Affordable, lightweight, many to choose from, and a basic design but is it really the best option for your home furniture? I must say I myself have Ikea furniture at home and I am sure many people have at least one piece of furniture from Ikea. I however have a couple of things to say.
The quality...
Obviously there is not much to expect with prices being relatively low. There is a reason behind the point of it being so cheap. For one I can definitely say they are extremely easy to chip, damage or scratch. I have the malm dresser and a couple other pieces and they are about 4 years old. I can definitely say that you have to be careful around this furniture, if I were to look at it too long I feel something would break or chip. I also have the ever so convenient bed. With the layout of my room I wouldn’t be able to fit a queen bed if it weren’t for this design. After a few months of using it the centre of the frame underneath the mattresses have caved in and caused me to roll over to the same side each night. I had to be creative here and placed wooden blocks underneath to level the difference. So I am a bit saddened that it only took a few months for the bed to already cause issues.
Sustainability??
When it comes to the brands sustainability I have to say it is questionable. Ikea states they are a sustainable brand however I cannot agree with that. Used furniture can be found on facebook marketplace or other websites with used furniture but when the furniture is actually used it does not have more than a year or two of life in it left. The way the furniture is constructed and the materials that are used cause the furniture to break and use quite quickly and most of it ends up in the garbage. The chemicals that are used to create the pieces are non recyclable and non biodegradable. I’m sorry but I can’t see Ikea furniture being sought after on Facebook marketplace for fixer-uppers or DIY passionates just looking for a good quality piece of furniture to fix up and sell. In a bid to be recyclable they are launching a campaign to buy back used furniture and resell. There has also been word that Ikea sources its wood illegally from old forests. The word sustainable is a very strong statement to make especially if you are illegally chopping down trees. It has been covered by channel 4 as well. https://www.channel4.com/news/from-chainsaw-to-chair-ikeas-illegally-sourced-furniture
Is it really cheap?...
Prices can be attractive but when you take a closer look it doesn’t seem to match up. The furniture is basic, and it's in a million pieces. We all know the struggle of putting the itty bitty pieces together which takes hours if you have a whole room to put up. If you think about it, what are you really paying for? Its not like the quality is super great, its not sustainable or natural, its pretty basic and most of the screws and holes are visible, so what is it? The only thing I can think of is convenience and the theatrics behind it. Ikea is the place to go to wonder around and spend time. The furniture is almost always available and its easy to fit to the rest of the furniture it your house if you’re missing something.
Plain Jane energy
But some things about the products and the brand that make me ick. For one the duvets. If you have ever bought one you know what I mean. They might look cute and aesthetically pleasing but once you touch it its just a horrible scratchy and not comfortable feeling at all. Its basic, and while basic can look good it doesn’t
with this type of furniture. Its overrated and everyone can spot an Ikea piece from miles away. So if you want a unique looking interior I do not recommend Ikea which is pretty obvious. The furniture itself is very wobbly. You can tighten the screws as hard as you can but this isn’t the problem. What I mean is stability. I would never trust an Ikea drawer to lean on or use a bit more lively. One little shake and the whole thing can come tumbling down. There have been multiple cases where malm dressers caused death. I mean if you’re ever in a more expensive furniture store just compare the sturdiness and you will understand. And not to mention their illegally sourced wood.
Is it really worth it? In my opinion no, but if you're really on a budget try secondhand or different stores. I actually think Ikea should be cancelled.....