Re: Ikea- your experience

Re: Ikea- your experience

We bought a book case about 5 years ago, and a curio cabinet about 4 years ago. Both have survived a move and are holding up well, but these are not things that are handled on a daily basis, like a dresser with drawers.

Re: Ikea- your experience

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. We bought a couch, a desk, and a chair there. After two years, the couch was in great shape (and we have a cat). We wound up selling the couches, and I'm typing on the desk right now!

Re: Ikea- your experience

Not me, but my sister's dresser in her bedroom is going on 15 years and strong.
Our bed is from them, fantastic.
Ava's bed from them, fantastic.
Our bookshelves, fantastic.
Best friends furniture all over her house, she raves about it. I'm a true IKEA fan.

Re: Ikea- your experience

we bought our kitchen cabinets from Ikea and they are holding up like a champ, love them!

Re: Ikea- your experience

Re: Ikea- your experience

Don't buy their dressers! That is the only item that was a piece of garbage.

When I moved to NYC 7 years ago I furnished my apt from Ikea and we still are using all of it. The sofa is starting to sag a bit but the rest of it looks fine, even after 2 moves.

leather sofa
2 bookshelves and tv unit
2 bedside tables

Re: Ikea- your experience

I bought stuff like 5+ years. Like bookcases, desk, coffee table, buffet etc.. one of the line that is in "antique stain". Pretty much a whole 1 bedroom apartment worth of stuff.

It's still in great condition. Some more than others. The bookcases and desk look like new. The other stuff I sold at BIL and it's still at their house. Then the coffee table and side table in LV...not so much after I moved with DH and no we have 2 dogs who like to lay on the side of furniture, stractch themselves next to tables and a DS.

We have the big armoire that you can customize the inside. That's in excellent shape.

We recently bought a bookcase for something else and it looks great.

Lots of people have used IKEA here for kitchens. There is a couple of threads on them if you do a search.

You pay for what you get.

I find that if you are "gentle" with it, it will last a long time. Then if you have pets, kids, and they bang on stuff.... then it's not that great after a while but there are no furniture that can take a beating from dogs and kids and look like new either.

ETA: I moved 2 times after I bought the furniture and nothing happened to it at all. DH, DS and the dogs are all the abusers.

Message edited 9/4/2009 4:31:04 PM.

Re: Ikea- your experience

I have wall units in my LR from Ikea and we have them for 9 years (OK, DH owes me a new LR!) they have held up great and survived a move when we moved 6 years ago, which a lot of times people say Ikea stuff is not meant for moving. Other things like dressers don't hold up as well IMO.

Re: Ikea- your experience

We bought our beds there- they are the "LEIRVIK" (steel) and we really like them. However, the dresser I have I curse every morning when I can't get the door open or closed.

Re: Ikea- your experience

Re: Ikea- your experience

our whole office set is from them- we have a huge desk ( we each have our own desktop computers) and 2 storage cabinets. we've had them over 4 years, and they're holding up well... but it was the more expensive stuff, i'm pretty sure its real wood.

Re: Ikea- your experience

I have had a dresser from Ikea (Hemnes) for about 7 years now, and its still like brand new!

We had Ikea couches for 8 years, they were great!

Re: Ikea- your experience

I still have a complete bedroom set that I got when I turned 16 - that was 12 yrs ago. It's still in perfect condition.