More IKEA Lovin' (& Bloglovin'!!)

It's no secret.  I love IKEA.  I'll admit it, I shop there monthly.   

I first admitted my IKEA love here on my blog, when I shared how I would re-create my designer inspired dining rooms with IKEA products.

Today's IKEA isn't the one I remember from my college days; it's where I shopped to buy storage and accessories for my first room away from home.  I shopped there simply for it's low cost.  Of course, back then, I thought more about a room from a functional standpoint - on a good day - and not from a "pretty" design standpoint.  So who knows, maybe they were already a place were function meets good design on a budget.  Anyone? 

I'm not breaking any ground here, posting about IKEA finds.   I know this.   (And I'm not insinuating that I'm ever posting "ground breaking" ideas here, although I'd like to think so :)).  However, I thought I'd share my take on some of my favorite IKEA finds, lately. 

Our Living Room (more pics here):

#1 IKEA STOCKHOLM Cushion, $12.99/ #2 BIGARRÅ  5 1/2" plant pot with saucer, $14.99 / #3 FICUS LYRATA, aka Fiddle Leaf Fig, $12.99

IKEA FAMILY member price

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I really like the black and white graphic design of the Stockholm pillow.  My son thinks it looks like a train track.  Admittedly, he ties everything back to trains.  But now, it's all I see after hearing his opinion.  Either way, I think it provides a great contrast to the colorful blanket that I added to the couch for spring.  The pillow is soft and comfortable, too!

I used this heavy duty Bigarra black planter, which is available in several larger sizes, to help tie in the black accents I'm adding to my rooms.  I'm thinking about also using a larger version on our deck this summer.

...and the Fiddle Leaf Fig....can anyone tell me, will it actually grow figs?  ;)  It helps add the green, living element into our living room.  Supposedly, house plants help eliminate toxins from the air we breath?!?!  Bonus. 

I'm not sure about its location, I need to read to see if too much direct sunlight will hurt this plant.  Anyone know this, off the top of their head?

 Our Entryway (more pics here):

#1 LAPPLJUNG Pillow Cover, Red Lilac $5.00 / #2 TEJN Faux Sheepskin $9.99 / #3 PHALAENOPSIS, Orchid $14.99

Admittedly, my orchids were from Trader Joe's, I bought them on a whim one day.  However, they are also available from IKEA.  These, along with the LAPPLJUNG pillow cover  - inside my black and white frame - add color to our entry. 

I LOOOOOVE my furry faux sheepskin rug.  I'm sure that comes as no surprise given that my furry white pillows have made many appearances here on my blog.  I actually bought two of the TJEN rugs to use beside my bed.  I loved stepping onto them in the morning.  They are REALLY soft.  They didn't last long in the bedroom, however, since I wanted to add more texture in our entryway.  I'm so tempted to go back and buy two more..............

These LENDA bleached curtains were only $19.99 for 1 pair.  (I bought two sets since they hang on a really long bank of windows).  I really liked the light beige linen looking version, as well, however they do not work with the wall color in this room.  I like the light airiness of how this panel hangs.  I also appreciate that they are machine washable since stickey fingers roam this room often. 

However, I do not like the rod pockets at the top of this curtain.  In my opinion,  it cheapens the look.  I folded those down and hung the curtain from curtain rings.  I will remove the rod pockets at some point, probably when I hem the curtains:

See?  They are a little long.  However, I think she approves.............For those of you without a sewing machine, these curtains come with the no sew iron on adhesive. 

Kitchen Duty:

I just replaced our Crate & Barrel dinnerware - since most of the dishes were chipping - with the FÄRGRIK 18-piece stoneware, $19.99.  I've known, pretty much from the day I bought our last set of DARK dishes, that I wanted to switch to white.  I'm trying to convince my husband that my meals will look more appetizing to him from these white plates!!!  Wouldn't you agree?  :)

By the way, we LOVE this Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa pictured above.  It's healthy and very flavorful.  You can find the recipe here.  You should try this one, I think you will like it!

As an aside, it's a little more time intensive compared to most meals I make - I keep it REALLY simple most of the time so that might not me saying much. Either way, that is easily remedied if you purchase the pre-cut and washed squash from Costco along with their pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.

Also, I entered into a Pimp My Blog Giveaway over at Cinsarah last week. You can see my original post here. Voting has begun, and I would LOVE if you could click over and vote for my blog! You don't have to be a blogger to vote! Here is the link right to the site: http://www.cinsarah.com/2013/03/pimp-my-blog-giveaway-2013.html

Finally, I'm just now reading that Google is eliminating its Google Reader service. If that is the service you use to keep up with your blogs, and you are now transferring as a result, I created a bloglovin' button (here and in my sidebar) so that you can continue to follow along!!!!

Hope you've enjoyed your weekend and as always, thanks for stopping by!

   

Linking at:

Home Stories A to Z / The Gunny Sack / My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia / Clean and Scentscible / Savvy Southern Style / No Minimalist Here / Stone Gable / Common Ground / Inspiration Gallery / My Romantic Home / All Things with a Purpose