It’s no secret I’m not the biggest fan of Ikea, but you can use their cheap pieces to add personality to your apartment if you're decorating on a budget.
One-of-a-kind pieces, like my mom’s old dresser from her childhood bedroom, are more of my jam. But when you reach the bottom line (and the bottom of your bank account), Ikea might be your only option.
It was my only option when it came to really customizing my new space, so I put my animosity of the overwhelmingly utilitarian store aside and decided to see what I could do. I had lots of success mixing metals with plants, which is something I’ve wanted to do in my apartment for quite some time!
Here are my favorite Ikea “personality” pieces that are surprisingly cheap:
Krusning Lamp Shade ($19.99)
I purchased this with a Hemma Pendant Cord (available in-store) and a Ledare LED Bulb. The best part about this lampshade is that you get to crinkle it up yourself!
Tarno Table and Chairs ($49.99)
I thought these things were around $100 each for some reason? Turns out you can get the entire set from Ikea for under 50. These babies are solid!
Ragkorn Plant Pot ($29.99)
When I think of woven pieces, I definitely don’t think of Ikea... But there I was standing in an aisle holding a pot for my plant that definitely looks like it’s from Pier 1 or World Market. Not the most inexpensive pot I could have probably found, but it caught my attention and makes a great statement piece compared to something solid.
This is a customizable wall storage series that you can do SO many different things with. Here’s what I included in mine:
Rail ($7.99), Utensil Holder ($9.99), Shelf ($9.99)
To decorate this and spruce it up, I used:
Dekad Alarm Clock ($6.99), Fejka Potted Plant ($4.99), Gradvis Vases ($5.99) and assorted artificial flowers.
Raskog Bar Stool, 24 ¾ “ ($34.99)
Bar stools can be expeeeennnnsive, and I wasn’t about to drop a ton of money on something like that. I found these metal stools and loved the cream color against the vibrant red of my Moroccan tapestry, but they come in black as well.
Valby Ruta Rug 5’7”x7’7” ($69.99)
A personal favorite (and a three-time champion of apartment decorating) is this rug. It’s made its way from my house on 38th street to Grandmarc and over to the East Side. It’s hard to find a good oriental rug for cheap, but this one is a winner!
While I’m always more inclined to visit World Market for my affordable accent pieces, I p roved to myself that I can make Ikea work when I need to. It’s all about mixing and matching as well as taking yourself out of the context of the store and thinking about what will really look good in your space.
Planning was a huge part of this as well. It makes the store even more overwhelming to visit when you don’t know what you want, but if you have a clear idea of what you’re trying to accomplish before you visit Ikea, you’ll be able to piece together the perfect room.
Do you have any favorite Ikea products? Let me know by commenting!