What I Bought: Ikea

I thought it would be fun today to show you what I bought on my latest trip to Ikea.  There is an Ikea about 20 minutes from my house, but I only go out there 1-2 times per year.  It is across the street from the Mall of America, so the place is a zoo most of the time.  Instead of frequent trips, I keep an ongoing list of things I want to check out and then do one big shopping spree.  I treated myself last Friday to a kid-free shopping day at Ikea.

Since I don’t go very often, I found lots of goodies to take home.  I spend so much of my time telling other people what to buy for their homes, I thought it might be interesting to show you the things I bought for my home.  I am working on several rooms at once, so I bought a hodge-podge of things that will be put to good use all over the house.

Here is what left Ikea with me:

 

1. Socker Vases – I longed for these milk tin style vases.  I put them on a birthday list last year and got a gift card to buy them with.  Finally they are mine.
2. Fintorp Rail – I love the concealed hardware on these rails.  I plan to use a pair of these in my studio to hold crafting tools.
3. Grundtal Rail – This rail has exposed hardware, which I thought might be easier to install for a kitchen project I am dreaming up.
4. Fintrop Hooks – These smaller hooks will hold caddies on the rails in my studio.  I bought several packs.
5. Fintorp Hook – The larger hooks will go with the Grundtal for the kitchen.  I preferred the Fintorp hooks over the matching Grundtal hooks, because the Fintorp slide onto the rail and can’t be removed once installed.  The Grundtal style is more of an S-hook.
6. Barbar Tray in Lilac – I have had one of these on my nightstand forever and LOVE it.  It is like one giant coaster for my water glass, watch, and jewlery.  I bought this one for my husband’s nightstand.
7. Fintorp Cutlery Caddy – I bought 6 of these caddies to hold my crafting tools.  I liked the white ceramic ones better, but these were about half the price.  I figure I can spray paint these any color my heart desires.
8. Raskog Kitchen Cart – LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.  This is on my studio mood board as well.  Rolling, tiered storage is a dream come true for any craft space.  Rolling, tiered storage in turquoise is my dream come true.  My birthday gift card also covered the cost of this guy.
9. Lantliv Plant Stand – This is one of my favorite things at Ikea right now.  It is just a perfect accent table for narrow spaces.  I plan to use it under the window in my studio.
10. Ekby Valter Shelf Bracket – I grabbed a bunch of these to use as shelf brackets in my studio.  I plan to paint them, but can’t decide between white or maybe brass?  They shelves will be white against my blue wall.
11. Omvaxlande Tray – This tray is amazing.  It is big (like the size of a lunch tray) and metal.  The color is perfect.  I am already using it on the console table behind our sofa to hold books and the TV remote.
12. Ficus Lyrata – This is a baby Fiddle Leaf Fig tree for under $15.  Nicole of Making It Lovely has a beautiful, older one in her library.   The full-grown trees cost hundreds, but they are gorgeous house plants.  Here’s hoping my baby can turn into a tree.  They are pretty fickle, and I have already over-watered mine and lost a few leaves :(  But, I am hopeful.
13. Cashewnot Planter – This planter is so cool.  Hopefully, my fiddle leaf fig will love it. The red metal base can be flipped around to give the pot a different look.  I am not in love with the red, but it is only cosmetic…nothing a little spray paint can’t fix.
14. Bjornloka Fabric – The little picture does not do this fabric justice.  The stripe is huge.  What you are seeing in this picture is the full 59″ width of the fabric.  I brought home a yard to see where I could use it.  I think it would be nice as curtain panels for my son’s room.
15. Flyt Magazine Files – I need some concealed book and magazine storage for my studio shelves.  I plan to recover these inexpensive white cardboard magazine files.
16. Socker Plant Pot – I grabbed 6 of these little grellow guys.  They may find a home in my studio or to hold the kids art supplies (crayons, markers, scissors) in their new playroom.

Did you enjoy this roundup?  Kind of fun to snoop around in someone else’s cart, right?!  You will see all these finds popping up in posts over the next few weeks to see exactly how I am using them in my home.

Note: I was not compensated in any way for this post.  I am just an Ikea fan sharing the great finds I bought with my hard-earned money.