DISQUS

Adem · 3 years ago

Have you seen Fight club?? What you were talking about reminds me of the bit when Ed Norton is talking about what's in his flat and the view goes all catalogue-ee. [This is really hard to describe but hopefully you know what I mean.]

Napfisk · 3 years ago

Dang! I have seen it and although the scene rings a bell, most of it has become foggy. I think one of my friends has it, so I'll definitely check tomorrow. But I know what you mean. Catalogues can have that mesmerizing effect that sucks you up. Exactly what I meant, lol.

wudrich · 3 years ago

Having no vehicle I totally understand not driving out to the ends of the earth to visit their 2 floors of never ending particle board furniture. If you were to walk around my flat, Ikea is all you see. Couch, tables, beds, desks, and probably the same sieve as you. Why not? There is no where else that sells furniture that cool for that cheap. As for you missing out on the "fun of assembling it" yourself, trust me, it's not fun, and your not missing anything.

Robert Zhu · 3 years ago

I agree with the point of Ikea not being built near the city, there's only two Ikeas near me and it takes me about an hour to get to either one of 'em. sheesh.

Alvin · 3 years ago

I love Ikea. I think what makes the catalogue work is that when you look at an Ikea catalogue with all the affordable prices, you're able to think to yourself; 'that could be my place'.

But when you browse through an architecture book (which I love to do), while some of those houses are simply stunning, you know they're more than a bit out of your price range.

That said, you're right. Even in Singapore, Ikea is situation in a little corner in the west, away from the busy and easily connected places. But it's still bustling (like a nightmare) on the weekends.

Kirk Lennon · 3 years ago

I love IKEA and have tons of stuff from there. I've got five pieces of furniture, bowls, spoons, and other random stuff (look at the price of that CD case!). Unlike most of the world, however, I needn't travel far. I drive up the street I live on, turn left, and it's on the right, a few miles down. Ten minutes, tops, even with the perpetual road construction in Frisco, TX (a Dallas suburb that's a long ways from Dallas).

I decided to comment mainly because I have the exact opposite situation. I have the catalog and the truth is I don't like it. I like the idea of it, but looking through the catalog is, for me, a wholly unenjoyable experience.

In contrast, I love actually going there. Yes, there are crowds, but that's just part of the IKEA experience, along with arrows on the floor and ridiculously cheap food (that actually tastes good). I was there on the second Saturday they were open (which was about a year ago); I later found out they had an estimated 90,000 customers that day. It's insane, but I love it.

Favorite thing about IKEA: the shopping carts. All four wheels turn, so you can move it in any direction. Pure genius; why doesn't everybody do this?

CWW · 3 years ago

IKEA actually started out as a psychological study conducted by Swedish college students to measure the amout of punishment a human being is willing to absorb in exchange for a great price. It was just so successful that they decided to turn it into a retail operation.

Stage 1 (Chronic Frugality): Subject is willing to drive 84 miles in their Uncle's pickup truck to the nearest store. Uncle forgot to remove the rotting deer carcass from the back seat.

Stage 2 (Severe Penny-Pinching): Subject is willing to climb a set of rafters and pull down a 40lb chair with no assistance whatsoever, also taking care to avoid landing on the 80-year old woman who feels the need to stand right the hell underneath and watch.

Stage 3 (Terminal Coupon Clipperism): Subject is willing to walk around all day in a maze of poor inventory layout, stopping only for the nourishment provided by gross 99-cent meatballs and crab juice.

Robert Zhu · 3 years ago

I actually like their meatballs. Totally beats the hell outta the ones my grandma makes..

litlove · 3 years ago

I love the story I was told by friends who'd bought an IKEA kitchen and were watching the video that accompanies it to tell you how to put it all together. Apparently it began with the words 'First, make sure all the walls in your kitchen are perfectly square...'

Napfisk · 3 years ago

As a matter of fact Wudrich, I noticed a lamp as well that came from there, but when its shade needed to be replaced? Yep, I got that from a shop right here in town. As for the assembling, come on, I would have expected a more enterprising spirit from a dapper prairie man! ;-)

Napfisk · 3 years ago

Thanks for commenting, Robert. Yeah, to me that is actually the biggest hassle. I guess if I had that car I'd pop in there all the time after all. Perhaps not for furniture, but certainly for all the smaller stuff they have.

Napfisk · 3 years ago

Hey Alvin, honoured to have you visit. Yeah, trying to make your place look like those interior desing magazines means forking a lot of dosh - given that you have that in the first place.

I'm somewhat of a Homes & Gardens man myself, so I try to recreate that by scavenging the flea and antique markets for character stuff. Not always cheap either, though.

Napfisk · 3 years ago

Wow, Alvin. That's the exact reverse take on things, isn't it? You're lucky then to have one so close to you. Like I commented earlier, I would probably go there more often if I could get there more easily.

You're right about those carts, that is one hell of an invention. Don't even think I ever seen it anywhere else. Thanks so much for popping in and commenting!

Napfisk · 3 years ago

CWW, I was almost going to react to your comment saying it was a load of bollocks. Then I read on. Thanks for leaving such a hilarious comment.

To tell you the truth, I hadn't seen you on 9rules before. What community are you in? Welcome and thanks in any case.

Napfisk · 3 years ago

Lol, Litlove. I hope they didn't get the builder in to correct that situation then? I never knew you got videos as a manual. We just get these insanely simple drawings that are supposed to be universally understood. I have to admit they are on the obscure side sometimes, but most of their stuff is pretty straightforward to piece together.

Any ideas if you can watch those videos online somewhere? I'd love to see that.

CWW · 3 years ago

Yeah, I like the meatballs too actually.

As for the instructions, there's something to be said for the way IKEA engineers their product- they were one of the first I can remember who used those super-simple locking bolts... they've done a lot of R&D to make "assembly required" as minimal a headache as possible for consumers.

Nap - yes, I do peek out of the woodwork sometimes at 9rules. I'm the in Commentary community... and so here I am, commenting on things.

fredcharles · 3 years ago

Did you see the movie Fight Club? The main character is slightly obsessed with living the IKEA lifestlye. There is a scene where he is sitting on the toilet and reading it like a Playboy, lol.

I hate going to Ikea. Its just crowds and crowds of yuppies. I actually have to go there this weekend to buy some economical, non-descript shelving. The horror.

Napfisk · 3 years ago

Oi, Fred. Like I said to Adem in the first comment, I saw it but I forget that scene. Must look it up.

You're lucky to at least get those 'yuppies'. All I ever saw were mutants from the boondocks. Good luck over the weekend, anyway.

Jack · 1 year ago

IKEA is junk, I bought a wardrobe and after finishing assemble, while I was trying to stand it up everything broke !!! easily before install doors without any pressure to any parts.
IKEA is beautiful but only for those pictures on their catalog.

Nils Geylen · 1 year ago

True, it's the catalog people look forward to and always seem eager to get their hands on. But when you look at who's buying what it becomes clear it's mostly students or young couples who only want something cheap that'll set them up for a year or so and don't care whether it falls apart or looks shaky.

In any case, thanks for your comment on an old post like this. It's always nice to see someone do that. Cheers.