Baby's First Trip to IKEA

The family took a trip to IKEA in Elizabeth, NJ today to check out their kitchen cabinet options. To be honest, we weren't blown away by anything, but we will probably chose something from IKEA to keep our cabinetry costs down.

Here are some items that did catch my eye when we were there:

Jakob Swivel Chair for $139



The Jakob chair seems to be IKEA's take on the Saarinen Tulip chair. While clearly not the original, the Jakob chair does maintain a nice rounded shell to envelop your backside. It comes with a thin cushion that could use a little more substance to it, but it is a nice addition for comfort.



Tobias Chair for $89.99



The Tobias Chair was my favorite new piece of furniture that we saw at IKEA today. I love the clear plastic seat (reminiscent of the Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck - the original clear plastic chair) and the chrome plated legs. Also, this chair happened to be quite comfy on the old derriere (no cushion necessary).



Lunna Chair for $129



This was my favorite of the lounge chairs that IKEA had to offer. The base of the Lunna chair looks a bit cheap, but overall, I like the design and I think that the black and white floral pattern is nice and graphic (a good example of traditional design - the floral morif - done in a modern way - in black and white). If, however, anyone has problems getting up from a seated position in regular chairs, this would not be the chair for you because it is fairly low and deep. Also, the seat slants downward ever so slightly to meet the back of the chair making for a challenging attempt to rise out of the chair in any sort of suave fashion.



Andrea Kakel Bedding - $19.99 for a quilt cover and 2 pillowcases (!)



I absolutely adore this quilt cover and these pillowcases that we saw today. The color is a very warm, deep orange - perfect for a soothing and inviting bedroom. I was ready to hop into the display bed as I was browsing. They are 100% cotton, and I really love the sort of middle eastern pattern. Very exotic and unusual, and, if I dare say so, romantic for the boudoir.



Polarvide Throw for $3.99



I love the playful edges on this easy to use/store throw. All of the colors have a different edge design and my favorites were the red, bright green, bright yellow, and green. Unfortunately, the edges on the black, navy, and white versions were very bland and not at all as playful as the brighter colors. These throws are a lightweight fleece so they are extremely cozy, easy to clean, and can be thrown in a bag as a shawl. They are 67" x 51" - a manageable size for everyday. And for $3.99 you really could get one in every color...



Now for the bad. Every time I go to IKEA I see the Krabb mirrors (they even have a bad name!) and they make me cringe:



I've seen them at IKEA and in some apartments, and I've got to say, they are awful. I think the design is completely cheesy, unsophisticated, or clever. I hate one on its own so imagine how I feel when I see them in a group of three! It's not good. (Oh, and if you noticed, I have not included the link to the IKEA website for these mirrors because I really don't think you should buy them!)


That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this post about our baby's first trip to the Swedish wonderland that is IKEA.