this trip. A.) Check out the Ektorp chair to make sure it was, indeed, the chair I wanted for my living room. And B.) Check out the quality of the textiles, particularly the curtains, which is Step 1 in my front hall reading nook project. So, how'd I make out?

A.) Well, I did like the Ektorp. It was comfy, if a little closer to the ground than I initially thought. But, it wasn't wide enough to fit me and one of the K9's, and in our house, that's a deal-breaker. So, Ektorp won't be living in my living room, but he may still have a shot at being our reading chair in the hall...which isn't until Step 5, so I've got time to make a final decision. However, I did find my new chair friend. His name is Hovås. He's chunky and squishy and plenty wide enough (not quite a chair-and-a-half, but pretty close)...check him out:

Hi. I'm Hovås.

I'd seen this chair online and had dismissed it with a "Meh, nothing special." Which is why it's so important to go look at stuff in person. What you can't see in the web pic is that the fabric is a soft corduroy...very inviting and comfy. (You can see, though, that he's more expensive than Ektorp, but I think he's worth it.)

What you also can't see is that when you add a pretty pillow and a soft throw to it, he gets much more handsome. Oftentimes, the utilitarian-ness of IKEA's website doesn't do their products much justice. See what a difference setting the stage makes?

Doesn't this make you want to just curl up with a cup of tea & a good book?

B.) I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the textiles. There were some really pretty tweed/linen-looking curtains that I think will work nicely in the reading nook. The texture is fantastic, and I think they'll drape very nicely...in other words, they won't look cheap. Even though they are! Oh, IKEA, you & I are going to be such good friends.

There was only one bad thing about my trip to IKEA, and that is this: I fell in love with this pillow, which means that I have to completely revamp the color scheme in my living room.

And I'm totally okay with that. I mean, come on, that is a CUTE pillow!

-Mrs. K