How come I never heard of IKEA before?
I mean, I read the paper. I watch the decorating shows sometimes. I talk to people. It isn't like I bury my head in the sand. So how has the biggest store in decorating history, which enjoys an almost cult-like following and which produces the most widely-read catalog in the world, in numbers approaching the printing of the Bible, escaped my attention for so long?
I really do wonder...
Well, last Friday, Sharon and I experienced IKEA in Atlanta. And now I know why people drive for 500 miles, pulling a U-Haul trailer behind their SUV, to shop at this store. To coin the current teen vernacular....IKEA is WAY COOL! IKEA is known for its Scandinavian, modern style furniture, accessories, and practical storage solutions. But really there is something for everyone, including me.
This was a shopping experience not for the faint of heart. We wisely wore our comfy shoes and were prepared to walk miles through the 15 acre labyrinth that is IKEA's showroom and marketplace. We had just finished a big lunch and as we entered the store were not immediately tempted by the scent of the delicious smelling Swedish meatballs and cinnamon rolls wafting over from the cafe'. Smiling, we passed quickly by the free, supervised, children's playland and boarded the escalator to the second floor, grabbing a cart to begin our shopping adventure. The cart itself was fun. It rolled not only forward and backward, but also from side to side, allowing me to rapidly change direction when something caught my eye, and hopefully not knock some unsuspecting shopper off his feet in the process. The prices caused me instant glee. The stuff is cheap!
My main goal on this outing was to finish the decorating of Abby and Lacy's room. They moved in together in the late spring and we had not yet converted their room over from the little-girl-princess-room, a la Holly and Maggie. Abby was unwavering in that she wanted it to look mature, bright, modern, and NOT babyish. We had already painted the walls pale blue, and Abby brought her hot pink rug and chair from her other room. So I was thinking lots of black and white would give the room just the sophistication Abby was looking for. Thankfully, mellow Lacy couldn't really care less about their room's decor; she was just happy to go along with Abby's preferences.
Spending over an hour on IKEA's website before I ventured into the store was a good idea. I had a list of what I was looking for....bedding, curtains, a bookshelf, mirrors, a desk chair, and accessories. I'm glad I did my homework, otherwise I would have been totally overwhelmed. We shopped for nearly four hours on our first visit, using our cell phones to communicate fantastic finds. Then on Sunday, we decided to go back and buy everything we wished we had gotten on Friday.
I could tell you a lot more about IKEA, but really you just need to experience it for yourself. Here is the girl's room, pulled together at last.
I love it...arf, arf!
No comments:
Post a Comment