Heritage of the Vikings: IKEA
Some time ago, I heard a talk that suggested taking one day a week for professional development purposes; as work keeps busy, I've also been trying to slot aside a day for personal trips.
In keeping with my hopes of one day visiting viking country, this week's trip was to see their descendants, in the form of IKEA. My understanding of houseware stores is generally limited; anyone who's ever seen my apartment knows that there's no master plan at work. (A little-noticed secret: Of the 10 furniture items made of wood in my home, no two have exactly the same color of stain)
That said, I've managed to have decent luck with Bed, Bath, and Beyond in the past- primarily because all males in my family are equipped with an instinctive urge to collect anything that goes "ping!". Needless to say, the appliance section is always fun to browse. (And it's overpriced, so I don't end up spending money- a winning combination)
With that pleasant experience under my belt, I set off to the mothership- a 311,000 ft2 IKEA warehouse 30 min away. Upon entering, I knew I was in a different world. I mean, spreadable cod-in-a-tube? It's not how I pictured the country with the highest standard of living on the planet, but onward I went.
As it turns out, the mothership has far fewer appliances, and far more colored bits of fabric. About halfway through, I realized that a store for the interior of the home is far larger than any outdoors shop I've ever been in. Does that backwards?
Some of the items were certainly quirky (battery powered milk frother, anyone?), and others showcased a dream of luxury more than they fit reality. (Who has the counter space to display all their dishes in individual racks? I barely have room to cram them in a cabinet!)
I suppose that I'd have understood some of it better if the product lines didn't all have obscure names like "Billy", but I did manage to get a feel for the basics. (Even if the display rooms did make me feel like a gameshow contestant who suddenly discovered that their fifth-grade competition had been replaced by Nobel laureates)
In the end, I walked out with a new rug- this actually does a really nice job of defining a distinct space for the living room, so I may decide to go back and treat the dining area soon. I suspect that separating areas of the apartment will also make it easier to choose what photos to hang; with all rooms decorated in a neutral scheme, I find myself gridlocked by too many possibilities.
And there's my one day of trips for the week. Now to see how the chocolate lace cookies turned out!
In keeping with my hopes of one day visiting viking country, this week's trip was to see their descendants, in the form of IKEA. My understanding of houseware stores is generally limited; anyone who's ever seen my apartment knows that there's no master plan at work. (A little-noticed secret: Of the 10 furniture items made of wood in my home, no two have exactly the same color of stain)
That said, I've managed to have decent luck with Bed, Bath, and Beyond in the past- primarily because all males in my family are equipped with an instinctive urge to collect anything that goes "ping!". Needless to say, the appliance section is always fun to browse. (And it's overpriced, so I don't end up spending money- a winning combination)
With that pleasant experience under my belt, I set off to the mothership- a 311,000 ft2 IKEA warehouse 30 min away. Upon entering, I knew I was in a different world. I mean, spreadable cod-in-a-tube? It's not how I pictured the country with the highest standard of living on the planet, but onward I went.
As it turns out, the mothership has far fewer appliances, and far more colored bits of fabric. About halfway through, I realized that a store for the interior of the home is far larger than any outdoors shop I've ever been in. Does that backwards?
Some of the items were certainly quirky (battery powered milk frother, anyone?), and others showcased a dream of luxury more than they fit reality. (Who has the counter space to display all their dishes in individual racks? I barely have room to cram them in a cabinet!)
I suppose that I'd have understood some of it better if the product lines didn't all have obscure names like "Billy", but I did manage to get a feel for the basics. (Even if the display rooms did make me feel like a gameshow contestant who suddenly discovered that their fifth-grade competition had been replaced by Nobel laureates)
In the end, I walked out with a new rug- this actually does a really nice job of defining a distinct space for the living room, so I may decide to go back and treat the dining area soon. I suspect that separating areas of the apartment will also make it easier to choose what photos to hang; with all rooms decorated in a neutral scheme, I find myself gridlocked by too many possibilities.
And there's my one day of trips for the week. Now to see how the chocolate lace cookies turned out!