swedish wonderland.

Last week, I made an impromptu trip to IKEA. I imagine most of you have heard of {or visited} an IKEA store in your lifetime, but the experience always amazes me...even if it overwhelms me a bit too. 
Seeing as it was a spur-of-the-moment trip, all I was armed with was my iPhone camera, so bear with these photos...


I liken the entrance of IKEA to the gateway to another world...it just feels like you're taking the escalator to somewhere new and exciting!


From here until later in the post, you'll see examples of where I think IKEA has really stepped up its game. Though {cv} and I are years from owning a home {or even having to think about designing a kitchen}, I'm always impressed with just how easy they make the process. I hadn't visited a store since March of last year--and let's just say that it looked much less like IKEA and much more normal. Ok, that's not a great description...but take my word for it: there is still a good dose of modern at IKEA, but they're definitely creating a better balance between the modern and traditional...
and are likely winning a lot more fans because of it.


Love the bench with the table...


Bold blue walls + white couches = lovely {in my book!}


This sofa table was the perfect height and it seemed to be an easy color to paint over if the color didn't suit your fancy.


I've put these in my shopping bag numerous times while at IKEA, but this time, I left with them. It may be curtain wire, but as they've shown here, it's an easy way to display photos! 


Walls of sofas always crack me up.


As do walls of tables...and really a table for only $9.99? 
Why didn't I let my college roomie {si} drag me here in college?!


After my post on bookends last week, I thought it was only appropriate to capture this set!


I was dying to see the yellow end table which had been all over blogs this winter...
only to discover its now discontinued. SAD FACE.


$15 easels!? What a cute and cost-effective addition to any wedding! 
Sure, I want an antique one, but this would hold me over until I find the perfect one...


Floating shelves are my favorite. Too bad I'm too frightened to have {cv} install them for fear our cats would bring them down with one leap...in the dead of night...while we're sleeping...
and scare the living bejeezus out of me!


Hello cute craft room. I'm {av}.


Though this color of wood isn't my favorite, I couldn't help but show the closet heaven...


After a good hour roaming the showroom floor, I made the walk downstairs to where you can find what you've spotted throughout the maze of this Swedish wonderland. I could've taken a bazillion photos in the marketplace, but I needed my hands free for shopping!


phewww. After making it through the marketplace, I emerged into their giant warehouse. 
Thankfully I didn't need anything in these crazy aisles last week...


After a long day's work {ok, more like a late afternoon of shopping}, I treated myself to a cinnamon roll which cost me only $1, though I'm sure it cost me a lot more in calories ;)


On the exit, your trip ends with a ride on a shopping cart escalator--which will always amaze me.


What's your opinion of IKEA? Love it or hate it?

I hope I haven't bored you to bits. Thanks for getting to this point in the post ;) 
Crossing fingers this little jaunt to the Swedish wonderland, otherwise known as IKEA,
brought a little excitement to your Tuesday!
More tomorrow! xoxo {av}

61 comments:

  1. I love this post! I love IKEA! It is awesome! I love your pictures. I'm always in amazement when I go there. I love that the food they sell is so cheap too! Happy Tuesday! xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. J'ADORE Ikea !! I remember going to the pool filled with multicolored balls when I was a kid. Best memory ever haha. Now my apartment looks like an Ikea showroom. Obviously.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I LOVE IKEA although it is sometimes worth paying a little more at another place if you're looking for durability. But I think they're a great place for things that won't really get a lot of wear and tear and I also get so many new ideas whenever I visit.

    Jurgen and I added a bench to one side of our table and it really creates a lot more space for people to sit and also makes the room look a lot bigger - I definitely recommend it!

    xoxo
    Jenna

    ReplyDelete
  4. although my style isn't very modern, i have always loved going to ikea. i may need to go back though to see some changes they have made.

    http://lachapstickfanatique.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love it! Ikea is almost 5 hours away but the second the hubs and I move into our own house -- I will drive as fas as I have to... just to furnish it with awesome modern ikea furniture! The military is really rough on our furniture when we move so ikea is cheap enough to afford and relplace when certian movers start getting all gorilla on our coffee table =) haha! man they break a lot!

    xoXOxo
    Jenn @ Peas & Crayons

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love Ikea. My favorite stuff is all their kitchen gadgets. Like I always get new vegetable peelers and cutting boards there. Not pretty ones for show, but ones I'll actually use :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Stores Charleston doesn't have...Anthro, Crate & Barrel, and IKEA! I have to do all my shopping online. The closest one to me is Charlotte. The next time I am up there, I am going to personally see to that I go...for the first time.

    ReplyDelete
  8. IKEA is a love for me!!!!! i am so blessed to be living only ten minutes from one now!! Our entertainment center with built in shelves is from there...majority of my frames are from there too! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. ahhh i love this post. i actually FELT like i was chatting with you about all the stuff in IKEA! I actually LOVe it but i need a ton of time in there since everything is everywhere and you need to spend it searching and thinking of what you need. fabulous though! have a great tuesday!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love IKEA! Sometimes the stuff is jankey but just don't buy cheap stuff. I am actually going this weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ikea completes me!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Even though the pieces look great, they are extremely poor quality. I once bought a dresser that fell apart within a year. So it's a great place to get decoratic ideas, but its better to invest in someplace else!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've actually NEVER been to Ikea...now I can totally see why everyone says it is overwhelming. I would be in there for hours!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love it! Ikea is amazing. I could spend the whole day there (and eat some Swedish meatballs when I need a little break)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fun! IKEA can be overwhelming, but you can find some great stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I have never been to IKEA, I think its time I make a trip there after seeing this post.

    ReplyDelete
  17. i love IKEA! its great for every style and personality, and i love that they have "plain" pieces that you can spruce up on your own.

    a shopping escalator? i'm a tad jealous. we dont have one of those in our store in dallas

    ReplyDelete
  18. I sooo want to visit IKEA! The website just confuses me. The store looks super fun but super overwhelming! Thanks for the tour!

    ReplyDelete
  19. LOVE IT! its like DisneyWorld for adults. The only thing I hate is that there isn't one in Indiana. Boo.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love IKEA! One thing I never understand about it is that they offer a daycare for children, yet the store is always overpopulated with children running a muck, not that I don't love kids. I also think it is hilarious that people end up feeling so comfortable in the show rooms that families often end up having fights. Still love it though!
    ~ Julie

    ReplyDelete
  21. my husband is actually scared of me when i'm in an ikea. i about pass out from excitement. or hyperventalate. haha (: looks like your trip was a success!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Love walking through ikea and looking at all of their room inspirations! Not a fan of putting together a lot of the furniture, but that is why we have dads, and husbands, and guy friends! :)
    *Ashley {a little dash of ash}

    ReplyDelete
  23. I don't live near an Ikea, but I love the pictures. From those, I think I would be in love. Especially with that cinnomen roll and wall of couches. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love everything IKEA. 95% of my apartment was purchased there :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I've never been to Ikea! So it was fun to see inside a bit. Looks so fun to browse through!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Ikea is a little too modern for my tastes. I think I could definitely find specific items and accessories, but creating an entire room would probably never happen. I do love the easels. I haven't been in 5 years, maybe I should check it out again.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love IKEA. We make twice yearly trips to one (moving away from DC was so sad...we went before we finished packing up the moving truck) so I usually pre plan and then go to buy. I think my favorite part about IKEA is mixing items in with my antiques, and more lived in pieces. This post has me thinking I should do a what we got from IKEA post, it helped update our house big time. So jealous about the much deserved cinnamon bun!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I LOVE IKEA!!!! Going there is always such a fun trip! :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. I have an IKEA 10 mins from my house and believe me when I say I take FULL advantage! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love IKEA! In my old apartment, every single piece of furniture was from IKEA. No kidding.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks for stopping by my blog :) I LOVE ikea!!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I absolutely love Ikea, and I an always do some serious damage in there! I had an apartment full of Ikea furniture in college. It lasted it's fair share of time, but after several moves it had to go.

    And the cinnamon rolls are amazing...

    ReplyDelete
  33. I have still never been to an IKEA... but they are building one in south Denver and I'm hoping to be around so I can go there when it opens! (:

    It's interesting to hear that they are mixing in some traditional stuff too, because I'm not a huge fan of super contemporary design. That would definitely appeal to me.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I absolutely LOVE IKEA. We used to go when we were little and play in the room of balls. Mom would drop my sister and I off so she could shop in peace. Which is probably why I love it soo much now. The displays are awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  35. isn't it the best?? I'm always saying I could live in ikea!

    ReplyDelete
  36. LOVE it - although I definitely have to be in the right mood - always feels like a giant commitment - but a good one!

    I love that photo display idea!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Can we go on a Swedish road trip soon? You always find things that people like me overlook . . . like all the tiny details at Anthropologie that I never would have noticed! Loved this photo tour!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Wow......looks amazing!!! Can you believe I have Never been to IKEA? Crazy I know!
    Thanks for the pictures....looks like someplace I need to check out.
    I'm a new follower.
    Amy's Life @
    www.amyclairejacob.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  39. I love a good trip to Ikea...there are so many great finds there! I have been looking for some hanging picture shelves (long and flat) and have seen them in many places but overlooked Ikea (I'm sure their price will be the best), I am glad I spotted them in your pictures-I will have to head over and check them out!

    ReplyDelete
  40. LOVE IT but hate putting it together!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I love Ikea. We have one close by and so we go fairly often but each time, I make my husband walk through the whole store, I just love looking at all the rooms they have set up. And since I AM in the market for a new kitchen, it's such a great source of inspiration! Anddd the cinnamon buns win me over too!

    ReplyDelete
  42. so fun! i love ikea.. h is obsessed, he would furnish our whole apt if he could. xoxo jcd:: cornflake dreams

    ReplyDelete
  43. How I adore IKEA-I brought John for the first time just this month, and while I think he was moderately terrified at the start, he really enjoyed himself. Besides, is there anything better than a cinnamon roll or frozen yogurt (my pick, every time) at the end of a long IKEA journey?

    ReplyDelete
  44. I love it, but the crowds of rude people totally stress me out. I feel like I am lucky to come out without an injury the way people shop in there.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Who doesn't love IKEA? I need to take those people to the food court and make them try a swedish meatball, or their mac and cheese!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I love it, but like you, I get overwhelmed when I go there! I love your post though--it helps break it down for me! :)

    ReplyDelete
  47. I adore IKEA! It's dangeously addicting. :)

    ReplyDelete
  48. I always think of Fight Club when I hear Ikea. haha

    ReplyDelete
  49. I love IKEA!! I could do some serious damage to my bank account if I really wanted to. I've noticed them changing their look a little too and I'm totally digging it. This makes me want to go shopping lol.

    xo, Kelsey

    ReplyDelete
  50. we have way too much from ikea (and plan to get more)! the floating shelf in my kitchen full of cookbooks, the hemnes bed & dresser set, and our kids have some storage too. :) i'm so glad there's one close! i will just never EVER go there on a saturday again ;)

    ReplyDelete
  51. you know I share this love :) we should make a trip together sometime!

    ReplyDelete
  52. I LOVE Ikea. Sooo inexpensive and trendy! The closest one to me is an hour away, but I'll use any excuse to head out that way. I like being able to take it home and built it because I'm that kind of gal.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Love this post!! I have yet to visit an IKEA, but I hope to very soon!! Your trip looked like so much fun -- I love the room w/ the navy walls and the white couches, the easels are adorable, and my mouth is watering b/c of you cinnamon roll :) xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  54. I love Ikea. I learned many things from your post, Please make more. Thanks for giving new designand ideas.
    residential interior designer

    ReplyDelete
  55. Great post! I am impressed with the article and thanks very much for sharing good information.
    deck builder

    ReplyDelete
  56. In love with those Modern interiors :) nice post!!
    Modern interior design has become very popular over the last decade. This is mainly due to the simple, clean design for maintenance, much easier than other models allow.I too prefer to have a specialized residential interior designers everytime to design my home decor .I recently got my home interiors finely done by a
    Luxury Home Designer in Miami and its amazing.Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete