1965 IKEA catalog

While scanning Twitter I stumbled upon some really interesting images from a 1965 IKEA catalog. A blogger named Sara whose parents have kept a treasure trove of old catalogs was kind enough to share the walk down memory lane with us all.
























I don't think ANY of these chairs would fit in a modern flat pack.

And these colors are great...

   

even the shag rug is back again.

...I'm missing Mad Men right about now and just can't wait until next year...

Check out the last image of the "London" black leather sofas....and compare them to the leather Karlstad sofa that made an appearance in the 2011 catalog. 

Black tufted leather sofas are timeless! Sadly I don't see a slipcover in sight though. Thanks to Sara for sharing. You can check out her blog here.

A bright, artful IKEA home

The folks at IKEA Family Live have done a beautiful job of rounding up homes from around the world with eclectic looks that all have one thing in common...IKEA items. This country home in Portugal uses lovely bold colors and natural elements like salvaged wood pieces to really warm up the concrete space.

Even the kitchen utensils look like an art display

I love how the artist homeowner painted only half the walls to add color while creating continuity from room to room. She also applied these butterfly wall decals for just that extra splash of interest that can easily be removed when she's no longer in a butterfly mood.

 from IKEAFamilyLive

Prant boxes with panache

IKEA makes many wonderful storage solutions and most of the creative ideas I've seen incorporate the Expedit bookcases. But the Swedish IKEA site, Livet Hemma, has come up with a fun way to transform unfinished Prant boxes like these...

 

from IKEA-US

into a colorful, interesting, and useful storage option like this...

Livet Hemma

All it takes is a little planning, a small amount of paint and a box of binder clips. What a great use for those paint testers available in your local hardware or home improvement store.

Overlays for added interest

I recently stumbled upon another great product that sprung from the idea of jazzing up plain ole' IKEA furniture. O'verlays are fabulous decorative panels that fit many IKEA models and instantly turn your blah Malm dresser into a unique custom piece of furniture to be the envy of all your friends and family. Basically they are thin decorative pieces that can be painted and applied to create an absolutely endless array of looks. O'verlays come in many sizes that fit the IKEA Lack, Malm, Pax, and Expedit models. Check out their site http://www.myoverlays.com for more designs ideas!

Gallery Wall how-to

Do you see images of fabulous framed gallery walls and think, "I would love to do that!" Gallery displays can definitely add a lot of interest to a big boring wall and they also are a great way to add your personality to a space. It can be intimidating thinking about hanging all of those frames. And if you are like me, the thought of putting a bunch of holes in your walls doesn't help. But with a good design plan and some handy Command strips, gallery displays can be a fun project that is well worth the effort.

The first step in planning your gallery is to decide on a style. IKEA has created a really nice slideshow that helps provide ideas on how to orient or situate your display.

You can group within a framework, kind of boxes within a larger box...

Use ledges to create a flexible gallery that is easy to change out when the mood strikes...

Another idea is to create a collection of objects based on a common theme...









Once you settle on a design, it's time to get to work. I love to use IKEA frames because they are inexpensive and keep the project looking consistent without breaking the bank. You can also round up a variety of frames from a local thrift store and spray paint them for a uniform look.  If you have the time, you can cut newspaper pieces in the size of your frames and use masking tape to lay out your design on wall. I prefer to use the floor for laying out my designs. Once I settle on a plan, I snap a photo to refer back to while I'm working. And my single favorite item for hanging frames....Command hooks! They have a wonderful new product that is kind of like velcro and it lets you make those inevitable adjustments. 

Chevron Love!

So I've definitely been in a chevron lovin' mood lately. I honestly thought my interest might wane but as months have passed, I have to say my fondness of the crazy zig zag pattern has only grown. And now as a result I've decided to offer our Knesting slipcovers in a few fun colors of the chevron print. You will soon be able to purchase slipcovers for your IKEA furniture in the the following fabrics...candy pink, sunshine yellow, dark chocolate, and ash gray

  

   

Here's a picture of a the first chevron slipcover we've just completed. Since we are still working out the details of which models we'll be covering the chevron fabrics in, I've gone ahead and listed this yellow slipcover for the Henriksdal bar stool on our Etsy shop - http://www.etsy.com/listing/80307460/chevron-slipcover-for-ikea-henriksdal.

And for a little inspiration, here are a few other designs featuring the chevron pattern.

via madebygirl.blogspot.com

via http://www.housebeautiful.com/

via http://www.housebeautiful.com/

IKEA Hemnes cabinet - Great entry way storage

Everyone needs a place to toss keys, mail and all the other odds and ends that seem to follow us through the front door. But are you limited on space like most of us? Well the Hemnes shoe cabinet does just the trick and its good for things other than shoes :)

IKEA Hemnes shoe cabinet 

Hemnes shoe cabinet in black-brown

Coming Soon!

Forget the bulky catalog! Hate wandering around the big blue store maze aimlessly? Knesting's IKEA Inspiration blog will show great real life examples of how to incorporate IKEA items into your spaces. It's IKEA from a whole new perspective!