The Joys of IKEA

I'm a stereotypical man if you believe all the reports. Shopping is not the first thing that comes to mind when I feel like going out. An AEE energy conference and exhibition in Philly? My weekly memoir writing classes? An action or sci-fi movie Saturday morning? Dinner at Ruby Tuesday, Pizza Hut or Taco Bell with Janet? Yes to all. But shopping never enters my mind. Until I need something specific, like a pair of jeans, socks, sweater or summer shirts. Then off to Kohl's we go. Immediately. No store hopping for me looking for bargain prices. Once in a while I'll accompany Jan to Freehold or Quakerbridge Mall while we look for something for the house, for her, or others. Of course, for Jan's birthday, Ayyam-i-Ha (our gift giving days like Christmas), and our anniversary, shopping is mandatory. When I'm lucky I remember to do it a few days ahead and not that morning.

But I love it when Jan asks , like she did yesterday, "Why don't we go to IKEA tomorrow?" The given purpose was to look for a queen-sized bed for Kate's old room, now the guest room, previously our second den when Kate moved out six years ago. When she bought her own condo, we offered to help her buy living room furniture. We found a great, three-piece, sturdy, tan living room set at Jarron's or somewhere on sale. cost? Maybe $200 for long coach, loveseat and chair. Kate got the loveseat and chair, and we replaced her old bunk bed bottom with the couch. We sold her old bed  at our annual spring yardsale, bringing the actual cost down. We were in a rush so didn't travel to faraway IKEA that time, but the furniture definitely has that plain, sculptured European, IKEA look.

Jan and I had both been attracted to knock-down furniture in the eighties, when we stumbled on a Conran's in a Mall in Valley Forge, PA, twenty-five miles from home. The same simplicity, clean lines, mostly wood, and low cost. Then IKEA opened at Plymouth Meeting, only five more miles from home via the PA Turnpike. Oh what a fun store! Laid out beautifully with wide paths thru meticulously built kitchens, dens, living rooms, offices and much more. Downstairs was all accesories: lamps of all kinds, cutlery, dishes and glasses, rugs, house plants, bed covers and pillows, and much more. All in vibrant colors, fabrics and weaves. And the unique Swedish/European style meant form and functionality melded together, like a Michael Graves teapot (which we own). After a few visits I liked the Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy also.

Today's experience at IKEA in Conshohocken met expectations. Plymouth Meeting store had been closed and this new gigantic one opened a handful of years ago. But I noticed the selections weren't as diverse as I'd remembered them. The choices of stools was disappointing, and we would have bought four. Also the floor lamps. Disappointing. Mostly focused lamps for reading, and none with broad lighting capabilities, like we were looking for. Altho all the fixtures and bulbs sold were low wattage and high lumens, which was very good. I found what I thought would be the perfect queen-sized bed. Low, with storage drawers on the sides. No headboard or footboard. A platform bed. Perfect. But Janet resisted as strenuously against it as I argued for it.

"We don't need the storage. It's just more for me to clean," Janet said.

"But look at all the stuff in the closet in Kate's room. Certainly some of that could go under the bed, leaving more room to hang clothes. That way if Jesse, Rachel and the baby wanted to stay longer, they could, maybe even a week"

"I have a hard enough time keeping track of you for a week, let alone guests."

"Well, I'm not arguing. I'm not attached. Whatever we get is fine."  Finally, after forty-two years of marriage I might be learning something. How to avoid an argument or bad feelings. Nevermind that I felt strongly that we should get it.

"And besides, it"s $99 plus to ship it to us. That's way to much.

"I agree hon." And shut my mouth.

I love going shopping at IKEA. I saw some large fantastic porcelain sink tops and bases I'd love to replace our 25 year-old ones. Speaking of which, even the Baha'i writings say you should change your furnishings at least every nineteen years.

PS. We bought a drawer/cabinet to hold all my writing papers, now grown into miscellaneous stacks. of course I have to put it together. No problem. I put our IKEA kitchen cabinets together in 1987 from their (very) simple, pictorial (no words - which is a problem sometimes), but doable without uncorrectable mistakes.I started at segment 1 and was working thru until, planning all the pieces visually, I noticed there weren't and sideboards to the large bottom drawer. They hadn't been packed! A first in my long experience putting together IKEA furniture. So I went online to file a report/claim for missing pieces.

Very disappointing. Have you ever put together a large Lego item? Thousands of piecies for my '62 VW Bus that Jesse and Rachel gave me for my birthday, a red replica of one I owned for real. Thier site for missing pices is gorgeous, simple, and clear. Just click the part number missing next to the picture of the piece, and Voila! Done. With an email acknowledgement following. Receipt within a week, and I was back in business.

Not so poor IKEA. First I could hardly find the page for missing parts. Second, it wasn't a nice list w/pictures of the product. No, you had to send an email with the information, which I did. No email acknowledgement. It'll be interesting what happens next, if anything.

Does there have to be a fatal flaw in everything? I find online sites worse than physical products in stores, although finding written specs for TVs in ANY store is impossible, another fatal flaw. Like me I guess, although mine are still being discovered....

By Rodney Richards, NJ