Architect's TOP 10 IKEA Products to Buy/Avoid in 2023

Like most stores, not all IKEA furniture is equal! So here's my list of what to buy/avoid from a highly opinionated designer's perspective. Brace yourself!

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[tonychan]

I used to work in IKEA over 10 years ago. Products have changed, but there are a few tips I still go with.
Bedroom: Malm stuff is the best. They last years. All my bedroom drawers are years old and still work today, although I did add a few additional strengtheners to the drawers when they were introduced whilst I worked there.
Mattresses: They are cheap because a.) IKEA own the patents to them, and b.) they make thousands = economies of scale. The amount of customers I have talked to asking whether they are cheap because they are rubbish. The cheaper grey ones will last, but not very comfortable. Choose medium/high end price, because you're going to spend 1/3 of the time on it, don't skimp on a mattress!
Bathroom furniture: AVOID! They don't hold up well for long periods of time in a humid environment. Eventually, the moisture will go in between the wood and expand/split them.

[nadiaw]

My issue with this video is the statement "IKEA branding isn't something you really want to show off." I personally think people should feel comfortable and happy with the things around them. Instead of passing off their IKEA furniture as expensive designer furniture. The company has always been a stepping stone for young designers and has had amazing designs throughout the years. It is no coincidence that a lot of now renowned designers developed wonderful pieces for IKEA when they were less established. A piece's low price tag should never be hidden or avoided altogether due to its low price, as you suggested. This is the worst interior design advice I've heard in a very long time.

[videobrowsing]

Timestamps to save you time:
0:32 Sofas
2:11 Storage
3:29 Home Office
4:42 Desk Chairs
6:28 Rugs
8:03 Mirrors
8:58 Table Lamps
9:57 Dining Chairs
11:30 Lounge Chairs
12:34 Coffee Tables
15:53 END

[dominey]

The problem I've encountered with IKEA lately is that the quality of their cheaper products aren't good enough for sustained use, and their more expensive products are priced similarly to better quality products made by other companies. Meaning, a $500 IKEA office chair is better than a $200 IKEA office chair, but that same $500 could buy an even better chair elsewhere. I also recently looked at their beds, and their prices were sky high for a basic, particle board frame, so I found a more solid option elsewhere.

[narnigrin]

Fun fact about the retirement home vibe of the OMTÄNKSAM armchair: That series was literally designed to be friendly to people with mobility issues and physical issues of various kinds that fit pretty well with a retirement home stereotype. (It contains some more explicitly practical items as well, like silicone mats to help you deal with things sliding on tables and seat cushions that are supposed to have extra good anti-slip.) Which is of course why you'll see a lot of upper-middle-age and older people in the marketing photos for these products! :)

[madeleine]

I live in Norway and I don’t think people are too bothered here if an item is from Ikea and is identifiable in their home. I even once bumped into Morten Harket (lead singer of A-ha) at ikea.
However, when I lived in New York I noticed very quickly there was a different attitude to ikea. People were looking down on it.
I think each to their own. Design is also a feeling. If you like how a piece of furniture looks and functions in your own home, then who is to say it is right or wrong 😅

[shaunna]

I am not ashamed of my IKEA items. They make my heart happy when I look at/use them. I want more =) Thankfully, none of my items were on your "Avoid" list.

[ether]

As someone with serious allergies the Ikea metal furniture is a real lifesaver as not only does it last forever but can be easily modified and is 100% spillproof, mouldproof, light and strong...not to mention they come in really nice minimalist designs and a range of good colours. The new office chair is also one I'm keeping an eye on as it's been impossible to find ergonomic work chairs without foam. I also love that the glass coffee table, desk etc. doesn't have exposed edges which is an important safety feature. Ironically because I live in a country that only recently got a Ikea store the Ikea look is considered higher class/style then more expensive local sellers.

[bearchild]

Dining chairs are a great item to go used/vintage on. You'll be able to find gorgeous pieces for less than ikea and infuse some character to your space.

Thanks for the great video!

[thecuteexorcist]

As a mom, I love the desk cupholder! Maybe it isn't the best looking, but it is very practical!

For example, have you thought about cats and small kids? The cupholder is deep enough to keep your drink from getting knocked over by a toddler or a cat. So instead of having my drink spilling everywhere when my toddler bumps the desk (because well, toddlers are clumsy), my drink now doesn't even spill a drop! Even the floor stays dry.

Also cat's love to knock things over, especially a glass of water! But with the cupholder, your desk only gets wet (a few drops) when your cat put it's paw directly in the water, but it won't get knocked over.

I personally love interior design, but a piece of furniture won't last long if it's not protected and/or practical. Like, a white designer couch isn't pretty with a red wine stain on it right? So with the cupholder, that's cheap and not the best looking, I protect my expensive, good looking, wooden design desk from getting stained or damaged. Making it last longer and stay pretty. Ofcourse if you don't have kids, or cats, you can easily put the drink on your desk. It obviously looks better without the cupholder. But my desk would have definetly been ruined by now if I didn't have the cupholder 😅.

[dyanalayng]

I'm 74, and have been buying and enjoying IKEA furniture since the 1980s, and I can still assemble their furniture, thank you. 😍
I like your review though. Always good to have other opinions!

[mourgos]

About the cup / mug holder i got 2 of those and i went to ikea especially for those, they not only help to save laptop from water but also prevent you from accidentally hitting the glass with your arm, plus you can instinctively place the glass back by feeling the cup holder borders, without even looking. And yes i prefer to swipe the floor than mourn my laptop or notes on the desk. Plus they re much better quality that the super cheap cage- like ones that gaming desk sets offer.

[COVET]

The desk shelf hack is a life saver...
I spent 2 months looking for a good desk shelf that is less expensive than my entire desk only to learn this hack from you.

Thank you very much 🙏

[Coppergreencrossstitchstudio]

Love your videos! Just a note on the soderham sofa. I’m also a designer and thought it looked beautiful in photos. But having lived with it, it is not at all ergonomic. The sitting position requires you to slouch which is nice for a few minutes, but not the long term. It also tends to flop down a lot, which means it takes effort readjusting the cushions daily to keep it looking good. If you do get it, I’d recommend getting the arms, because then it will keep a pillow on it if you decide to lie across it.

[SomeOnlinePerson]

I haven't spent much time looking at specifically Ikea's rugs, but something I'll add about rugs... avoid things made from rayon, "bamboo silk, " or rugs that have a material like canvas or something covering the bottom, as the materials and construction of these rugs make them a lot more difficult and expensive to properly *wash* when the time comes. Wool rugs made with proper, traditional knotting (which leaves the design visible on the back, too) are best for a long-lasting rug that can be washed properly and maintained for generations.

[jaybee]

I’ve had a lack coffee table for 25 years. In that time it’s been through 15 house moves (removing and putting the legs back on each time) including 1 move to the other side of the world. It’s been the one piece of furniture that’s reliably stayed solid during all that. I don’t care about resale value at this point, it’s earned it’s sale price in the first place 100 times over now. Yeah, the styling is clunky, but despite that dodgy construction, it holds up remarkably well. It even looks almost as good as new with no dings and only a couple of scratches.

[angelfernandez]

I think you should keep doing these alternative furniture videos. You have a great incite for function over fashion for furniture.
Keep the videos coming.

[SethKyros]

Great video with great recommendations as always mate.

One suggestion that I can give you, please always put the floating text with the names of all the things as you mention them throughout the video, you usually have it, so it's extra jarring for the few items where it's missing, since it breaks the flow of the video by forcing us to backtrack a few times trying to pick up the name you said to try and look for it if we are interested.

[abracadabra]

We have the Söderhamn Sofa at our house and in my opinion, it’s the perfect sofa for Netflix and chill. It’s quite deep so really your only possibility is to lay down and hide in the cushions. It’s not really a formal sofa to sit down and have coffee or something like that.
I also really like the look and the modularity of it but I highly recommend getting it in a dark color. We have the beige one and it gets dirty really quickly. You can wash the cushions but not the fabric that covers the back and armrests. After a few years now you can really see the color difference between the parts that have been washed regularly and those who haven’t.

[gardenlevel]

The Soderhamm is one I'd coveted for a long time - until I sat in one. The seat height is a bit over 15 inches -- a real struggle from which to emerge for anyone with the slightest of mobility issues. I bought the Applaryd - seat height over 18 inches, with firm seat cushions and supportive back, and as you point out, handsome. Another item that is wonderful is the Hemnes glass-door cabinet with three drawers, and the matching side bookcases. This is so useful and attractive in a narrow hall, especially with Ytberg cabinet lighting.