While many of my more grown-up friends have “outgrown” IKEA, I am still a devoted customer. I’m sitting writing this on a MALM bed (although with a non-IKEA mattress). The desktop computer lives on a MIKAEL cart, with a SVENNING chair. CDs are stored in KASSETT boxes, and comics, zines and books are hiding in HABOL. I don’t remember the lamp’s name (it was on clearance). Likewise, the dresser the previous owners left behind is also IKEA. The dirty clothes hamper is JALL. There are too many random office supplies to list (damn that persistent office supply fetish), and on the wall are some HEAT cork kitchen hot pads I painted and hung to use as tackboards.
For the price, the quality and design of IKEA products are quite good. In the nearly twenty years I’ve been a customer, there have only been a handful of disappointments. While I do eventually want to furnish a house or condo with higher quality mid-century modern furniture, IKEA will work fine until then and beyond.
Of course, you don’t have to accept the out-of-the-box IKEA products. It’s fun to hack and mod them as needed.
The how-to site Instructables has an entire category dedicated to IKEA Hacks. Make an iPod protector from Dralla cutting boards!
For IKEA mods that are less intense than the tool-heavy Instructables, the IKEA Hacker blog has many great, do-able ideas. For example, attach some cool retro wallpaper (or any cool paper – wrapping paper, old posters, etc.) to the back walls of bookcases.
Although it doesn’t feature true IKEA hacks, the atelier v. site from Switzerland is a gallery of all sorts of interesting object modifications and creative re-uses. None of the site is in English, but the pictures speak for themselves. A wisk becomes a cotton ball dispenser. Tennis balls transform into ear protection.
I’m not the only IKEA fan: check out Positive Fanatics and the IKEAFans message board.
IKEA products are often the target of jokes, which just demonstrates how ingrained the brand has become in the culture. McSweeny’s featured the quiz: IKEA product or Lord of the Rings Character? You can play the interactive IKEA Game, a multiple choice quiz where you try to identify the IKEA product. (Refresh your browser for a new quiz.)
Finally, as you browse the latest IKEA catalog, listen to “Ikea” by singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton. Or, watch the video.
Want more IKEA video?
The Consumerist Goes to IKEA
The Spike Jonez “Rejected Lamp” IKEA Commercial
The IKEA-inspired sequence from Fight Club
However, I’ve saved presenting my favorite IKEA purchase for last: Minnen Ratta. Yes, some designer thought that cute, cuddly stuffed rats would make excellent children’s toys. What a brilliantly fucked idea. Of course, I had to adopt two of them. (Hey, at $2.99 each, how could I not?)
Introducing Gary and Rachel Ratta. (Yes, the cat was thrilled.)
Finally, enjoy a tasty slice of Swedish torte in the cafeteria!
2 comments:
I'm proud to say that the first toy received by the as yet unnamed Baby Girl Taylor was an Ikea ratt.
I am closing in on a potentially sad day... we're actually buying new furniture for my office which means that the Ikea office furniture that has been in four of my abodes will be going away. But you know what? It's about nine years old and is still as sturdy as the day I bought it despite holding up printers, fax machines, computers, monitors, reams of paper, stacks of zines, CDs, DVDs and other media. God bless Tord Bjorkland and all at Ikea.
I love my Ratta I found at IKEA. He was the only one left, and I stood in a 30-minute long line just to buy him. He rides with me in my 83 Volvo wagon on the dash...but then again, I'm from California and I'm kinda fucked up.
The reason I love him so much is because when I first picked him up, I said "hey, an IKEA rat! I bet his name would be Ratta..." and sure enough, it was. Bless you, fake-Swedish names!h
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