Ikea

This weekend we stopped at Ikea at the Potomac Mills Mall. God, I love that place! I know some people think it’s overrated and that “Ikea style” has been done to death, but I get a rush whenever I’m in the store. I’m not sure exactly what it is, but I think it has to do with how every little room design is packed with all kinds of simple, affordable, practical furnishings, designed for people with limited space and budgets. At Ikea, form always follows function. My favorite displays are the complete “apartments” they furnish, showing you how you could comfortably live in as little as 600, 475, or even 270 square feet. Imagine having everything you need to live comfortably in only 270 square feet of space! Of course, not a single inch is wasted, and the spaces are filled from floor to ceiling with inventive storage ideas. As my mother says, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Yes, I hear her chuckling now, since no one would ever describe me as being particularly organized. Maybe that’s why I love it–I aspire to greater things. Less clutter, more organization, a simpler, more efficient life.



This is just part of the 270 sq. foot space. It's not just a glorified dorm room; the loft bed is a double bed, there is a storage unit with TV and comfy chair also in the living space, the kitchen has full-sized appliances, and the table expands to seat 6 (extra chairs are mounted on the wall). And yes, there's a full bathroom, too. Well, maybe this photo doesn't do the space justice, but I think it's a marvel of ingenuity, and if you lived in a tiny one-room apartment, I think you'd agree.