One of my favorite times of year is when the annual IKEA catalog arrives in my mailbox. By the end of the year, it will be well loved with coffee cup rings on the cover, notes in the margins, and a rainbow of sticky tabs marking my must haves.
I’ve been a loyal fan of IKEA for at least fifteen years. I adore their fresh, Scandinavian style, endless storage solutions, and creative, budget-friendly design options. They offer countless ideas to jumpstart my imagination and create a home that is inviting and comfortable.
My personal design style is a mixture of old and new. Much of my home is garage sale finds, repurposed treasures, and vintage goodies. IKEA is my staple store when it comes to seamlessly adding touches of family-friendly + new pieces into my home and marrying a mixture of old and new.
I literally have IKEA home décor in every single room of my home! I thought it would be fun to share a few of the ways I’ve stylishly welcomed IKEA into my home.
Bookcases
The focal wall in my family room is covered wall-to-wall with bookcases from the Billy series in white. Our family room was originally a garage and the electrical panel is concealed behind the stacked frames and mirrors to the left. For that reason, we chose bookcases over built-ins in case they ever need to be removed in the future. One of my absolute favorite things to do is style shelves with layers and layers of decor. These shelves allow my imagination and creativity to soar.
Couches + Chairs + Ottoman
I’m often asked how I can have white furniture in my home with two busy, little boys. The answer is the Ektorp series! The couches (both Craigslist finds), chairs (one is a Craigslist find), and ottoman all have slipcovers. Caring for them is quite easy. Here’s what I do to keep them bright and white:
- Remove the slipcover.
- Wash with Oxyclean.
- Hang them to dry.
- Put them back on the furniture,
- Fill a spray bottle with hot water.
- Spray the hot water on the wrinkles and smooth with my hand.
- Say goodbye to wrinkles and snuggle in with a cozy blanket.
We purchased our first piece from the series almost five years ago and it’s still going strong.
Plants
I’m fond of the peaceful calm and color plants bring to a neutral palette. Sadly, I did not inherit my grandma’s green thumb. I lovingly refer to myself as plant challenged. The maintenance free, artificial potted plants from the FEJKA series are a staple in my home décor and you’ll find them scattered throughout my home.
Lamps
The oversized, floor lamp in the back corner is from the Hektar series. It’s the perfect dark gray that almost reads black depending on the light. It has a modern but classic feel to it. The Hektar series and the lamps from the Ranarp series (I have them in my office) are my faves.
Baskets
I have a slight addiction to baskets. I rarely meet one I don’t adore… which isn’t good on my pocketbook since baskets aren’t cheap! The budget-friendly Byholma baskets nestled in my bookcases hide DVDs, remotes, and even toys. I also use them in my closet and pantry. The color I have here is an older color. They currently come in a gray that is simply divine.
Pillows + throws + curtains
Pillow covers, pillow inserts, curtains, and throws are a few of my go-to items at IKEA. I routinely scour the as-is section and it’s paid off on more than one occasion. I have found some incredible deals while digging through bins of linens.
My favorite pillow insert is FJÄDRAR. I never buy them full price. I always look in the as-is section and buy them whenever I find one. I love using a cover and insert combination. I can easily change the style of the pillows and, just like my family room furniture, washing away stains isn’t a big deal.
The Ofelia throw, Ursula throw, and VITFJÄRIL cushion cover are a few of our family favorites. My pillows and throws do not have a “permanent” home. My kiddos love to make pillow + blanket forts. Since all of my pillows and throws are neutral, clean up is easy and hassle free.
The Vivan curtains I have in my downstairs are only $9.99 a pair! Our cats have claws and at one time found it quite enjoyable to climb the curtains. Our remedy was to “invest” in inexpensive curtains until they grew out of that phase… they have but the curtains stayed because we love them.
Rugs + Chairs
The dark gray and white Hovslund rug under my dining room table is simple to care for. My kids spill on it and you’d never know. Clean up is super simple!
The rug on the arm of the chair is IKEA. I couldn’t find a link online. Last I checked they were only $3.99 and come in several different colors. I have them draped over chairs. I’ve also used them as table runners and even as rugs.
The Byholma wicker chair is my favorite chair. It has been in my dining room, family room, master bedroom, office, and even on my front porch. I found this one in the as-is section for 40% off the retail (and, yes, I was jumping up and down with joy when I spotted it). I’m on the hunt for another one for the other end of the table.
Plates + Placemats
The Scandinavian inspired white plates are from the ARV series (the gray bowl and plate are from Target but IKEA also carries a gray version). They have a darling ruffled edge that mixes perfectly with my vintage glasses and SOARÉ placemats. The dishes come in an 18-piece dinnerware set or are also available in individual pieces. When we transitioned out of plastic, kid-friendly dishes, I picked these dishes because they offer individual replacement pieces. When a dish accidentally breaks it isn’t expensive to replace it. And that, my friends, makes my heart happy!
Shoe Storage
We store our shoes in our laundry room + mudroom in the Hemnes shoe cabinet. It’s the perfect solution to stylishly wrangle in the astonishing amount of shoes we have and keep them up off the floor. (Pssst… IKEA has a new lower price on the shoe cabinet!)
The steel, blue-green Socker vases are also IKEA. I bought these a few years back and the color has been discontinued; however, they still carry them in a lovely green.
Alphabet Cookies
I always grab a box of these KEX alphabet biscuits right before checking out. They are yummy and my kiddos love spelling out words with them.
My IKEA Shopping Tips
- Plan on staying awhile. Visiting IKEA isn’t a quick in and out. If you’re anything like me, it’ll take you multiple hours to stroll through the store and soak it all in. When I was pregnant and almost two weeks past my due date, I’d stroll through IKEA in the hopes it would jump start labor.
- Drop the kiddos off at the play area while you shop. IKEA’s a family-friendly store. They do an excellent job of adding special touches into your shopping experience to ensure everyone enjoys their visit.
- Take pictures and notes along the way. Most of the larger furniture pieces are located in the warehouse at the very end of your shopping experience.
- Stop to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner along the way. My personal fave is the Swedish meatballs.
- Stop in the as-is section before checking out. My favorite pieces to look for here are pillow covers, pillow inserts, throws, bed linens, baskets, dishes, glasses, and faux plants.
- Treat yourself to a frozen yogurt at the end!
I adore IKEA! All of the above opinions are my own. IKEA did not sponsor or pay me for this post.
Until next time, friends.
You do this so well!!!
You are such a kind soul, Tori! Thank you for lifting me up, my dear friend. I feel so blessed to have met you at Haven. There is no doubt in my mind out paths were meant to cross.
Blessings to you,
Shannon
You are such a talented writer! Fantastic job! Wish we lived closer, we’d have such fun shopping at IKEA together. I have the white ruffle dishes and bowls too and I LOVE them, especially since we have open shelves in our kitchen. Thanks for sharing all your fabulous finds!
Sandy, great minds think alike! I’m crazy about those dishes too. I love that I can have pretty everyday dishes and not have to worry about my kiddos using them. Thank you for always showing me such kindness and encouragement.
And you’re welcome!
Lots of love to you,
Shannon
IKEA should pay you for this because you style their furnishings better than they can!!! I would have never guessed… Your home has such a simple elegance to it, but I would have thought upscale boutiques not IKEA!!! Lol!! Now I’m getting on their website to find some of your goodies… And then can you come on over and style then for me?! 😜 Love this whole post!!!
What wonderful comments, Cara! Thank you so much. It just goes to show you how much I truly LOVE IKEA!
I’d love to help you decorate… please don’t hesitate to run anything by me that you need help with!
xo, Shannon
I have been following your instagram feed for quite some time now and I absolutely love the way you write. I truly believe that God sends us little angels like yourself to the earth to inspire us and guide us every day. Thank you for being such a great inspiration for me (or should I say all of us?!) And I also love the way you decorate your home mixing old and new things and adding layers together. Btw, I adore ikea too! Wish we lived closer too, we’d definitely have lots of fun there!
Have a great Sunday!
Hello, Carolina! Thank you so much for visiting me on my blog and saying “hi.”
I’ve always had a love of writing. As a child, I wrote poetry and stories. I still have a pile of journals filled with wonderful words that take me back to those moments in my life that seem so distant now.
As I read your comment, tears came to my eyes… I love writing and I love inspiring + encouraging others. If I inspire one person, my heart is full. I truly believe we all have a purpose and when I found mine it was as though everything around me made sense.
There’s no doubt we’d have the best time shopping IKEA!
Thank you for all your support, my friend. You are a blessing.
Blessings to you,
Shannon
Hello Shannon! Thank you for sharing a little bit more about yourself. And thank you for your kind words! I feel really happy to be part of this new beginning with you. I’m still searching for mine. I’m 38 and I’ve accomplished so much in my life that now I feel the need to find new dreams. Anyway, thanks again for being so kind and suchba beautiful soul! Blessings to you, Carolina.
Hi, Carolina!
I’m really happy that you’re joining me on my new beginning too! It truly means so much to me.
I’ll be 42 in a couple months… I am proof it’s never too late to change directions and dream big. There is a plan for all of us and I have faith that it will become clear when the time is right. Keep on dreaming big and enjoying each new day that you’ve been blessed with!
Blessings to you,
Shannon
Shannon, I’ve been following you for awhile on Instagram and love your home decor. It’s so lovely, yet thrifty. Your responses to those who write, make you seem like such a kind soul. I’m sure you have a lot on your plate, but I want so badly to have a home decorated much like yours, but have obstacles. I just wondered if you would be able to offer me advice through emails? Or is this something you charge for? Please let me know, and either way, I will continue following and looking for new ideas! Thanks for what you do!
Welcome to my blog, Shelly!
Thank you for sharing in my Instagram journey and now joining me on my new blog adventures. I’m so happy to have you here!
Bless your sweet heart for all of your kind words. I try very hard to ensure that I interact with my readers online just as I would if we were having a conversation in person. It is very important to me to always be authentic, genuine, and kind. It makes me happy to hear that those qualities are coming through my interactions. Thank you!
Do you mind sending me an email with some of your home decor needs? Let’s see what we can do to help you overcome the obstacles you mentioned. My email is aninspirednest@gmail.com.
I look forward to hearing from you again,
Shannon
I just saw your response and have to say, I’m super excited! I will email you tomorrow hopefully! I have my hands full for the next little bit and want to be able to think out my questions before sending, so hopefully not to have so many. I really appreciate it and yes, you are kind and it shows! Bless you!
Yay, Shelly! I’m excited you’re excited. There’s no rush at all… I’m not going anywhere. So, whenever you’re ready just let me know.
Love and light,
Shannon
I LOVE your style Shannon! Thanks for sharing your home with all of us! I’m hoping to use your ideas and inspiration in my Sunland home! Would you be willing to share your interior paint colors? Thanks so much!!!! Enjoy your day!!!
Hello, my friend!
Thank you so much for dropping by and saying “hi!” to me. You have an amazing eye for design so there’s no doubt your Sunland home is going to be stunning. Please share pictures with me as everything comes together!
My main paint color in my home is Behr’s Perfect Taupe. Depending on the time of day it can read taupe, gray or grayish-taupe. I love it’s versatility and highly recommend it.
Blessings to you and your sweet family,
Shannon
Shannon,
You are truly talented and as a fellow mom, I find you very inspirational!
I am so sad that the plates from IKEA are no longer available…and they only have white at Target…ugh oh well you win some and lose some.
I was curious where your glasses/goblets are from?
Keep up the great work!
Hello, Kate!
Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such sweet comments. My IKEA still carries the white dishes but I noticed they moved them to a different location. I’m so sad to hear yours isn’t carrying them any longer!
The glasses and goblets are thrifted pieces I’ve found at thrift stores and garage sales. I have a bunch of different styles and love to mix and match them.
xo, Shannon
It’s lovely. All these pictures are beautiful. Thanks for sharing this. Post.
what a beautiful designs thanks for sharing
Thank you!
Nice decor solutions!
Thank you very much!