IKEA: A Guide to IKEA & IKEA's No-Nonsense Furnishings!

I have been in the states for about 10 years now and I am just fascinated with the perception of IKEA here in America.  IKEA produces solid no-nonsense furnishings that you can get for a decent price.  If you are looking for upscale Scandanavian design, you will not find it at IKEA.  However, if you are looking for good quality, decent priced furnitured that is produced with the environment in mind, you have come to the right place... IKEA

IKEA: An Introduction to IKEA

If you dont know, IKEA furniture is well known for its modern (often unusual) design. Also, because much of it is self-assembly furniture (also known as "flat-pack"), it is designed to be assembled by the consumer rather than being sold pre-assembled. IKEA claims this permits them to reduce costs and use of packaging by not shipping air—the volume of a bookcase, for example, is considerably less if it is shipped unassembled rather than assembled.

IKEA also claims to have pioneered the use of more sustainable approaches to mass consumer culture. Its founder calls it "democratic design," meaning that the company applies an integrated approach to manufacturing and design (see also environmental design). Responding to the explosion of human population—and material expectations—in the 20th century, the company has mastered economies of scale, capturing material streams and creating manufacturing processes that hold costs and resource use down, such as the extensive use of particle board. The intended result is flexible, adaptable home furnishings, scaleable both to larger homes and smaller dwellings.

IKEA does not accept timber, veneer, plywood or layer.glued wood from intact natural forests or from forests with a clearly defined high conservation value. Their long-term goal is to source all wood in the IKEA range from verified, well-managed forests that have been certified according to a forest management standard recognized by IKEA. To them wood is renewable, recyclable and biodegradable, so it’s a good material from an environmental point of view, provided that it originates from well-managed forests.

IKEA on eBay: Finding IKEA Products on eBay!

eBay is a great place to find IKEA furnishings.  You can find a ton of stuff at very low prices.  Check out some of the IKEA items currently on eBay (note: I am NOT affiliated with any of these stores!):

• eBay Store: Ikea Central!
  
• eBay Store: Ikea Home Decorations
  
• eBay Store: IKEA Store Front
  
• eBay Store: The Complete IKEA Shop
  
• eBay Store: Totally IKEA Crazy!
  
  

IKEA: The History of IKEA

The company was founded by Ingvar Kamprad at age 17 in 1943. The company name is a composite of the first letters in his name and the names of the property and the village in which he grew up: Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. This acronym was possibly chosen because it was similar to the Greek word [oikia] (home) and to the Finnish word oikea.

Originally IKEA sold pens, wallets, picture frames, table runners, watches, jewelry and nylon stockings or practically anything Kamprad found a need for that he could fill with a product at a reduced price. Furniture was first added to the IKEA product range in 1947 and, in 1955, IKEA began to design its own furniture. The company motto is: Well designed affordable quality furniture to the many people.

At first Kamprad sold his goods out of his home and by mail order, but eventually a store was opened in the nearby town of Älmhult. It was also the location for the first IKEA "warehouse" store which came to serve as a model for IKEA establishments elsewhere and on March 23, 1963, the first store outside Sweden was opened in Asker, a Norwegian municipality outside Oslo. (The store was located in the same building which houses the Bellevue hotel, about two km from the present site at Billingstad/Slependen, which opened in 1975. The store in Asker is currently undergoing a major expansion and remodelling.)

As a result of the sliding value of the U.S. dollar, Kamprad has now (according to Swedish news sources, somewhat discussed) overtaken Bill Gates to become the richest man in the world. IKEA however denies this assertion, saying that IKEA should not be counted as part of Kamprad's assets as he no longer owns the company. Others argue that this is a matter of definition as the chain is owned by a foundation controlled by the Kamprad family. Forbes magazine continues to list Gates as #1, placing Kamprad at #6.

Finally, remember that you can get great Swedish food at IKEA.  If you are ever in the mood for pickled herring, Swedish meatballs (the real ones), or Swedish coffee, you can always find a good selection at IKEA!