Viva IKEA!

Meatballs, anyone? I’m pretty sure the last time I dined cafeteria-style was in one of the dining halls during freshman year of college, so I suppose I was due for some slide-your-tray-to-the-desired-cuisine kind of eating. So when Amber and I were cruising through IKEA around lunchtime last week, we decided to swing into the IKEA Restaurant and Café for some eats. Normally I’m not a big meat eater, but the meatballs with lingonberries came highly recommended, so we both gave them a whirl (this was also the day I ate the pastry of deliciousness from Les Madeleines, so I was definitely in need of some protein to calm my sugary center). And the verdict? Well, they were pretty good for meatballs (again, meat is not really my thing), and the lingonberries were delightfully tart. It also came with a heaping dollop of mashed potatoes, which is always a plus. And in true IKEA fashion, the entire meal was less than $5, so you can’t beat that.

So after lunch we did some more browsing. And more browsing. Seriously, IKEA is gigantic, and it takes hours to get through that place. But we had loads of fun picking out frames for Amber’s living room and the baby’s room and checking out beautiful kitchens and closets that we had no intention of buying. I’m convinced that the IKEA experience is six parts eye candy to one part actual buying, so I’d say we came out perfectly.

And speaking of buying, I’ve been searching for silver candlesticks for a long time now, but for nearly a year I’ve been unsuccessful because of two important stipulations: They must look real, and they must be inexpensive. So that automatically knocked out the set from Pottery Barn I’ve been ogling for months (the smallest candlestick is a whopping $34, so by the time I bought three in ascending sizes, it would officially exit the “inexpensive” category). Amber had two super pretty candlesticks on her mantel in Salt Lake, and when I asked where she found them, she said IKEA. Yahoo! So on our trip to the store that has everything, I snagged three lovely silver candlesticks for less than I would have spent on one from Pottery Barn. And they look pretty real, right? Unless you pick them up and realize how unbelievably light they are (there will be no Clue-style candlestick nonsense with these puppies), there’s no telling they’re not the real thing. So their visual accuracy outweighs (bahaha!) their physical shortcomings. I’d say that’s a win for the home décor team.

And what visit to IKEA would be complete without snagging the latest catalogue? I brought this home to Jared so he could peruse the pages and pretend he was there (because I’m a considerate wifey like that). So now we’re all set for the next time we have a visual craving for Swedish furniture and accessories. There are so many great pieces and knick knacks that have me drooling in that store. Thankfully this time around, the buying was limited to what I could fit in my carry-on luggage. Maybe next time I’ll drive. Hmm…

Are any of you gaga for IKEA design? Any pieces you’ve been wishing for or faves you’ve already brought home? Or is there another store that strikes your designing fancy? Let’s hear it!

XO,
Katrina