Thursday 21 August 2008

i have a dilemma


Do these cabinet doors look cream to you in this picture? No. But in person? A little. Grr. Ikea Faktum/Applad kitchen from Ikea website

Not a big one, granted, but a dilemma nonetheless. My visit to Ikea yesterday was to check out the kitchens yet again to confirm my plans. And to check out all the new stuff seeing as the new catalogue is out (and which I, um, forgot to return to them at the counter as you're meant to. Rather happy about that though - now I can peruse it as much as I want. It comes in very handy). I was pretty sure I was going with the Applad doors, but when I actually saw it yesterday I was a little concerned to see it looked cream. Now I happen to love cream - with ice cream and pancakes and yes, occasionally all by itself - just not on kitchen cabinets. So, now I'm all confused again: is it just that it was cream compared to the whiter options? I know there are a gazillion different whites, so maybe all by itself, it will be white. But one of the displays also looked a little cream and I really couldn't be sure if it was the lights or the colour it is. Sooo, if anyone out there has an Applad kitchen, please let me know - is it noticeably cream in your home? Or is it as white as it looks in the brochure? That's the annoying part: in the pictures, it's white as white; in the flesh, not so much. Which now has me looking at the other options: Abstrakt which is glossy white and therefore I don't think very complementary to the wooden benchtops; then the Solar which is a nice bright, flat white, but more expensive and not available in the pantry I want. And I don't want the patterned versions of white. I'm sure it'll be fine, but couldn't hurt to ask.


So, I of course couldn't leave emptyhanded as I mentioned yesterday. But the two things I actually really wanted to buy weren't in stock - Mjod glasses and the Sveje rug. They have it in orange and green, but they don't expect the black to be in for TWO MONTHS! Grr. Yes, I realise their website has a stock availability check thing, but, well, I forgot about that until now.



I bought two of these for the kitchen just in case they ran out when it came time to buy them... Basisk pendant light, $25

But still, I did manage to get my add-on clothes hanger and pull-out wire baskets for the wardrobe, some netted curtains for the French doors in our bedroom in an attempt to keep the bugs out this summer, my kitchen lights and a pretty little nightlight for Layla cause I'm sick of the bulbs blowing in the baby ones after two weeks, so might if I'm going to spend more money on an item, it might as well be attractive and something she can use for as long as it's cool!


I bought the small version of the Knubbig table lamp, $16.95, to use as a night light for Layla. I didn't, however, buy a bulb - bugga. A larger version is available for $29. I decided I had to have one after Danielle bought one a while back and brought to my attention its existence!

By the way, these glass lamps would make gorgeous gifts - I don't think many people would dislike the style and they certainly don't look Ikeaish (not that I think that's a bad thing, but for some, it is)! Same goes for the eternal fave of stylists around the world: the Ludde sheepskin rugs.

7 comments:

LBA said...

I always call before I go anyway - have been tripped up by the online stockchecker before ( and I recently bought the highchair - stock on the net = "0" .. stock in store = "20"..

I guess they just unloaded a crate..

Kitchen cabinets looks white online ... i'm very fussy with my shades too, so I understand your 'grr' ;)

Good luck !

Bespoke Letterpress Boutique said...

I was also determined to get an ikea kitchen! But after a trip to ikea with my trusty peice of skirting board I carry around with our white swatches on it - I left disappointed with just how unwhite their whites actually are!

We have just bought a bunnings flat pack as the whites are so much more crisper, but its a compromise as they don't have as many options with cupboards!

Argggh!!

belinda graham said...

Both brilliant tips. i might revist with a swatch of my paint shade... and call to check stock before i go!!! thanks guys!

Pinto and Max said...

Ohhh I have a big Ikea session planned for this weekend - yay! Very excited! The shopping list is as long as my arm though!

Anonymous said...

We have Arlig in the kitchen, with the intention of replacing with Adel, and Applad in teh study and laundry. Arlig is white-white, but not particularly nice, or good quality (we were on a budget at the time) Arlig and Adel are not white, they are most definately off white. It depends on your wall colour too. We have used a colour called 'light stone' which is a cream, with a brown base, so it suits the off white. If your wall white has any yellow or grey in it, I'm not sure if Applad will suit.

Taking your paint swatches is a GREAT idea, or alternatively, just buy a really small door (like a 30 x 70cm or something) and bring it home. Its only $20, and if you keep your receipt, they will let you exchange it. That way you can see it in the environment, and the lighting will be right.

Geez, really long reply, sorry!

Sarah Burnett said...

Oh I so agree about the kitchen thing, especially if you pair the applad up with the white pragel benchtops! We thought of getting around the problem by using a numerar benchtop with the timber or aluminium edging which we hope will kind of break up the difference between the two whites. The abstrakt and solar doors are so much better but also a lot more expensive when you add the whole cost up. Great tips above, thank you! Will get a swatch of our Stowe white walls to check it all out. Apparently Kitset.com.au are very good too for flat packed kitchens, although maybe a bit more pricey.

belinda graham said...

thanks all - I think I'm going with Solar now. Unless i change my mind again!!! also good idea about buying a cheap door. i did think about that but of course only once i was home!!