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Design Dilemma: Finding the New, Cool, Affordable at IKEA

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We’re always on the lookout for great new design finds that are beautiful AND affordable. These days, it’s getting easier and easier to find affordable pieces that will knock your socks off.  Especially if you shop IKEA, which is known for both its design and affordability. While some may have issues with IKEA’s quality, we maintain that quality design pieces CAN be found in the store if you use a bit of discretion. The best way to shop IKEA is to shop the store’s “higher end” offerings. Kitchen cabinets, bathroom sinks and cabinets, the more expensive storage systems and lights, are consistent winners for style and quality. And  because IKEA frequently changes its offering and mix of colors, there’s always a chance that you may end up with a piece that will one day become relatively rare and hard-to-find.

Here are five new designs from IKEA that make us happy:

1) The Ikea Besta Burs Desk. It comes in high gloss red, gray, white and black. It’s sleek and sophisticated and looks like a high-priced piece. In reality, it costs only $249. We actually sprang for this one this year and found the desk comfortable to use and functional, thanks to two very long drawers. It’s a winner for a small home office where you might be looking to keep things streamlined and simple. It’s also long enough to provide two workstations. It’s gloss and sophistication will keep your friends guessing as to where this piece is from.

2. The IKEA Stockholm Sofa in Beige Leather. IKEA has offered the Stockholm sofa for a while, but we’ve been waiting to see it in beige. Finally, it’s here, and both elegant and classic. There have been lots of debates about the quality of IKEA sofas, and particularly with respect to  fabrics. The IKEA Stockholm is one of the store’s higher-quality couches at $1500 and  the fact that it’s full top-grain leather should help circumvent  the common IKEA problem of cheap fabrics that tend to wear badly.

3. The 365+ IKEA Utkik Ceiling Lamp. A new offering from IKEA, this ceiling lamp is both stylish and polished and doesn’t break the bank at $50. Other ceiling lamps that have caught our eye in the past for both quality and style include the Kulla Pendant Lamp for $70 which comes in black and white (we were fortunate enough to grab it while they were making it in red) and the classic Fado pendant downlight which at $30 costs far less than an equivalent lamp in lighting stores.

4. The IKEA Godmorgon/Vitviken Sink Cabinet with Two Drawers. The Godmorgon series has been around for years, but IKEA has introduced a new combination into the mix by offering a sink cabinet with two sinks and two drawers. It comes in birch veneer, white or gray and costs $424.

5. The Rorskar Bath Faucet with Strainer. A water-saving device in this faucet will cut your water use by 50 percent. And it won’t cost you extra money to save since this faucet only costs $40.