Category — Sources

Let’s give credit where credit is due. There are few places in this world where you can find so much good in one place. At Ikea it’s all good.

Good Vibes

For many of us, our first foray into the world of home furnishings and decor took place at an Ikea store. Ahhh, remember that heady sense of new-found independence as you went in search of the perfect Poem chair for your first home away from home?! Now, it’s some twenty years later (has it really been that long?) and the prospect of a trip to the mecca of Swedish home furnishings excites us still. With the addition of many new locations, the trip may have been shortened somewhat, but the possibilities remain endless.

Opening the first page of the annual catalog is viewed as a sacred ritual, reserved for a special time and place completely removed from distraction or interruption. Opening the doors of an actual store and stepping inside, whether it’s for the first time or the fifty-first time, is an exhilarating experience.

Yes, there are Ikea-haters in this world. They are the people who choose to dislike anything that the masses adore. If you say up, they’ll say down - you say right, they’ll say left. Hate all you want people. With your self-imposed ban, you are the ones missing out!

Good Prices

Sometimes you just have to ‘make do’ with what you have or what you can afford. This doesn’t necessarily change with time. Luckily, the selection of what we can afford has been greatly expanded thanks to Ikea. From starter kits for the kitchen, to furniture and decorative accessories for every room in your home, Ikea gives us a broad range of home outfitting and decorating products at good prices. So while you’re waiting until you can afford those Eames chairs to go with your dining table, it’s good to know that Ikea’s Gilbert chairs will provide you with an inexpensive and stylish alternative to eating on the floor.

Good Quality

While a large number of people use the word ‘cheap’ as a positive reference in place of ‘low-cost’ or ‘inexpensive’, for me, cheap is a word more aptly used to negatively describe quality. You’ll hear or read numerous comments that bring the quality of Ikea goods into question. Speaking from personal experience, all the products I have purchased from Ikea over the years have not only met, but exceeded my expectations for stability, longevity, and quality. The negative connotations of ‘cheap’ simply do not apply.

Good Inspiration

Where do you go when you need some real life inspiration? Beyond the flat pages of magazines or computer screens the choices are few. Sure you could traipse through decorated model homes, but in many cases the furniture and accessories are way beyond your range and the design style doesn’t match what you have in mind. Ikea stores provide inspiring display rooms and fully furnished apartments in a variety of decorating styles from modern to traditional. There’s no better way to try before you buy.

In case you haven’t already figured it out, I am an Ikea advocate. For the reasons outlined above, you have and will continue to see Ikea products featured on the pages of SuzyRenovator.

I found so many funky bathroom sinks when I was looking for one to fit on a modern bathroom vanity cabinet that I thought I’d do a post dedicated entirely to small white vessel sinks.

To make the cut, the vessel sinks had to be small and white (hence the title - Small White Vessel Sinks), but they also had to be priced under $150 and be somewhat unusual or unique. I’ve broken my selections down into two categories - Round Vessel Sinks and Square Vessel Sinks.

You might think that a vessel sink would only be suitable for a bathroom with modern decor, however there are several choices in the round vessel sink category that would complement a more traditional decorating style. Check out the vitreous china vessel with the scalloped edges and the elegant design of Laurel. A definite plus for anyone wanting to convert an antique washstand, dresser or cabinet into a functional lavatory feature. [Read more →]

Hey, I had an idea for a low cost modern bathroom vanity cabinet!

For some bizarre reason it’s hard to find a modern bathroom vanity cabinet at a reasonable price. Modern vanity cabinets alone run into multiple hundreds of dollars. Add onto it the cost of the bathroom sink and faucet and it’s no wonder that bathroom renovations come in near the top of the list for most expensive home improvement projects. With this proposed hack of Ikea’s Bestå shelf unit, you can have a modern bathroom vanity sink cabinet for less than $150 dollars. Even with the addition of a small vessel sink and a vessel sink filler faucet, you can still put it all together for under $400. (Don’t forget the pop-up drain and mounting ring.) [Read more →]

Outfit your outdoor kitchen and lounge area with comfortable and casual outdoor furniture and fixtures.

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Anyone who does flower gardening, herb gardening or vegetable gardening on their balcony will appreciate the additional planting space provided by window boxes or flower boxes.

In response to a reader’s comment in an earlier post (Balcony / Small Patio = Outdoor Room) about using window boxes on his balcony railing, I thought I’d share some of what I’ve learned about window boxes and what to use for securing them to a railing.

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Gardening is not a hobby reserved only for people who own houses and land. With the popularity of container gardening, apartment and condominium dwellers with balconies or small patios can create colorful flower gardens or fragrant herb gardens in their outdoor living areas too.

Balcony Garden Inspiration Board

Outdoor furniture and garden product sources from this inspiration board are listed below. [Read more →]

Continuing with the outdoor room theme…..Get a little closer to nature this summer with an outdoor shower!

I’ve always wanted an outdoor shower, alas, the perfect location has eluded me. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

(For the products, sources and pricing of items featured in this design inspiration board, see below.)

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Told you I was inspired! Here’s the first of my outdoor room design inspiration boards for spring / summer 2008. See below for a complete list of sources and product information.

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How To Design A Contemporary Home Office

A contemporary area rug not only adds soft comfort underfoot, but it can also provide inspiration for a color scheme. Such is the case in this home office design storyboard. The calming shades of blue and green, perfect for a home office, are pulled from the area rug and repeated in the paint samples and decorative accessories.

To make this design work for a small space, a console table functions as a desk. With its spare design and clean lines it takes up very little physical or visual space. [Read more →]

Any teen would appreciate a bedroom that included these elements of design.

Metal storage cabinets provide a creative and unique clothes storage solution. The wood finish of the clean-lined, contemporary twin bed frame is repeated with the use of the wood storage boxes as a decorative and functional accessory. The bold red of the metal storage cabinets is continued in the fabric samples. This red cotton fabric would be ideal for use as drapery fabric (with lining) or to make covers for throw pillows. The surfboard themed area rug introduces green, yellow and blue to the color palette while still continuing the red. Light can be directed where it is needed with the adjustable wall spotlight.

Product Details, Prices & Sources Are Listed Below The Storyboard [Read more →]