10 Great Ideas from IKEA’s 2010 Catalogue

by Adrian How

Yes, the new IKEA 2010 catalogue is out and you can view it online now! Here are some of the ideas and concepts that I can extract from this year’s catalogue:

1. Using EXPEDIT as a partition

Found in: pg 16-17

Both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Although it may take up a wide footprint, the partition now serves more than its original purpose – it can now be used as a shelve to house ornaments or if privacy is required, blackout using EXPEDIT drawer inserts or EXPEDIT insert with doors (see pg 78-79)

2. Bend it like BEKVAM

Found in: pg 130-131

This item sounds like that famous footballer who’s always craving for publicity except that the BEKVAM is quite the opposite – a low profile, quiet achiever. A workhorse and one of the best deals you can ever get at IKEA. I use this to reach the tall cabinets, to change lightbulbs, as a stool to watch TV. Its more permanent role in the home is being YinLeng’s dressing table chair (for RM59, it’s a heckuva deal I’d say!). I’ve been thinking of retiring the old chap and turning it over and doing a bit of a hack to transform it into a respectable bookshelf (ahh, that’s a blog post for another day I suppose).

Give your BEKVAM a bright coat of paint and it’ll be a worthy accesory in your toddler’s room too!

3. Store your magazines unconventionally

Found in: pg 86-87

Who says you need to store your mags and on a mag rack? Throw ‘em into a serving bowl by the side of your couch instead. A mag rack probably costs you more than RM45 so how about getting the BLANDA serving bowl instead? Be different

(a more cost-effective alternative: SMARTA serving bowl [pg 88-89])

4. Green up your place with ASKER

Found in: pg 116-117

This is a great example of using ASKER as a vase instead of a kitchen accesory. It’s not surprising that it’s been transformed into a vase seeing as it sure looks like one to begin with. I bet that was the inspiration origin for ASKER anyway. Looking at this example, you can brighten up any strip of wall with plants and show off your green thumbs to your guests. It’d look great in narrow walls and you usually find narrow walls where there are stairs. For this combo – GRUNDTAL or ASKER suspension rail and hooks will work

5. Wall hanging TV storage solutions

Found in: pg 72-73

Gone are the days where you had little choice but to get your contractor to custom build wall panels for your LCD/Plasma/OLED TVs. For a lot less moolah, IKEA now provides you with a myriad of storage solutions, all with wire clutter keepaways to ensure you only focus on the images projected from your TV, and not messy wires running everywhere!

6. Fill up that wall with RIBBA

Found in: pg 140-141

Got a plain wall you have no idea what to do with? Why not fill it up with photos of fond memories and loved ones? Get creative and buy RIBBA frames of different sizes and head over to the photo shop to get your prints. Then with a hammer and some hooks, hang up those frames! Apparently, there is order in chaos (so says Dan Brown, in the Lost Symbol). Even if there isn’t it’ll sure look good. Trust me, I’ve done it and it’s going to be one of my next blog posts, when I find the time to photograph my wall-o-memories. In fact, I’ve written about this concept before. Read the following related posts:

Hint: A cheaper alternative to RIBBA is NYTTJA

If you don’t want to use photos, try the extremely affordable MALMA mirror at RM7.50 a piece

Found in: pg 164-165

7. Bachelors could get HEMNES

found in: pg 150-151

No, it’s not a disease. In fact, it’s a darn classy looking couch cum bed for those who dwell in small living quarter such as a one-bedroom or studio apartment. It’s not exactly expensive either and when you do move into a larger unit, this can be turned into a daybed for relaxation.

8. Best damn 26 bucks spent!

Found in: pg 204-205

Why not make use of the space behind your door to hang your clothes? Get the GRUNDTAL hanger for door for only RM26.90. YinLeng and I now hang our clothes behind the door for easy access and ease of use. It’s completely convenient and keeps your items well organized.

I didn’t use GRUNDTAL back in uni, but i’ve been living with this concept for a while now. Here are some photos of my uni dwelling in Dakota South. Read more about the place here

9. Panel curtains

Found in: pg 218-219

IKEA’s panel curtains offer a great way to cozy up a room by filtering the natural light coming in. Motifs on the panel curtain add aesthetics to the environment. For RM149, this is a steal. What are you waiting for?

10. Get the outdoors indoors

Found in: pg 234-235

The green HAMPEN rug is something I saw months ago and couldn’t decide if I wanted to get it. When i finally did 2 days later, it was sold out and until today I haven’t seen stock of the green HAMPEN rug. Why green? Because it looks like grass, is bright, and I love football to bits. I also think that baby Ryan’s going to be kicking around a lot when he learns to walk and what better place to do all that indoors than on a thick rug? I could make his room look a little more like the legendary Stretford End at Old Trafford with this neat little accessory.

Alright folks, I’m off to IKEA to get that green HAMPEN rug. Even if Ryan’s not yet a toddler, his dad could do some juggling in the house – providing that mom approves of it. (YinLeng, every apartment I stayed in during my Uni days for 3 whole years, I never broke a single thing despite kicking about around the house every single day)

Imagesource: IKEA, How’sHouse