IKEA, it’s no secret. I LOVE YOU! The world already knows this. Sadly, you’re the source of many complaints and I hear them often. “I get lost in their stupid maze” or “I don’t understand their instructions” or “None of their stuff lasts!”
Not only do I want to publicly profess my endless love for you, IKEA, but I want to help defend your honor. This isn’t a “hail corporate” post but instead an honest appreciation for what Ingvar Kamprad, Gillis Lundgren, and all the other designers and engineers at IKEA have done for this industry.
IKEA was founded in 1942 by Ingvar Kamprad but at the time they only sold fully-assembled furniture. It wasn’t until 1956 that one of IKEA’s designers, Gillis Lundgren, sawed off the legs to the LÖVET table so that he could fit it into his car. And thus, the idea of flat-pack was born [1]. Awesomely, IKEA re-released the LÖVET (under the name LÖVBACKEN) in 2013. It’s my favorite piece because it’s like having a bit of furniture history in my home. Plus I think it’s stylish as hell!
LÖVBACKEN
Flat-pack saves on shipping costs tremendously. More products can fit on shipping trucks and in the warehouses. IKEA produces a ridiculous amount of furniture so every little bit they do cuts down on resources a ton. It is estimated that IKEA alone uses 1% of the world’s wood each year. That’s a huge responsibility. IKEA is very mindful of this consumption and are doing a number of things in the production process to be as efficient as possible. You can read more about that here.
Trying to be environmentally friendly isn’t just happening during manufacturing but in design as well. An example of this can be seen in one of IKEA’s most popular pieces, the EXPEDIT. If you haven’t noticed them yet, you will. These suckers are everywhere. And for a good reason! They’re affordable, handsome, and extremely versatile.
EXPEDIT
In 2014 IKEA discontinued the EXPEDIT. Well, sort of. They redesigned it and renamed it KALLAX [2]. The same boxes, shelves, and other inserts from the EXPEDIT still work on the new model but the unit itself requires much less wood to make. When selling millions of units each year even a small change like this can have a big impact.
Another way IKEA cuts down on materials is by using a paper honeycomb filler in a number of their products. The LACK series is one example. Again, these suckers are all over the place. For what they are, LACK items are incredibly sturdy. National Geographic made this neat video of the honeycomb construction process.
IKEA is environmentally conscious, which I think that’s great and all, but that’s not why I truly adore them. My biggest appreciation for IKEA comes where most people tend to complain the most: the assembly. I want my readers to take a moment and try to imagine everything that goes into design and engineering of an IKEA product. Honestly, I’m not even going to pretend to know the entire process. I’m sure there is much more that goes into every detail than anyone would ever notice.
Here is what I do know: IKEA pieces must be designed so that an average person, across a multitude of cultures, can assemble it themselves using instructions with no words and with minimal tools. Mad respect!
Now I’ve assembled a lot of IKEA furniture myself (I’m weird and think it’s fun. Like Legos for adults.) and I can attest that those assembly illustrations are very articulate. Additionally, IKEA pieces are designed so that assembly is difficult to mess up. Guides include screw holes that are a certain size, notches or finishes to indicate the correct orientation, and sometimes even arrows on the piece itself to give direction. And all those features are included in the illustrated instructions. I’ve assembled other non-IKEA furniture and let me tell you, IKEA has their assembly process on lock down. It doesn’t get any better than them! Since the assembly instructions have no words there is no need to write up a translated version. Because IKEA is a large global company, I imagine this saves on production and labor immensely.
The majority of IKEA’s customers are in Europe (where space is limited) so their products are designed to use space effectively. This is a stark contrast from American designs that are usually heavy and bulky. You can tell a lot of thought and effort goes into each piece and how to get the most out of its space. I have yet to find anything that is close to IKEA’s storage solutions when it comes to affordability and versatility.
Compared to custom furniture stores, IKEA is extremely affordable. If you’re a college student who’s just moving out, there are entire collections designed with your tight budget in mind. Sadly it’s these products that tend to give IKEA a bad wrap. They’re cheap. But they are designed to be cheap. You’re not going to buy a brand new forever bed for $40. Let’s be realistic here. However, IKEA does have higher-end and more durable lines like HEMNES and STOCKHOLM. The craftsmanship and quality of those series are unparalleled to any other flat-pack I’ve seen. I’d trade in my $2,500 pre-assembled custom West Elm sectional for a set of STOCKHOLM couches any day.
As far as the maze goes, it’s all about selling you shit. Sorry. Grab a map and use the shortcuts. If you know what you want, check the stock online, write down the bin location, and go straight to the self-service section. You’ll be in and out in no time!
From IKEA, other brands and services have formed. Don’t want to build it yourself? IKEA contracts with local companies that can assemble the furniture for you. Finishes like legs and covers change over the years and their selection is usually limited. To address this companies like Prettypegs and Bemz offer products to customize your IKEA furniture even more. I find it to be a fascinating subset of products.
Lastly, I love the IKEA community! Of course I couldn’t forget the wild world of IKEA hacking. IKEA hacking is taking a piece and re-engineering it, usually for something other than its intended purpose.
Stool turned bookshelf
Credit and assembly instructions
It’s a smart and creative community with a love and devotion to all things IKEA. Though resistant at first, IKEA has since embraced its hacker and DIY communities. Yay!
So I think I may have gotten a little carried away here. Oops! I know this is a lot but I’ve only scratched the surface of IKEA awesomeness. I will probably never get bored of talking about IKEA or walking their show floor. I understand IKEA love isn’t for everyone but hopefully you’ll have a slight appreciation next time you find yourself cursing IKEA’s name.
❤ Rachel
Originally published at iheartrachie.github.io on June 25, 2015.
