NOW CLOSED IKEA Storage Feedback thread - open to all MNers with any IKEA storage - you could win £75

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the MN testers who received one of the items below to test and have been trying it out for the last week or so.

The items being tested were:

ANTONIUS wire basket
GODMORGON bathroom cabinet
STUVA storage bench
TJUSIG bench with shoe storage
EKTORP BROMMA footstool
RATIONELL VARIERA plate holder

IKEA welcome all feedback on all of their storage products so if you are a ANTONIUS fan already or have a BILLY bookcase (etc) please let them know what you think of it here - everyone who is not an official tester but who adds some feedback on any IKEA storage product will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will get £75

IKEA would like to know what you think generally but also would like to know your responses to the following questions. In your response please state the name of the product you are testing or that you own. For some products (eg the plate holder) not all the questions will be relevant so please answer accordingly.

Item name
Function - how do you use the item?
What do you store in the item?
Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?

Thanks and best of luck

MNHQ

Not an official tester

Item name

Billy bookcase, white, with extention on top and glass doors on both bits

Function - how do you use the item?

Stores book, displays ornaments

What do you store in the item?

Books mainly, also some smaller toys and displays a couple of Japanese dolls

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?

Yes, we have a Victorian house and all the furniture is white so this matches, it is also really tall with the extention on top so look good with our high ceilings. It was important to me that all the wood in that room was white as a different colour would have looked strange.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?

It helps as there is a lot of storage room, yes the children use it as their books are kept on the lower shelves.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?

Very good value and with the glass doors actually looks much more expensive than it was. I changed the knobs for glass ones from Laura Ashley and the unit sits alongside a £2000 Laura Ashley one but looks fine (and I think the whole thing came in at about £150!)

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?

Price and quality.

Unofficial tester

Item name: Trofast
Function - how do you use the item? We have three sets. One downstairs in dining room, two in kids (shared) room - all for kids toy storage

What do you store in the item? They have preety much all the kids toys, so lego, playmobile (in different sets!), paper, dressup, playdough, hotwheels etc etc

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? Humm, in kids room, they're fine - we painted them anyway to match the walls. Downstairs they are a bit out of place - they're just very functional and uninspiring. Our style is, um, modern/eclectic/homely?? Furniture mostly oiled oak, grey/brown/raspberries

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? They are fab - the draws & tubs are a great size, and it does mean you can get one thing out at a time. I just wish they looked a bit less dull.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? Cheap, strong, delivers to the job

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? Special? Not really, just cheap and sensible.

Non tester here

I love the billy bookcases, everything about them is fab, except for the widths they go from 40cm to 80cm without any sizes in between. A 60cm width would be perfect I think!

I would say that you need to attach it to the wall or it could easily topple over. They do have a cut out to allow for skirting boards.

Me too, I think Ikea are great!

It does seem a lot, but with the cost of fuel being what it is...
My pax delivery/collection would've cost me (if I'd actually paid) far more in fuel and toll fees as I'd have had to make several if not 3 or 4 trips. My friend down the road was having a sofa delivered and insisted on paying for the whole delivery. Only downside is that I'll eventually have to collect each one to bring it home (rooms are not ready for them yet). Still better than the alternative though.

I hear you!

Not an official tester

BILLY

Function - bookcases with doors in bedroom & spare bedroom. Open bookcase in DD1's room. 2 large bookcases (one with full doors, one with half door), 2 Bennos and a corner bookcase in office. 2 Bennos in living room.

What do you store in the item? Bedrooms - books. Short Billy in our room doubles as bedside table, has clock radio & lamp on top. Office - books and boxed toys/jigsaws. CDs in the Bennos. DVDs in living room Bennos. Children use it.

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? Yes, our home is relatively modern (1990s build)

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? Billy is fabulous, with the added doors it hides a multitude of sins!

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? The ability to add to it - our office Billy has moved room and expanded over the years, doors were the most recent addition to streamline the look

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? Simple, effective and unchanged. Modular system with variety of sizes that all work together.

RATIONELL VARIERA

Function - Used in deep kitchen drawer - we have 2 plate stackers
What do you store in the item? - Plates, side plates
Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? - inside a drawer so n/a. It's simple, clean lines, does the job.
How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? - Makes plate drawer neater, older children use it when they put things away
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? - adjustable size for different plates
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? - simple & does the job

EKTORP BROMMA
Probably the only piece of Ikea furniture I didn't like, we sold it in the local free-ads.
Used it to store bedding
Top is heavy and sometimes awkward to fit on properly
The construction meant the space was restricted by the 4 corner uprights inside
It looked a bit scruffy most of the time - I prefer streamlined storage. Wanted to buy another LEKSVIK storage chest but you have changed the lid. I preferred the old lid that lifted up totally. Don't like the new one with the back raised edge.

Will try to remember to review the STORNAS buffet which we bought to match the dining table and think is fab (suits modern house like ours, would also look great in traditional eg covered in lacy doilies and chintzy china)

not an official tester.
item name -
expedit 4 x 4 shelves

Function - how do you use the item?
used as storage in a child's room

What do you store in the item?
Books, board games, toys - all sorts of stuff. In fact that's why we like it. The combination of open shelves, and baskets placed in other "cubes" makes it very practical

Does it match with their other furniture?
Kind of - most of it is IKEA!

How important is this?
Fitting in with the decor is a huge plus point, but we have a small house and an even smaller budget, so cost and function are more important

What kind of style is your house generally?
Scruffy Shabby chic in a victorian terrace

How does it help with organisation in your home?
Always good to have more shelving, plus the baskets are brilliant for hiding big plastic toys and craft stuff
Has it made things easier for you?
Yes - tidying up is easier when you can just chuck stuff into a basket
Do the children use it?
Yes, and it's a good height for children - not too tall
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
Price
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
the versatility - being able to customise it with drawers/baskets.

Not a tester

Billy
Loads of Billy, all birch, all sizes.
Used as bookcase and storage, sometimes for display ie photo frames, nice boxes etc. love them

Morebo
glass display doors to go on the billy book cases in the kitchen. displays all the stuff that used to be on the fridge. love them

Antonius
Baskets, metal, cloth, dont really like this, not stackable, too hard on corners, the trolley thing we had to put the baskets in fell to peices although we probably did get it more than 10 years ago. hate them

Expedite
4x4 birch, room divider/ display unit, no baskets. love it

Akrobat
Cupboards in blocks of 2 with doors, beech. Have doors used for chucking junk in in the dining room. Goes with a beech ikea table that I think might have been called Akrobat or Bonde. Years old. With matching chairs. ok it, but maybe just bored with it now.

?
8 x transparent chairs on a silver frame, used in kitchen and dining room love them

malm
Birch. DS bed, guest bed, beside cabinets, chest of drawers x 3. Ok it. The corners are way to sharp, currently sporting a very nasty cut down my shin.

sultan matress and matress topper x 3
Love it best matress ever IMHO.

Various other stuff, plants, watering can, storage boxes, files, washing airers computer desk, christmas decs, wrapping paper, picture frames.

House is a single story arabic style villa, very plain but we have some stunning statement peices from Indian, Indonesia, etc. Reading this I think I could open my own branch ;-)

Item name : Trofast storage units

Function - how do you use the item?
In playroom I have one wall covered in these units (5 units altogether), two in my daughters room, 2 in the craft room and one in the laundry room. The boxes are all over the house - in kitchen cupboards, under beds etc. Finally, 4 are currently making some sort of space shuttle in the playroom at present. They also tend to take the boxes out and sit in the units (literally storage for kids!)

What do you store in the item? Toys in the playroom/daughters room, use it to seperate washing, items ready for ironing, and for keeping products like detergents up out of the way of the kids. In craft room it holds random craft bits - the most shallow boxes are great as trays for hama bead - eaily stored when they gget bord of doing hama beads half way through a creation. In kitchen cupboards I use it to store similar item - one holding all kids baking equipment - cookie cutters, bun tins, icing etc, one for picnic gear etc

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
It matches because most of the furniture I have is ikea - billy bookcases, coffee tables etc. I choose furniture based primarily on funcion and practicality, then beautiful design where possible. I cant find "beautiful" toy storage thats as practical as my trofast units - but its not hard on the eyes either.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
I love the units esp in the playroom - Ive labelled the boxes so the kids can see whats in each box and put things away easily - even the 1 year old. I like that there is a variety of colours and sizes of box available, as well as shelf inserts as it really makes the system extremely flexible and keeps us organised. As I mentioned, the kids also play in the units and in the boxes themselves - def good value for money.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
I like the flexibility, and the price!

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
I havent been able to find any other products in the same price range that are as flexible and child friendly. And easy to construct too - my daughter built some of them entirely by herself when she was just 6.

We are big BILLY fans. WE have several BILLY all in white in the dining room. Books sit in them and plants sit on top. My daughter has tried to climb them but has been banned.
I like then way they are so simply styled so they fit right in with any decor. Most of the rest of the dining room is light wood including IKEA laminate and an IKEA sideboard (KRONVIK?). The white makes sure that this is not overpowering.
We are contemplating more BILLY for the lounge. In spite of the Kindle the books are starting to overflow. We know they will fit right into the bright designs of that room.

Actually, can I just add about the Godmorgon - its soooooo much nicer to have glass shelves in a bathroom cabinet, rather than cheap flimsy stuff that warps when a bottle leaks

Item name - EKTORP BROMMA FOOTSTOOL

Function - how do you use the item? - We have been using this as a chair, a storage space and have actually used it to put my feet up on a couple of occasions!

What do you store in the item? We have used it to store our two laptops and electrical cables in. But, the base isn't that strong so we can't put anything else in it. It is made with quite thin plywood.

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? It matches the style, but I think it is very bulky for what it is. We've got quite a large living room, but it tends to dominate. I'm not too keen on the colour. Our sofas are dark brown, but his is a lighter brown and not a particularly pleasant shade. (am I allowed to describe it as poo brown?) I keep meaning to investigate to see if you can get covers in other colours.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? its good to have the laptops away from the kids and their friends. Also makes the place look a bit tidier. And, the kids have used it as a seat (ideal for two small ones) when they had a few friends round to watch the Royal Wedding.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? Hidden storage.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? As above, Hidden storage. But, do wish it was a bit smaller and better made.

Not an official tester

Item name ASPELUND 3 door wardrobe

Function - how do you use the item? as a wardrobe!

What do you store in the item? clothes and shoes. And my old violin.

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? it does match - we have an ASPELUND chest of drawers too (not so keen on this) Our house is in disarray at the moment, so it will eventually match the rest of the room, but only once we've actually decorated it.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? Well, without it, our clothes would be in a heap on the floor. :o 19 month old DS is not meant to use it, but does try and climb into it occasionally.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? the fact that it's not too tall, and not too deep - so fits nicely into our very tiny room. It's attractive too.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? the size, and the fact it looks nice without costing the earth.

We have several Billy bookcases.

Function - how do you use the item? - as a bookcase!

What do you store in the item? - it's in the dining room.

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? - it doesn't right now really, but it's innocuous enough that it doesn't really matter. Our home is generally modernish, warm wood floors, wooden or leather furniture.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? - all my hundreds of books are on it! As well as some of the childrens.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? - it's been very heavily used over the last few years and it's still as good as new. Being able to adjust it easily is fab, and it was surprisingly easy to build.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? it's surprising robustness. It's moved house with us twice now and is good and stable as new!

IVAR storage
Function - We have a large selection of IVAR components which have been used in three different houses. The flexibility of the components is fantastic so what was a book case in my first flat became a TV unit and is now storage for tools in the cellar. We have used the wardrobe unit (hanging rail and fabric cover) to make a spare wardrobe in the spare bedroom. We have a cupboard unit that has stored CDs, stationery and been a medicine cupboard. I used piano hinges to fit some doors, bought from Ikea's damaged goods section, to one unit we were using as a TV stand to hide the VCR (I told you we've had it a long time!)

What do you store in the item - It has been used for books, whisky bottles, TV, medicines, stationery, tools, clothes, wine bottles, wine glasses, assorted junk, files....

Does it match with their other furniture? - I used a wood stain to make it slightyl darker, to fit with a neutral decor

How important is this? - We have an eclectic style so as long as it looks nice it will fit in.
What kind of style is your house generally? - We have a 19th century cottage but with a modern twist.

How does it help with organisation in your home? - It's useful storage that we can configure to fit anywhere, which is very useful in a small house.

Has it made things easier for you? - Yes

Do the children use it? - Our child is 4 months old so apart from using it to store her nappies... no

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? - The flexibility to reconfigure it and add options (like the wardrobe rail and cover)

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? - It's not particularly special, just very functional and practical. If there's one complaint, it's that the metal pegs can be difficult to get in and out of the uprights.