I hope everyone is having a great fall season so far. I don’t know about you but there’s something about the fall that makes me want to get the house organized and in tip top shape. I wanted to share a few of my favorite things that I pick up when I make the trip to Ikea. I’ll be honest, I used to view Ikea with more of a negative light but over the years I’ve found so many great things worth buying from there. You have to be a little choosy on some things but there is a lot of great deals to be had. Here is my top 10 list. I’m sure I left a few things out, too many to remember!
1.Faux Greenery
Honestly, I’ve tried too many live plants to count and without fail they bit the dust with no thanks to me. I just struggle when it comes to real plants in the house. I always forget about them or I can’t seem to get them in the right place with the right amount of sunlight that they need. Ikea has been great for realistic greenery that you don’t have to remember. It’s like my kind of plant! They have several to choose from and the best part is that they’re extremely affordable.
2. Curtain Panels
I know it’s not the best photo to showcase curtains but I tend to stick with simple white curtains so the sunlight is not my friend in this picture. I love Ikea’s curtain selection. I’m more of a neutral curtain kind of gal and I like to stick with non-prints so Ikea is my go-to curtain store. Not to mention, the average price is $10-$30 for two panels! You can’t beat that price I’ve tried. If you’re like me and you like to hang your panels higher up above the window Ikea’s great because almost every panel comes up to 108″ long. What’s the quality like? I haven’t had one panel not hold up yet. The curtains I have in my bedroom I’ve had for 7-8 years now, they still carry them in the store. I’ve washed them and dried them more times than I can count and they still look great!
3. Quilts & Duvets
I’ll admit it. I’ve always been a bedding snob in the past. I still am when it comes to sheets. I don’t know if I’ll ever give up my Martha Stewart sheet ways but the quilt is a good start. Anytime I’ve need bedding I found myself shopping at Pottery Barn. They can be pricey but the quality is great. Recently I decided to finally give an Ikea quilt a chance. I’m happy to report after almost a year it’s been great! I LOVED the price foremost but surprisingly the quilt has kept it’s bright white color, washes great and hasn’t lost its shape. I’ve absolutely love it. They duvets aren’t much different. They’re very affordable and wash well also. I’m not always crazy about their patterns but I have found some really cute ones.
4. Apron Sinks
You can read more about the sink in our recent kitchen post but I wanted to make sure I included their apron sinks on the list. Not only do I love mine but I know several ladies who also love their apron sinks from Ikea. They have the very best price I have found yet. Downside, there’s only one faucet hole but they do make drill bits for that purpose if more holes are needed for your preferred faucet.
5. Wicker Chairs
I wont go into too much detail on these. I think they speak for themselves but I had originally bought one for our family room and after a couple days I went right back to the store and purchased a second. They’re surprisingly comfortable and for only $114 a piece they’re a great, cozy addition to any room.
6. Butcher Block Counter Tops
We decided to go with butcher block counter tops after a few months of using our b.b island counter top that we purchased from Ikea. When we found these b.b. counter tops on clearance one day we updated our whole kitchen with them. I couldn’t be happier with them. They come unfinished and you have to make your own cuts. It’s pretty easy considering the affordability. We decided to leave ours the natural wood tone and just seal them using Waterlox. If you’re considering butcher block be sure to check out Ikea before you order.
6. Pillow Inserts
Hands down, the best place to buy those down pillow inserts. Their pillow inserts are fantastic! It’s become the only place that I purchase my pillows now. They have several different sizes. I mainly buy the 20×20 and the lumbar size inserts.
7. Pillow Covers
This brings my to number 7 – pillow covers. I also have had great luck with their cotton pillow covers. I’m not always crazy about their colors or patterns but they always have at least a couple that I love. They’re always worth the look!
8. Hooks
Anytime I need wall hooks I make sure to check Ikea first. They have a good selection at great prices. These hooks in Charlie’s door way have rotated around our house over the last nine years and they’re still going strong.
10. Ektorp Chair and Sofa Line
This is an old photo of our family room but you’ll get the idea. We purchased our Ektorp sectional right after we moved into our in January. I had wanted this sectional for years and I’m so glad I took the plunge. I did a lot of research before I bought it. I made sure to read plenty of reviews. I don’t think I read one bad review. I can say after owning one it’s been amazing! I’m totally sold on the Ektorp line. It hasn’t lost it’s comfort or form and best part they sell several different slip covers so if I get tired of this one I can switch it up. It the covers are very easy to wash and put back on. If you’re not a sectional kind of person, they also make sofas, loveseats and armchairs in this same style.
That’s my list friends! I think there’s probably something for everyone on the list. If you have a favorite thing to buy at Ikea I’d love to know what it is. I’m finding new things to purchase from them all the time and am always up for a suggestion.
Have a great week friends!
Source List – Faux Greenery | Curtain Panels | Quilt | Apron Sink | Wicker Arm Chair | Butcher Block | Pillow Inserts | Pillow Covers | Hooks | Sectional
chris aka monkey says
you certainly helped me make up my mind about the sectional thanks xx
Junita Bender says
Hey! We just chatted quickly on Instagram about your counter tops. We are building (a farmhouse) this spring and I’ve always wanted a butcher block counter top on my island, but we’ve read a few negative things about maintaining them. Now that it’s been a bit, how do you like them? Do you need to keep resealing them? Do they dent? Can you put hot kettles or casseroles directly on them? Do you need to keep water wiped up from them? Any details to help us make our decision would be so much appreciated! If you’d like to answer directly via email I’m totally cool with that!
Amanda says
Hey Junita! I’ll just answer your questions here in case anyone else is wondering the same thing 🙂
Like you, I really considered all our counter top opinions. I had originally thought I wanted marble but after researching a lot about colonial homes I decided to stick with butcher block which is true to the colonial style and it does not have to be babied as much as marble. I also spoke with a couple people who have had butcher block counters for years. We decided to try the butcher block on our island first and see how it went before doing the entire kitchen. I searched and searched on how to seal it so that it would last. Just about every thing I read said that Waterlox was the way to go. It’s the most heavy duty and does not have to be reapplied every 6 months-a year like the oil does. It’s not sold in most home improvement stores. I ordered mine on Amazon. It’s a little pricey but it’s great stuff! I applied four coats of the Waterlox like recommended by the manufacture and so far so good! I even left an instant popsicle maker out on the island to de-thaw and completely forgot about it. It sat there for three days with a huge water puddle under it… I was certain it was going to mess the counter top up but it was perfectly fine! No stains, bubbling, nothing! I don’t set hot pans directly onto the counter top. I always use a trivet but I also did that with the laminate counter tops that used to be there as well. I have not had any staining and I do try to keep any water puddles wiped up. We dry pots and pans on a towel by the sink weekly and it hasn’t been a problem at all. I’ve had only a good experience. I just clean them with a damp, soapy rag and make sure there is not a lot of standing water on them anywhere. I know if they do stain they can be sanded and resealed. I don’t see us needed to reseal them anytime soon. The people that I know that have used Waterlox have not needed to reseal their counter tops or for at least a few years. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have anymore questions. 🙂