Space Cases: Space-Saving Decor from IKEA | Clare's Wares |
Space Cases:
Space-Saving Decor from IKEA
Clare's Wares | May 2009 | Log Home Living| Gate-leg Dining Table | Wall-Mounted Kitchen Storage |
Fold-Out Guest Bed with Storage |
I have a confession to make: I am hopelessly in love with IKEA. I can still remember my first visit to the modern-design superstore almost 10 years ago—it was during my semester abroad in college, and I was visiting a friend studying in Denmark whose love for the store had already blossomed. By the time we made it all the way through the store near her apartment (a process that took approximately three hours, since we thoroughly inspected every sample room), I was similarly hooked.
It's good design at ridiculously cheap prices—what's not to love? The challenge, however, lies in adapting IKEA's modern-flavored products to a more traditional interior. It can be done, though, as long as you choose judiciously and limit the number of pieces you accrue (a true test of willpower for an IKEA junkie like me!). Here, I've rounded up three cost-effective and clever space-saving products that can be easily blended into log interiors.
| Gate-leg Dining Table Drop-leaf tables are a trusty steed in IKEA's corral of space-saving products. (I have one in my kitchen that I pull out when I need extra space for food prep.) What sets the Norden gate-leg table apart, though, is its ingenious little central cubby, perfect for storing silverware, table linens and taper candles. Can you say instant dinner party? Plus, unlike a lot of the rock-bottom-priced fiberboard furniture the store offers, this baby's solid birch, with a gorgeous grain that will fit in perfectly in an all-log environment. $179 each |
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| Wall-Mounted Kitchen Storage A few years ago, I had the opportunity to view Julia Child's kitchen on display at the Smithsonian's American History Museum. Gazing at the famous chef's pegboard wall of kitchen tools, I realized that she wasn't just a genius at preparing food—she was also a whiz at organizing a kitchen. She knew what the rest of us sometimes forget—that cooking is much easier when your tools aren't hidden away in cupboards and drawers. Most of us don't have a need for the legendary chef's extensive system, so IKEA's wall-mounted Kroken collection—which includes everything from a magnetic knife rack to the shelf shown here—will suffice just fine. An alternative to flashy stainless, the black powder-coated steel adds a wrought-iron-esque edge to log kitchens. From $3 to $8 per piece |
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| Fold-Out Guest Bed with Storage Talk about your multi-taskers—by day, the Odda guest bed is a corner seat with a storage drawer underneath; by night, it unfurls into a twin-sized guest bed. And did I mention that storage drawer? It would be the perfect place to stash a spare set of linens—making up the bed for guests would be ridiculously easy. Sure, the gleaming-white fiberboard frame leaves a little to be desired, but it's nothing an enterprising DIY-er couldn't spruce up over the weekend. $299 For all: Call 800-434-4532, or visit ikea-usa.com. |
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