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salonva

Ikea favorites- sharing thread

5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

It was suggested to have a thread sharing our favorite items from Ikea, kind of like we have/had one for Trader Joe's.

So I will be more of a spectator with this but one thing that comes to mind is these awesome nightlights.

" nightlight turns on automatically when it’s dark in the room and off when it’s light, so you don’t have to remember to plug it in and take it out every day. The LED light source consumes up to 85% less energy and lasts 20 times ... »

What's yours?

Comments (41)

  • 5 years ago

    This is the Hemmes shoe cabinet but I use it in the bedroom for socks, UW, night clothes, and swim wear storage. It holds so much and takes up very little space. When I re-do the mud/laundry room I am going to add a few of these to the space.





    salonva thanked Rory (Zone 6b)
  • 5 years ago

    My young adult daughters love their large 99 cent shopping bags for laundry, storage, and trips to the beach.

    https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/frakta-shopping-bag-large-blue-17228340/

    salonva thanked deegw
  • 5 years ago

    Everyday glassware. wine glasses, highball size, etc.

    I have an oval baking dish that we use a lot.

    https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/vardagen-oven-dish-oval-off-white-20289316/

    In fact, all the kitchenware is great.

    I also buy duvet covers.


    salonva thanked sushipup1
  • 5 years ago

    They have the best cinnamon rolls! :)

    I use those big blue bags for the beach. They are water proof and easy to clean with a hose. I also use them as dirty clothes bags when we travel or to load all my large costco paper goods in.

    I go there to buy the large white paper dinner napkins. I even used them at my wedding 10 years ago.

    https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/fantastisk-paper-napkin-white-50035752/


    I bought some scissors there that were awesome. I think they even cut with the left hand. The handle finally broke and I didn't see them last time I went.


    We remodeled the closet in our last house with IKEA and I liked it better than my current "custom" one.


    salonva thanked justcallmepool
  • 5 years ago

    I have never used the IKEA shoe cabinets, but this blogger posted this. If interested, it was the DIYmommy.com



    salonva thanked ratherbesewing
  • 5 years ago

    I’ve never been to IKEA. Can you believe that. Never even had one near where I lived over the years. But I do have those same night lights and they are great. Give off just enough light. I should find an IKEA and make a day of it.

    salonva thanked Seajay Sparkles
  • 5 years ago

    I’m not really familiar with most Ikea stuff except the great customizable outdoor Appalaro wall panel with shelves. That thing has a 100 uses. I did just buy a couple of Ikea dressers for our room at our sons Townhome. We may be here awhile while searching for a new home. Not sure what to expect. My delivery date is a month away. I have some Serena & Lily bedding I bought on sale a while back along with an open fret bamboo headboard and some cheap wood ebay knobs. I may leave some of it here, not sure as I’ve never seen their dressers in person.

    My buys!

    Cheap ebay knobs to finish for dressers.


    IKEA dressers and nightstand below.






    salonva thanked just_terrilynn
  • 5 years ago

    Rather be sewing - you left off "the" in you link.

    Thediymommy.com

    salonva thanked terezosa / terriks
  • 5 years ago

    We have an IKEA about an hour away. I’ve only been once. It was fun to see stuff IRL but I found the whole place confusing. My DD has used these bags for two years to move stuff to/from college. They’re great for clothes, towels, bedding.



    salonva thanked Sueb20
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    This is my favorite! The Applaro wall panel with selves. I have never used it yet without cutting the legs off as it was mounted as a bar back wall for liquor, also, we used it on a blank wall in the kitchen for open storage at ds2s home. The townhome where I’m at now has a microscopic size fenced outdoor space. I’m thinking of getting three and running them along the inside fence for vertical potted plants. You can also paint them as well as the available matching storage chest.





    salonva thanked just_terrilynn
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I love their down bed pillows. I always have a spare in case they are discontinued. My DH likes their wine glasses. We've put 2 partial and 1 full(with custom doors) IKEA kitchen in various houses. We've installed PAX closet systems in 2 houses. I purchased 2 of their pine dressers for my kids rooms from CL and sold them both 10 years later for the same price!

    I also had 2 Ektorp arm chairs with slipcovers that washed like a dream.

    salonva thanked czarinalex
  • 5 years ago

    Terrilynn, I really wanted to buy those when I was pandemic nesting but they were out of stock. I guess I should thank you for the reminder yet somehow I have managed to get by without them so clearly I don't need them.


    haha just kidding. I need them. There is a spot by the pool that NEEDS them. With the chest. :)

    salonva thanked Fori
  • 5 years ago

    I do have many IKEA kitchen organizer thingies in my real kitchen as well as truck camper.


    https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/variera-knife-tray-white-30263523/ This knife thing is a favorite. I have so many knives. I could pare them down (see what I did there?) but I much prefer storing them!

    salonva thanked Fori
  • 5 years ago

    Favorite or not, IVAR and I have been in a long, committed relationship. It's had its ups and downs.





    salonva thanked l pinkmountain
  • 5 years ago

    I am really debating on those IKEA shoe cabinets. Shoe clutter is a major problem in my life and my life with hubs.

    salonva thanked l pinkmountain
  • 5 years ago

    I've only been there once - years ago. There's one about a half hour from me but not in an area I go to for anything. I wandered through and can't remember buying anything other than some glassware that I recently sold at my garage sale. Maybe I will look at their website. I don't care for the mega-store experience but at least I could go there if I had to make a return.

    salonva thanked 3katz4me
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    DD bought the Ektorp sofas for the family room in her new house. She wanted white. She washes the cushion covers every month or so, because 3 small children and a dog…. A year and a half later they still look good.

    She also painted a Hemnes dresser. She has an applique from O’verlays to go on it but hasn’t gotten to it yet. https://www.myoverlays.com O’verlays makes composite appliques that are specifically sized to go on certain pieces of Ikea furniture.

    I love their packing cubes which they’ve discontinued, of course.

    salonva thanked bbstx
  • 5 years ago

    I bought the white Ektorp sofa almost 2 years ago. Meant to wash it every 6 months but waited over a year. It came out looking pretty good! And was easier to wash than I expected so I'll try more frequently.


    Terrilynn, I've considered using that outdoor panel at my outdoor shower faucet. Either against the house to hang items on, or even attach a few together as a shower surround. I may need to go look at it. IKEA is only like 5-10 mins drive for me, which can be a bad thing sometimes haha

    salonva thanked justcallmepool
  • 5 years ago

    We have done two Ikea kitchens (2002 and 2019) When we moved here 5 years ago, I jettisoned a lot of things. We bought a new dining table, chairs, 6 bookcases, two small benches, a bed frame and mattress, two desks. I brought my pretty red leather sofa from CA, it's still in perfect condition, but we are not sofa-sitters. A kitchen island. I love Ikea.

    salonva thanked sushipup1
  • 5 years ago

    I remember quite a while ago, seeing a blog post I think about the shoe cabinet and I was going to look into that a bit . So maybe this thread will get me to actually do that.

    So many great products you have all shared.

  • 5 years ago

    Just a comment on the IKEA shoe cabinets. I have 7.5 inch tall baseboards, and had to add stilts to the two front legs to raise the unit above the baseboard.


  • 5 years ago

    Another Ektorp slipcover sofa fan. My daughter bought it in light blue along with a white slipcover chair for her first adult home and when she moved I 'bought' them from her so she didn't have to pay to take them (she then bought new versions).


    They now live in our guest apartment which is a godsend since my son/DIL always bring their dog when they come for weekends. It's super easy to strip and wash not only the cushions but the entire couch cover. Always comes out looking great. I also like the scale; they are not oversize which works well in the small sitting area down there.


    I use their white dishes and their basic glassware as well.


    With IKEA, my only problem is that like others have mentioned I get overwhelmed. I admire the folks who can sort through the zillions of items of IKEA stock and pluck out great decor or furniture options.


    A+ to the creative folks who modify or adapt their stuff, some of the results are truly stunning.

  • 5 years ago

    Regarding the shoe cabinet…if you have men in your house with BIG feet, bring along a sample to make sure they fit in the cabinet.

  • 5 years ago

    Kitchens 100%

    The kivik and morabo sofas have served us well: we’re big people with a big dog and a toddler and they’re surprisingly sturdy and comfortable for the price.

  • 5 years ago

    A few of the end tables I like - I’m not passionately in love with the edge banding on the Stockholm tables but we always get compliments on them.

  • 5 years ago

    Godmorgon bathroom storage - for the maximalist (which I am)

  • 5 years ago

    I don’t have this exact bed but have had a variety of metal beds from ikea and they’ve always held up well.

    And their two-tier metal tables (variety of incarnations) make a nice night stand in a guest bedroom - a little different, light look, doesn’t have to match the bed.

  • 5 years ago

    Finally, I quite like these particular sheets! They seem a little heavier duty than comparably (or a bit more) priced Homesense fare.

  • 5 years ago


    Just wanted to put another word in for the nice salad bowls. They are the perfect size for an [Elaine Benes} big salad and that was my dinner tonight. I also got the prep bowl pictured and it's really useful as it's a bit deeper than others and there's a good sealing top. Then the nice egg slicer. I was staying a few blocks from an Ikea on a recent vacation and was able to do an impulse shop, as there isn't one near me otherwise. I also ordered the Duktig children's kitchen online for last Christmas and it's been a big hit with my granddaughter.

  • 5 years ago

    Talaveran, thanks for the blast from the past. :) I have 2 large glass bowls (not IKEA) from about 25 years ago that my spouse and I bought for....Big Salads, absolutely Elaine Benes-inspired big salads.


    It's time we went back to IKEA. We've been switching to glass for food storage. Spouse is not gonna be happy...but I always find IKEA fun.:) :) :)

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Great reusable grocery bags, incredibly strong, lightweight, collapsible, and long lasting.

    I use the medium and large sizes. Also useful for other purposes: transporting Christmas gifts (when snowing, they are waterproof), and most recently dirty laundry - when I left the laundry hamper downstairs.

    The double handle set (short & long) allow you to carry in hand or over shoulder.


  • 5 years ago

    “ They are the perfect size for an [Elaine Benes} big salad and that was my dinner tonight”


    haha!

  • 5 years ago

    Ha.. I didn't get the reference to Elaine Benes' Big Salad (not a seinfeld fan). I just looked it up on Youtube so now the mystery is solved (still not a fan of seinfeld humor LOL).


    I use the glass salad bowls daily-- even if you do not fill it, it makes it easier to spread a small amount of dressing across a large amt of lettuce/veggies, etc.

  • 5 years ago

    BBSTX, those overlays are so cool!

  • 5 years ago

    I just got this cart and really happy with it. I need to stain or paint it but it really is a nice sturdy piece for only $59.99. I have it at the end of my kitchen cabinets with my toaster oven on it.




  • 5 years ago

    Mtn, there are places online that sell brass leg tips ( estelle, ferrules or caps) as well. One could keep going to no end decorating their Ikea.


  • 5 years ago

    I still have the bedroom furniture we bought 30 years ago for DS. It’s in a spare room and holds a TV and storage for games, etc. I am using several Hemnes pieces in the kitchen right now until I decide on a mini remodel—-a chest of drawers for extra storage, a secretary that fits perfectly in a little niche and holds all manner of things—envelopes, stamps, tape, gift cards, decorating info. Also using a low Hemnes tv stand between two windows as a ”window seat.” I made a cushion for the top. I also bought three shades and placed them over the boring builder island pendants because I haven’t found replacements yet—a cheap interim solution.


    I used to live about an hour from two Ikeas. Now the closest one is three hours away so haven’t been in a long time—-sigh.


    Oh, I’ve also been looking at youtube videos of Ikea hacks for built in wall units/bookshelves as we have a long wall we’d like to do built-ins. Pretty amazing what some people have done.

  • 5 years ago

    I like Ikea's selection of pots and baskets for houseplants. Their little terracotta pot is a nice alternative in design to the standard ones you find at big box garden centers:

    https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/muskotblomma-plant-pot-with-saucer-indoor-outdoor-terracotta-30454891/

    I also like their decorative plant baskets for when I get a new plant in an ugly plastic container (until I can repot in terracotta or concrete planter):

    https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/druvflaeder-plant-pot-water-hyacinth-gray-80241816/

    I love their 365+ glass food storage containers.

    I like their selection of pillow covers for solid colors (never like any of their prints).

    I loved their Aina curtains but they seem to have discontinued them. I hope they return.

    Not to sound dramatic, but this Ikea item changed my life... I now use it for all grating (cheese, ginger, garlic, carrots, etc), and I love how it catches everything so neatly. I found it at Ikea, but they seem to have low supply. You can find it at the Big River site.

    I give a lot of fresh flowers as gifts, and Ikea's glass vases are always well-priced and nicely shaped.

    There are 2 Ikea stores within driving distance, and 1 on the way to one of my kids' college, so I go a few times a year. But I definitely have to be in the mood for it... it can be a trying store to get through.

  • 5 years ago

    Soooo many Ikea items....dishtowels, baking pans, napkins (paper), duvet cover, small bowls for EVOO & Balsamic when having artisan bread, sofa table (ordered & shipped during pandemic), wrapping paper, planters, gateleg table for sewing/craft room. My DH says people get trapped in IKEA & never come out....funny guy!! I am so overdue for a good IKEA day...fun thread!

  • 5 years ago

    Oh forgot—my dishes are the 365 white—still look good after 9 years, go with everything, easily replaced or added to. DH likes their plants and pots as well.