3 things you didn’t know about IKEA

So your entire living room is decked out in IKEA. You may have a wine glass or two, or a decorative bowl you got on a whim just before heading to checkout.

I was recently at IKEA for one of those adjustable standing desks (why the legs don’t just come with the desks, I’ll never know) and wondered what actually makes it the place to be.

From its unconventional practices down to some IKEA hacks you can try out for yourself, here are 3 things you may not have known about.  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Everything about IKEA is designed to make you buy more
2. The size of your sofa may differ – where you are matters
3. You can order an IKEA sofa without the cover

Everything about IKEA is designed to make you buy more

Between IKEA’s maze of a layout and the psychology of meticulously curated items, IKEA does a great job of tricking you into thinking you need more (yes, that glossy pink mug too). The best part? It works.

While most retailers strive to create a seamless shopping experience, IKEA seems to break all the rules when it comes to floor plan design.

“All I wanted was a damn $40 nightstand but I had to trek through a 2-hour maze to get there.”

– a disheartened Redditor

Those yellow, conveniently-placed shopping bags aren’t there by coincidence either – it allows even the most casual of shoppers to make an impulsive purchase.

A hack that I’ve personally discovered is going through the registers, instead of the entrance. This way, you can head directly to where you need to be (without walking past the entire IKEA catalogue).

The size of your sofa may differ – where you are matters

As of October 2022, IKEA has 456 stores across 62 countries worldwide. It wouldn’t make sense for them to have a standardised offering – especially when they’re catering to people of different regions, builds and such.

IKEA’s solution is to produce the same sofas in differing dimensions – some even have different versions altogether.

Take IKEA Japan for example: they offer compact versions for several series like the Söderhamn, Karlstad and Klippan, taking into account that its population generally has smaller frames. There are also size variations of the Flottebo in the US and Europe.

Dimensions aside, there are sofas with different arm types i.e. the wide arm vs. slim arm version like the Vimle. This is why you’ll notice slight variations of the same sofa, or nearly identical sofas that go by alternative names.

If you can’t tell which model you have at home, you can go ahead and ask us here.

You can order an IKEA sofa without the cover

Yes, you read that right. Between IKEA’s limited color options and how their slipcovers are frequently sold out, it can be a frustrating (read: disappointing) experience. 

That’s why we set out to find the best way to go about it – here’s how you can do it too.

Once your sofa has been safely delivered to your home, you can now dress it up in some new covers. We make replacement slipcovers for a large range of brands including IKEA, West Elm, Crate & Barrel and more.

Our fabric collections feature a great mix of trendy, stylish shades, and timeless neutrals you know and love. Click on the button below to sample our fabrics!

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