Seems like Ikea's feeling generous this year and delivering catalogs to every house in my area. That or there's an address that I haven't been able to locate on the one I received.
Fancy Schmancy
Anyways, after spending a bit of time going through the new catalog, I thought I'd put together a list of interesting items. I'm avoiding the word "new" for a reason. To be honest, the definition for "new" is up in the air because what's labelled as "new" in the publication may have been on the Ikea website for a while already -- there are some items I saw in stores weeks ago, in fact. Take that outdated paper? Also, there are items that may look new to me that I just never noticed before. Let's just go with "interesting".
Interesting Finds
The themes that I'm getting this year are "industry" and "color". Looks like the setups switch between a colorful '60s and '70s era look, and a '30s era industrial, factory setting. I am feeling drawn to both. Whatever. Let's go.
All page references are for the U.S. online catalog.
KARLSTAD loveseat in husie orange: US$ 499 (p.g. 169)
I love fabric sofas for their comfort and look. This one has a sort of retro feel to it and the orange pattern is absolutely hilarious and gorgeous. I get the feeling that the sofa has been around a while, and it's just the cover, which appears that you can buy separately, that is new.
The pattern and series is on the ikea.ca website at the time of writing. Matching KARLSTAD products with the same pattern appear to include an armchair, footstool, and sofa bed.
STADJAN laptop support: US$ 12.99 (p.g. 188)
Remember: the criterion is "interesting". This one falls under interestingly weird. From what I can see from both the catalog and the website, it's a cushion with a hard piece of plastic on top to be used as a surface. The website features a photo of a female model sitting on a chair with the STADJAN resting on her lap. And there's a laptop on top of the STADJAN.
I thought I was going to talk about how weird this item is, but come to think of it, the STADJAN may be amazingly useful. The couch, carpet, and bed are common places to put a laptop. However, they are all usually cushioned and covered with fabric that has a tendency to block the cooling vents of a laptop. Even if they don't block the holes, the insulation they provide don't facilitate heat dissipation. This device should provide a cushion to elevate the height of the laptop and a hard shell to support it -- cooling, ergonomics, and comfort taken. I could actually use one as my current laptop support for when I'm on the carpet consists of a box and clipboard.
FABRIKOR glass cabinet: US$ 179 (p.g. 210)
According to the website, this is a steel cabinet with tempered glass walls and shelves. It's 59" or 1.5m tall, which is pretty big and could make for a good compact display case. All four sides of the cabinet are glass, so not only would it be visible from all sides, but light would get in easier to make things more visible. This sealed case would definitely beat my door-less BILLY bookcases that are filled with dust.
STOCKHOLM mirror: US$ 99 (p.g. 283)
Not a big fan of mirrors, but this one gets a mention for its design. It's an oval mirror with a wood border around the frame. The unique part about this frame is that it protrudes outwards and, according to the website and catalog, can be used as a shelf. I'm thinking dust collector too.
VARMDO rocking chair: US$ 129 (p.g. 16)
This one is going under the "new to me" list. I don't see any "new" tags on either the website or the catalog, but I have not noticed this chair before. It reminds me of the rocking chairs the teachers had in kindergarten. We tried to get something like that way back when (decades ago), but we could only find "futuristic" rocking chairs with complex mechanical rocking mechanisms at the department store.
The website says that it's pine with acrylic paint, and it comes in black and red. Considering that I managed to tip over a task chair with wheels (yes, I was in it), I think I'll leave this one to the experts.
Thar she goes
And there you have it: a few interesting finds in the 2014 catalog. The only things I'd seriously consider buying are the couch and laptop support.
P.S. Post 200. Boo ya.
Related
2014 Ikea Catalogue now out!
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Blockworks Furniture: An Ikea GALANT & BILLY alternative?
IKEA BILLY Bookcase Review
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