After a trip to Ikea (get the blog post title now?) with my mom this week I am here to say - I'm over it. Here are my reasons:
1. Nothing good comes from do it yourself furniture building.
Look, if I want good furniture I'm going to purchase it already assembled. When I say already assembled I mean no Allen wrenches. When I say no Allen wrenches I mean good stuff - real stuff - true furniture. If I want some piece it together crap I need to re-evaluate my investment.
I have seen some beautiful storage pieces in friends homes from Ikea and I like those but the majority I did not care for.
2. I do not live in an apartment in a bustling metropolis that fits the Ikea style.
All the set ups were reminiscent of hmmm....a NYC based Bravo show. I do not live in upper Manhattan. I have five acres in rural North Carolina. The svelt modern rectangular lines of Ikea's designs are not conducive to my environment - however I can say that some of it would make a good conversation piece or break up of repetitive of style.
3. Cheap!
Some of the items reminded me of another store....it called Walmart...Kmart....Target. The interesting storage was nonexistent this trip. The collapsible box is not a new and bright invention and I can purchase them anywhere for the same price. The pricing was off a bit for a company that is trying to be very forward focused and consumer friendly. This comes from the queen mother of cheap skates. I know my pricing on many of the objects found at Ikea and I know the comparable pricing at other stores. You didn't get me!
4. Large & Limited.
I was taken aback at how limited the store was for this trip. Yes, its the size of North Atlanta but seriously is that ALL they had to offer up. I can demo fifty-five of the same plate and take up 50 yards at my home. The home décor section was an armpit - only taking up a minimal amount of space and being quite foul. This is totally an American sales tactic - put the stuff in an semi finished store, pile it to the ceiling and Americans will go crazy (a la Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's) Ikea knows how the old red, white, and blue shopper falls for these things....kudos for catching on!
5. Inability to purchase a display.
I found a metal pitcher I wanted. It was $5.99 and sitting in a spot where it had obviously been placed by another shopper. I saw no others. I took it to the register and was told I couldn't purchase a display. I explained there weren't any others --- we had looked. I was then told I couldn't purchase a display (yet again). I wasn't given a reason. So I said okie dokie ring up the rest. I seriously did not understand the point in this - it wasn't furniture or equipment or an electronic. It was a freaking metal pitcher.
6. Horse meat.
Um yeah - so they were busted for serving horse meat in meatballs. I don't mind my European friends but this American girl prefers her horsey friends in a pasture grazing and looking majestic. She prefers them to gain love and care from her daughter's dance teacher or get good TLC from a great Veterinarian name Michelle. I do not want them on my or even near my plate....unless I am bringing a plate of carrots and apples to them.
After saying all this I did leave with three items that were needed and priced fantastically -
1. Plates (6 pack) $1.992. Cups $1.99
3. Reusable shopping bag big enough for my weekly grocery trip .57
I was also impressed with a few rugs I saw there....so yes, I bet I go back in the fall. :-) As all things are in retail no matter American, Swedish, or French there are times when the stores fall short of what they promise - its called transition periods. So maybe next time I'll be writing a post that starts off: OMG totally racked up at the old Tennessee Walking Palomino Ikea today!
If you are wondering what we ate....Chic-Fil-A. To which brings my mom wondering which one in Charlotte that Lysa Terkeurst's hubby runs.
Probably the one with gold plated forks.....not bought at Ikea.
xx
Brownie
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