To not replace all my IKEA stuff

[Missmarple87]

Why are people so snooty about IKEA? My friend told me she was slowly replacing all of her IKEA home stuff because she didn't feel it was 'grown up' enough. This was in the context of me discussing a purchase - the only one I liked was IKEA.

Now my house is by no means 100% IKEA but a surprising amount of the furniture is (storage, shelving, kids beds, a desk etc). I actually really love the airy, scandi look and it works well in my home with my art and paint choices. If you choose wisely, it also lasts and doesn't NEED replacing so feels wasteful to do so.

Are you snooty about IKEA? Or do you love it? (Would love to see photos of IKEA stuff looking amazing if anyone is willing!)

@Missmarple87 I have two tall chests of drawers in my late daughters former bedroom (now her daughters room). Drawers are now 26 years old!!! I used wood glue in every single joint and dowel as I was building them and they have been moved in and out of the room numerous times for redecoration!! they are still as steady as a rock!!! best buy ever!

Like most places IKEA offers a range from very cheap to high end. Some stuff looks naff and cheap, other stuff is great.

DS has had Malm drawers for years, they are big deep, practical and strong. No need to replace them. We were doing DDs room out recently, we wanted the 3 by 3 malm drawers but they were just too wide for the spot so looked at the Kullen set that were not as wide and they were absolutely crap!

We have a mix of price ranges in our house but can’t beat Ikea for strong storage options.

Depends what you buy, I think. The contents of my kitchen is 90% ikea, and a lot of my furniture - some of it in better nick than others!

Malm doesn't wear as well as hemnes for example, but the price reflects that. I'd rather buy ikea and spend my cash on holidays, than have a crazily expensive coffee table that I have to sit at home and look at 24/7!

100% yes, IKEA furniture is very much seen as “starter home” furniture and most people will replace it as they get older/have more money. Probably a lot more so than in the UK.

I think they have some great items but after moving house, I am mostly replacing any IKEA bits with higher quality (solid wood, often antique from marketplace for less than the ikea cost to begin with!). The thing I really don’t like about it is that it is so recognisable as ikea and recognisable from almost every rental I’ve ever seen. You just get a bit fed up looking at it. There are loads of “hacks” for tarting up their standard ranges, but that probably ends up costing as much (not to mention in time) as more high end stuff for many people.
can’t beat their cheese graters though!

I think it's difficult to rival IKEA for things like wardrobes, without building bespoke. We are looking at the moment and keep coming back to IKEA because we can make them exactly what we need, internally, for the same price as similar quality "plain" wardrobes from elsewhere.

I also don't care where anyone buys any of their furniture. As long as they have stuff they love and use as they need, not something I can see how anyone should be judging.

Love IKEA.

For the price I think the quality is usually outstanding.

All 3 dc's bedrooms are mainly IKEA furniture, including the shelving/storage. Then we have odd bits (Kallax, shelving, bookcases) scattered throughout the house. All solid, last for years and look lovely.

On one visit I picked up a small white side table for seven quid. It's very basic but solid. I didn't want anything fancy as it was literally just to slot in between a sofa and the wall where you can't even see it...I had doubts about how long it would last but got excited at the £7 price tag 😂

WELL. That was about 3 years ago and my £7 side table is still brand-new looking - despite being used several times a day with hot and cold drinks being placed on it (usually without coasters) and randomly wiped over with a wet sponge, with zero care. There's not so much as a scratch on the table surface.

I have an obscene amount of Kallax. It's honestly out of hand.

I'm still using some IKEA stuff from the early 90s. It's lasted very well.

I like simple, unfussy furniture so it suits me.

I have Billy bookcases galore and they will stay, but really like searching for bargains on FB Marketplace and have picked up some good quality, solid wood items on there. I don't want covered chipboard/MDF stuff any more (I know IKEA do some real wood as well, but I like a second hand bargain).

Generally I don't like IKEA. But you can't beat Malm. Not replacing my draws ever.

I 'm kicking myself for getting rid of some of our older IKEA furniture when we moved. I put together some Besta cupboards yesterday and was shocked, you could see how cheaply made they are compared to cupboards a few years ago. The older stuff was so sturdy. Having said that, I personally wouldn't bother replacing IKEA just because it's IKEA.

I’ve had a Billy bookcase for 25 years, & a couple of Malm chest of 6 drawers. To make sure they don’t fall apart, glue them too.

I love 💕 💕 💕 💕 IKEA!!!! Brought lots of stuff when I had my first home and children nearly 20 years ago.....most of it is still going strong!!! I've noticed though the newer stuff isn't the same quality?? Hmmm so far we have 3 beds, wardrobes, desks, chest of drawers and kallax units. Long live IKEA!! 😍😂

We have plenty of IKEA. All our chests of drawers, and our sofa some other bits and pieces. Beds.

Mind you, our sitting room is MINISCULE and I can't find a sofa for less than a billion pounds that is small enough for it - the fashion for the last few years has been deep sofas, and they just don't fit. The Ektorp looks much better and gives us a bit of space.

My house is kitted out with Ikea furniture and modular pine shelving that I've had for years. If you are careful with Ikea stuff, it lasts and lasts. The solid wood furniture is the best quality to choose, in my experience.

Some. But like someone said, there are cheap things at Ikea and some higher end stuff. They do have some great things, but I think it’s best combined with other furniture.

To me (I’m in Sweden) it’s not so much Scandi style though, or is it..?

Its the Malm drawers that are top of our replace list... its those flimsy bits across the front between the drawers.

Love IKEA but the cheaper end stuff can be pretty flimsy. I absolutely loved the hemnes range and have had pieces in my home for years but it's very noticeable when I see the current versions that they have been downgraded in quality, I have a dresser and fancied buying a second one and was shocked that without even seeing them side by side the current model was way down in quality. I think similar for the daybed and a few other items

we live in multimillion home and many of the rooms are kitted in ikea - it’s all about how you style it. There are even blogs/ channels on how to hack ikea stuff and turn it into something really nice.

IKEA has changed. When it first came to this country (30 plus years ago) it sold cheapo stuff aimed at students and people setting up their first house. Alongside this it also sold much more expensive items from their designers. More like Habitat used to be at its inception. There really were aspirational items alongside very accessible items. It was fresh and different.

Things have changed. Quality isn’t what it was. There is no more higher end, almost artisan type stuff. Just a load of tat from China that they give a scandi name.

IKEA furniture is generally much better quality than anything in a similar price bracket, and the functionality is usually much better thought out.

Noooo I love IKEA! My house is full of awkward alcoves and nooks and crannies and IKEA always comes through with the goods in the exact right measurements! No where else does it as well as IKEA. Everything being modular and being able to put it together a million different ways is awesome. It has got pricier over the years but I think the quality has gone up with it. It’s better quality than anything I’ve bought elsewhere.

Hemnes, woollen rugs, cushion covers, outdoor furniture yes yes yes.

Malm, Billy, and other things that are MDF no. They don't last moving house, heavy things, and children etc.

Billy shelves + doors + inset lights are super underrated and look lovely, lasted us a good few years, but when we had to dismantle them and put them back together that was the end of those.

I don't think it's as good quality as it used to be. We previously had some Pax wardrobes that were really solid and well-made. Looked again recently and I was quite shocked at how flimsy they are now.

Haven't had particularly good experiences with mattresses, kitchens or sofas either. They were ok and probably good for the price but not as durable as more expensive stuff.