My favorite IKEA pieces and how we use them

My favorite IKEA pieces and how we use them I've been working on a organizational project in our basement that has escalated into a much bigger DIY project...per usual with me. :) We needed a good solution for our games in the basement and I went with an easier version of the built in cubby storage in our old basement:

We didn't need nearly the storage we used to (not many toys left in this house, sniff!!), and I didn't want to do anything permanent just yet. As our kiddo gets older the way we use this space may change over time.

Instead, I used the IKEA Kallax cubby units and they're working great!:

These are supposed to have four cubbies, but on the two end units I didn't add the smaller shelves that create the four spaces. Instead it's just a more basic bookcase so the longer games fit perfectly!

More to come on this if you give a mouse a cookie project soon. :) Before we had an IKEA nearby, we'd stop in on the way to or from Kings Island and it was usually a quick walk through to grab what I wanted. Since the one here in Indy opened I've been able to really explore the store and I love it even more than before!

Years back I wasn't so sure about the quality of their pieces, but over time I've come to trust that everything I get there is going to hold up and function well. I'm super pleased with EVERY item we've purchased from IKEA over the years.

One purchase I can't really speak to are their upholstered pieces. I think I'm in the minority, but I don't find their sofas and chairs to be very comfy. I hear they get more comfortable over time, but that's one thing I don't see myself purchasing.

But pretty much everything else -- I love! I've rounded up the best IKEA pieces I've used in our two homes.

First up, one of my favorite rooms EVER...our son's bathroom in the old house:

Those round Stockholm mirrors were the perfect finishing touch to the tile wall. I SO wished I could use them again in his new bathroom, but the vanity isn't as wide. These mirrors are big! The frame comes out on the bottom a bit, so you can use it as a little shelf. :) Next up -- their butcher block. I used it in a few places in our old house, including the DIY built in bench in our white and blue mud room makeover:

It's very inexpensive as far as butcher is concerned, and warms up a space beautifully. It always stained nicely and held up great!

Next up -- their dressers. I showed you the one in my closet when I shared how I organized my jewelry and shoes:

We also have one in my husband's closet too. People fear the IKEA assembly instructions, I know.

When you pull everything out of the box it can be intimidating, but it's not that bad. I'm a nerd that kind of enjoys putting furniture together though. ;) I particularly like the Hemnes line of dressers and furniture (the dresser above is one). They have a simple, classic design that goes well with nearly every style. I used the tall Hemnes cabinet with glass doors for our master bathroom. It provides so much storage!:

Mine didn't look like this when I got it -- see how I transformed it here!

What I really love about IKEA furniture is how easily you can add your own touches to make it work perfectly in your home. Because so many of their pieces are a simpler design, they are easily dressed up. You can see how I did just that with the Tarva dressers I turned into nightstands:

The possibilities with their unfinished items are endless! There is a ton of storage space in these too.

I have SO many smaller favorites too, but I'll save that for a future post. I did share a round up of my IKEA faves $10 and under here:

I wrote that years ago and I still use ALL of these items! Love them.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something! But this is a good list -- do you have any of these? Have you had good luck with IKEA furniture? Do you have a favorite product? I've been very pleased over the years. It's a fun place to explore for sure -- just make sure you have some time.

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