I used to knock Ikea but for flat pack it's actually great value. I needed to kit a room out for cheap and went with the Brimes range. http://m.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/art/10218027/
I added some led lighting and a desk from another range and it looks good. I also love how their stuff has neat cut outs for cables etc.
never thought about milton keynes, i can get there on the bus for free too. where is it on foot in relation to the bus or train station do you know?
It's not so much in Milton Keynes as Bletchley, where it's a fairly good walk from the bus station, not sure where the train station is in relation to it.
IIRC it's next door to the Asda store, and fairly near the Stadium/B&Q.
Another vote for Poäng armchairs - comfortable, strong and well designed by that Japanese guy. With the leather cushions my two will probably stil be rocking long after I'm gone.
I also have a Billy bookcase which goes unused in the shed because I don't read real books any more LOL.
My husband was a cabinet maker and I remember going to the Warrington branch with him, we walked round and he said he had never seen such rubbish furniture in his life.
Some of our friends have some and they love it.
My husband was a cabinet maker and I remember going to the Warrington branch with him, we walked round and he said he had never seen such rubbish furniture in his life.
Some of our friends have some and they love it.
I'm surprised all the stuff I bought in 1996 hasn't yet fallen apart if it's so crap let alone stand up to daily use. Ikea do different ranges at multiple price points and build quality. The kind of furniture your husband made would probably be out of my price range as I only had a couple of thousand pounds to furnish a house with.
I'm surprised all the stuff I bought in 1996 hasn't yet fallen apart if it's so crap let alone stand up to daily use. Ikea do different ranges at multiple price points and build quality. The kind of furniture your husband made would probably be out of my price range as I only had a couple of thousand pounds to furnish a house with.
Indeed. Most of us would love to have handcrafted, bespoke, solid wood furniture, but IKEA and similar places cater for average people on average incomes, and for the price you pay what you get is pretty sturdy, reliable and looks good.
Indeed. Most of us would love to have handcrafted, bespoke, solid wood furniture, but IKEA and similar places cater for average people on average incomes, and for the price you pay what you get is pretty sturdy, reliable and looks good.
also you can buy it for tarting about with and making it personal because it`s so cheap.
My husband was a cabinet maker and I remember going to the Warrington branch with him, we walked round and he said he had never seen such rubbish furniture in his life.
Some of our friends have some and they love it.
If you're a cabinet maker the quality of your stuff is going to be good, and you're going to be using good (if not the best) materials you can, because for the time and effort involved in making it by hand it's pointless to use cheaper materials (especially as the cost of the time for a good cabinet maker will likely be as much as the materials).
And of course solid wood with good joints will last longer than particle board.
However for most of the population mass prosuced furniture (especially flat packed) is the norm as it's affordable.
And in terms of flat pack, Ikea is probably the best without paying a lot more, it's certainly better than some of the stuff I've paid twice as much for, and they've given some thought as to how the average person will put them together
Having built up MFI, B&Q, Homebase and Argos flatpacks, the Ikea stuff was a joy - especially as on the rare occasions a part is missing you can get it from the store, I actually had one of the store employees go and open a fresh pack up because I'd got two of one part when there should have been a mirrored part (I didn't even need to take the whole unit back with me, just the part.).
When something like that has happened with Argos in the past it's been a case of either lugging the whole thing back, or waiting weeks for a part to be sent out.
My husband loves the Expedit shelving unit (black and beech) as they hold his huge vinyl record collection pretty well.
Expedit here as well. I'd been hunting around for years for a bookcase sturdy enough, and most of all deep enough to fit my bigger books (photography, expo catalogues etc) and Expedit is just perfect.
I positioned two 8-square units horizontally, so they also function as a sideboard and TV stand. I've had many people commenting on how good it looks.
And this is why I like Ikea so much - simple designs that fit in anywhere, practical and affordable.
(Having said that, I'd never go for their cheapest ranges which mainly seem to be aimed at skint students. That stuff does look very flimsy.)
I also like Ikea beds, the sort that's a bunk with a desk underneath.
I have a Malm ottoman bed in the spare room. It's very sturdy. However, I was annoyed because the website gave the dimensions of the sleeping area only, not the whole thing (the sides extend a bit from the sleeping area) and it only just fits the room. I was expecting it to be smaller. It's daft that they didn't give the dimensions of the whole thing.
Comments
I added some led lighting and a desk from another range and it looks good. I also love how their stuff has neat cut outs for cables etc.
Wish I could help you Annette but I have no idea where either of those are!
It's not so much in Milton Keynes as Bletchley, where it's a fairly good walk from the bus station, not sure where the train station is in relation to it.
IIRC it's next door to the Asda store, and fairly near the Stadium/B&Q.
I also have a Billy bookcase which goes unused in the shed because I don't read real books any more LOL.
Some of our friends have some and they love it.
Indeed. Most of us would love to have handcrafted, bespoke, solid wood furniture, but IKEA and similar places cater for average people on average incomes, and for the price you pay what you get is pretty sturdy, reliable and looks good.
also you can buy it for tarting about with and making it personal because it`s so cheap.
If you're a cabinet maker the quality of your stuff is going to be good, and you're going to be using good (if not the best) materials you can, because for the time and effort involved in making it by hand it's pointless to use cheaper materials (especially as the cost of the time for a good cabinet maker will likely be as much as the materials).
And of course solid wood with good joints will last longer than particle board.
However for most of the population mass prosuced furniture (especially flat packed) is the norm as it's affordable.
And in terms of flat pack, Ikea is probably the best without paying a lot more, it's certainly better than some of the stuff I've paid twice as much for, and they've given some thought as to how the average person will put them together
Having built up MFI, B&Q, Homebase and Argos flatpacks, the Ikea stuff was a joy - especially as on the rare occasions a part is missing you can get it from the store, I actually had one of the store employees go and open a fresh pack up because I'd got two of one part when there should have been a mirrored part (I didn't even need to take the whole unit back with me, just the part.).
When something like that has happened with Argos in the past it's been a case of either lugging the whole thing back, or waiting weeks for a part to be sent out.
Has anyone on here got one ? if so your opinion would be appreciated.
(its a kitchen island by the way )
Expedit here as well. I'd been hunting around for years for a bookcase sturdy enough, and most of all deep enough to fit my bigger books (photography, expo catalogues etc) and Expedit is just perfect.
I positioned two 8-square units horizontally, so they also function as a sideboard and TV stand. I've had many people commenting on how good it looks.
And this is why I like Ikea so much - simple designs that fit in anywhere, practical and affordable.
(Having said that, I'd never go for their cheapest ranges which mainly seem to be aimed at skint students. That stuff does look very flimsy.)