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**lactardjosh** · 10-03-2012, 01:16 PM

We've got a Karlstad couch in the living room that I am ambivalent about but SWMBO hates. It's being replaced at some point. Ikea has tons of cheap crap, but some of their furniture is still made with solid wood. The Hemnes line is solid wood and relatively nice. We use the low long dresser in my son's nursery as a dresser/diaper changer because it's the right height.

We've got one of their beds in the master bedroom and it squeaks quietly anytime you move or shift positions. I need to tighten down one of the supports, I think, but it's annoying.

We redid our kitchen a couple years ago and went with Ikea cabinets. That was the best decision we made. All of the cabinets, doors, peninsula, etc, cost lest than $2000. We had custom kitchen cabinets quoted at over $12,000. The best part about the cabinets is that the doors are interchangeable so if you get bored of one style, you can switch them out without any problems.

All that being said, my wife and I have started purchasing furniture that is designed to last. Our dining room table and chairs were probably twice as much as the most expensive option at Ikea but we know we'll have it for the rest of our lives. But we're at a point in our lives now that we can afford to make that decision. 5 years ago, Ikea would have been the only option.

The very best part about Ikea is the soft serve frozen yogurt for $1. We live close enough to one that in the summer, we'll make the trip just to get frozen yogurt. And their cinnamon buns are pretty damn good, too.

mcspanner · 10-03-2012, 01:17 PM

Personally we love their stuff in this house. I like their furniture so much that when I was fitting out our studio last year ikea was the first choice. I made a short time lapse of the whole thing if anyone is interested

Vimeo

. Not a single complaint about the quality or price. I've paid twice as much in the past for stuff that was half as good.

And I always spot something that I can put to use for brewing, cheese making or pickling in there.

phenry · 10-03-2012, 01:18 PM

Full size bed, TV stand, desk, and chest of drawers for me. Is it the best stuff money can buy? Of course not, but I'm more than happy with everything I own from them.

**lactardjosh** · 10-03-2012, 01:27 PM

Also, Ikea has a really interesting corporate set up which shields the company from paying a lot of taxes. Ikea is a web of for-profit and not-for-profit companies, hidden owners, and off-shore holdings.

Here's a good write up from a few years ago:
http://www.economist.com/node/6919139?story_id=6919139

There's more out there to read about it. It's really very fascinating.

**mredge73** · 10-03-2012, 01:51 PM

At 260lbs, I broke the front leg off of one of my IKEA Karlstad couches and I have another that is about to break free. No, I don't jump on them or sit hard. They are just not made for people like me.
Side panels are made out of OSB and stapled together with a pneumatic staple gun. The thing just came apart, had to rebuild the block that the leg sits on and add bolts to hold the OSB together.
They were not cheap couches but are built very cheaply, I could have bought something much better for $100 less. Because of the short back they become very uncomfortable after a few hours watching the tube.
Only positive is that I like the removable covers (I have dogs).

**lactardjosh** · 10-03-2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mredge73

At 260lbs, I broke the front leg off of one of my IKEA Karlstad couches and I have another that is about to break free. No, I don't jump on them or sit hard. They are just not made for people like me.
Side panels are made out of OSB and stapled together with a pneumatic staple gun. The thing just came apart, had to rebuild the block that the leg sits on and add bolts to hold the OSB together.
They were not cheap couches but are built very cheaply, I could have bought something much better for $100 less. Because of the short back they become very uncomfortable after a few hours watching the tube.
Only positive is that I like the removable covers (I have dogs).

I agree that the only true positive is the removable covers. Our cats shred the crap out of the arms.

You've got about 80lbs on me and I slouch when I sit on it, which I suspect leads to my overall ambivalence about the couch. SWMBO complains about the low back all the time. The next sofa will have a high back.

**mredge73** · 10-03-2012, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lactardjosh

Our cats shred the crap out of the arms.

I also have a cat...
Yes the arms are shredded on mine as well.
Do you know where to get some cheap replacement covers?
I really don't want to give IKEA any more money for a couch that I hate, but if I can salvage this thing for under $100 I will.

**lactardjosh** · 10-03-2012, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mredge73

I also have a cat...
Yes the arms are shredded on mine as well.
Do you know where to get some cheap replacement covers?
I really don't want to give IKEA any more money for a couch that I hate, but if I can salvage this thing for under $100 I will.

I use the As Is section in Ikea for replacement covers. I've replaced the arm covers 2 times on each side for a total of $20. They usually have a good variety of colors and every time we're there we check to see if they have any covers in the right color. They just have a huge bin of all of their sofa covers mixed in, so you've just got to check to make sure you're getting the right covers. The labels say what they are for.

**CreamyGoodness** · 10-03-2012, 04:24 PM

Do you or SWMBO sew? Material by the yard can be very cheap, and I'd imagine couch covers would be pretty easy... what with the large stitches and all.

zman · 10-03-2012, 04:45 PM

I have also heard about a "chemical/solvent" smell on the couches? Any of the couch owners notice this?