I dated a Swede and one day, I asked Lars if he wanted to go to IKEA and let me hear how the words are pronounced and it was quite surprising...and somewhat amusing when an IKEA employee tried to correct his pronounciation. It was a fun ride back in the Volvo....
Nick, back in the day IKEA actually made furniture from wood. I am from Finland, and they made quality furniture in the 70s and 80s. I have classic vintage pieces from that era that still look good and are solid.
We had bunkbeds that were solid wood bought from ikea in a little hole in the wall store in Mississauga I think, back in maybe 1983. They hung around for ever.
We had a solid wood kitchen table from Ikea that we had for 25 years. We recently replaced it but it was still going so we donated it to a consignment store and they sold it quickly!
I know! We still have the 2 pine dressers and 2 pine book cases we had bought for our girls quarter of a century ago. They are a bit beat up and I think I will sand them down and give them new varnish. They are worth the upgrade!
Off topic, just got to say my husband and I stumbled across your channel and find ourselves hooked mostly for your amazing personality although we love your advice! We love your sense of humor and I can’t tell you how many time we bust out laughing! Thank you for bringing JOY to our living room! Love your style and show!
I agree, Nick has the amazing ability to have a sarcastic dry sense of humour without being mean spirited about it. Very few people are able to master that.
Seriously. He nails that fine line where his humor has just enough snark for fun but he never veers into being mean or over the top about it. Nick, you’re a charmer! Keep doing what you do.
I love the way you talk like someone is running after you and you have to finish everything you want to say. I’m a grandma but totally love your style and agree with almost everything you say and you like. I know as a Persian kid used to love when people tried to speak my language. It was the cutest and funniest but in a really nice way! Keep up the good humor and work.
Someone taught you the letter "Ä" and you doing such a great job! Like in Björksnäs, you almost get the letter "Ö" but the "Ä" is phenomenal! And you are right, we dont care if you pronounce it right, it actually fills me with joy hearing you say the names, and it is so charming. I love it! 🥰 To get a bit serious, Ivar save lots of people money, so easy to make your own and you are the creator of this piece of furniture. Also, to all ranting about IKEA, look in to the history of the company and what Ingvar Kamprad wanted to achieve with it. It is kind of humbling. We love our IKEA, much is cheap, but there is some good gems in there, and i think you showed some of it Nick.
I have had my IVAR for almost 25 years and it's as good as new, but honestly I have never had any problem with any pieces I got from them, be it solid wood, particleboard, plastic or even fabric. Granted, it was never really that affordable for me so I never bought anything just for a couple of years but I truly wonder what people do to their Ikea furniture for it to fall apart in a short amount of time. I got probably the flimsiest, cheapest little drawer cabinet for under my bathroom sink 13 years ago because it was the perfect size, and with the paint and new handles I slapped on it it's still perfect. To me Ikea is quite the opposite of "fast" interior design.
When painting pine, smooth the visible surfaces with dap and a putty knife, then sand. Knots won't show through. IKEA is so efficient, they probably make their particle board out of the sanding shavings from their solid woods. Interesting that they use acacia.
I love how you just point out how we are all allowed to disagree with eath other if someone doesn't like a certain style or that something isn't your particular style but someone might like it. Its such a lovely way to talk about things without judging and looking at something on a neutral level.
IVAR is their longest solid wood line... over 50yrs!... I love it. Moved 17x since I was 18... easy to take apart and flat pack to move... and looks better with age! It is also very versatile. I love pine 😊.
@@loes6839Yes! It would be better if they would just give it a different name when they change it. Things not fitting, even when being the "same" is the biggest issue I have with Ikea!
I have Leksvik solid pine bookshelves from the early 2000s that have lasted through 5 different houses. I painted them a few years back, but they remain perfect for books. My sister has IVAR narrow shelves from the 1980s they are still using; the natural pine finish has aged to a beautiful warm wood tone. IKEA is a GREAT option as long as you go with solid wood materials. Particle board and MDF not so much
I mean, like, I agree with your underlying point, but the cheap particle board sofa table that shall not be named (in case Nick hears it) *is* probably the best option for the sort of people who are looking for that kind of table in that kind of price range. Ikea changed life for many people because suddenly they didn't have to keep old, ugly, jerry-rigged-let's-hope-it-still-works ugly furniture. Today old furniture is often very good looking, but that's because the ugly and bad furniture was killed by Ikea's particle board offerings. Just know what you're buying.
Pine is very soft and will dent fairly easily. To help pine, apply extra pure Tung Oil. It penetrates the pores and hardens. Also, if you take care of veneer, especially a really great wood veneer, you’ll notice veneer furniture is not prone to the same aging effects as solid wood, such as splitting or warping… so wood veneer furniture will often outlast solid wood furniture by years.
Yesssss, sort of. I come from a furniture family (NC) and veneers can do well but once they are chipped off or get bent then... not so good. Solid wood dents and chips can always be filled and sanded and refinished. Veneers are harder to repair. I love my old 'brown' furniture and some is hundreds of years old. But, hey get what you like! There is a lot of cool veneer stuff from the 1930's that is fun.
@@ForestGreen88 Careful with tung oil though, once you've soaked a rag in it you need to dispose of it in a certain way so that it doesn't spontaneously combust.
We have seven Hemnes bookcases in our house. We are in the middle of repainting/restaining 3 of them. I'm kinda surprised you didn't mention them. It's great hearing about some things I haven't read up on yet, so thanks for that, Nick.
yes! i have two hemnes bookcases in that dark brown almost black color, they really class up my living room after looking all over for tall solid wood bookcases it was either particleboard, things over a grand each or these beauties
The entire hemnes line is nice solid wood. Each of my 3 kids has a dresser and night stand, 1 kid has the daybed, and we have 2 nightstands in the spare bedroom. All Hemnes.
He did mention the Hemnes, but just the bedframe. I had the same with the Ivar. I was like: 'You're forgetting the best part! The wonderful, tall, Ivar shelving unit/bookcases!!' 😂
Oh, forgot to say that I bought 4 stacking stools, bent plywood, from Ikea about 15 years ago and they don't make them anymore. Love them as they've held up in a tiny beach guest cottage, meaning they have to be stacked often and got a lot of rough use in a humid beach environment. They have held their shape and finish well. Ikea has been great for me.
Hi, Nick! My husband and I had those clasdic Billy bookcases, bought in the early 90’s. They survived 2 moves and had to be reinforced with L-braces, the particleboard shelves were turned once they started to sag - but they held up for 30 years of use. During the pandemic, I bought 2 skinny Billy book cases and was stunned to learn that only the tops and the bottoms are particleboard. The rest is engineered paper in vinyl veneer sandwich! They are affordable, look ok, and are stromg enough to hold my boojs and files. I appreciate that they are also light - when I wanted to reorganize my layout, I unloaded them wnd could move them around by myself. One caveat: don’t kneel on the boards during assembly! 😂
I have two Ivars in my kitchen!!! I feel so proud that Nick likes it!!! Ikea's solid wood furniture are great. My family has two kitchen shelves and a loft bed. They are 30 years old and still serving. My sister has been using the loft bed since she was in high school. She is in her 40s now and she is still sleeping on it!
I love acacia wood and am so thankful for this video. Didn't know Ikea did acacia furniture. I was born in what used to be Lourenço Marques in Mozambique, with pavements adorned with acacia trees galore. The fragrance was to die for. I live in the UK, with loads of TK Max stores with acacia chopping boards. I made a lamp stand out of one. It's got my chinoisie lamp. It's beautiful and wish you could see it. 😊
This is awesome. Not only does wood last longer, but the glues in MDF off gas and affect indoor air quality. I have the one hemnes dresser that is solid wood (white stain vs white paint).
Thank you! A LOT of work went into that. You did my homework for me and Ikea in Atlanta here I come. Appreciate all you do and I bet you're a blast as a friend.
Long ago I developed my mantra for Ikea: "You get what you pay for. You get EXACTLY what you pay for." It's easy to distinguish the solid wood pieces or pieces with any curvature instead of 90° cornered: they're consistently the most expensive. (at least they're honest)
I've had the Norden birch table for years and years, moved with it several times, and I've been very happy with my purchase 😍 It's sturdy and the drawers are amazing
Thank you do much for all the mental labor you did for this video. It will help a lot of people, myself included. I always try to find real wood things because of their durability. So excited to chec out a few of these. That first cabinet and the kitchen table especially!
I have two small Hemnes dressers that i use as night stands that have held up really well, real pine wood for most of it. And i got solid wood doors for the lower half of our Billy bookcases, i think they are oak
I actually have a solid wood, very simple, executive style desk from Ikea that I got when I lived in Germany back in 2005, and it's still one of my favorite pieces of furniture. Since then it's literally been moved thousands of miles and to about 10 different places. It's still going strong. I would definitely recommend Ikea wood furniture. p.s. My aesthetic is minimalist meets comfy library/study using a mix of antiques and new MCM furniture, and this desk fits perfectly.
I bought the Nackanäs small round table and some chairs with it to my very small kitchen. Best Ikea buy I’ve ever made! 🥰 The Wood is lovely in a darkish warm tone, and I just love the look of it all 👍🏼😍
If a person is hard on furniture I wouldn't recommend the pine as it is a softwood and will not hold up as well as the birch, beech, acacia and eucalyptus pieces. Another great video.
Great point. I have a few pine wood pieces from IKEA. Have found pine works best for armoire/decorative storage kinds of uses where they aren't going to be high traffic.
OMG Nick, I swear I thought you were on Xanax or something and then I realised that I had the playback speed slowed down to .75 without knowing it LOL. Seriously prefer the non-stoned version of you 😅
Why paint wood? I have lots of solid wood in my home from pine to mahogany and the woods all look great, I love the knots and different shapes in the wood. It just reminds me all the time of how nature cannot be surpassed in beauty and surprises.
Thank you for this video highlighting real wood pieces from Ikea. I do not own anything from Ikea as I have shy'ed away from the particleboard furniture. It's good to know Ikea has real wood items, mostly in the wood finish!
The Nämmmarö is so beautiful, cant wait to buy it next summer. We were going to get a stupid ikea bed, but then saw that björksnäs and decided to checkout the collection, the bed is so unique and beautiful especially with an olive green wall. Saved me
Birch wood is beautiful and it is relatively free of knots. The kitchen in my previous house had birch wood cabinets and I wanted to repeat that wood in my new home, but it was way too expensive.
We have the Hemnes collection in our living room and bedroom and they are both great. Also, we built our kitchen with Ikea cabinets more than ten years ago and they still look and work like new. Plus they were easy to install.
Maybe I missed it but Skogsta is also great--they just released these spindle back acacia chairs, I paired them with a walnut dining table and they look amazing for the price.
I live in Norway and can assure you, every home in Scandiwegia has some Ivar furniture in it somewhere. Every single one. If you don't have it when you move in, some will be issued to you.
"Ugly" pla... I mean "lovely" places... I died laughing. I'm saving this to use it the other way round. For people's faces, spaces, clothes, babies... In an obviously obnoxious way... I'm still laughing. 😂😂😂
A lot of great pointers. I'm in the process of donating my old hand me down furniture and eventually upgrade. I especially loved the outdoor furniture section🖤
Imagine my overwhelming sense of ecstacy when I heard that IKEA was opening up a store in my home town. How can this be true I asked myself? Well, it kind of isn't. Evidently they are opening a 'Plan and Order Point' which is so not what I was hoping for. Oh well, have car, will travel. Thanks for the video Nick!
Just to weigh in on the Persbol, it's a mixture of plywood and solid wood, so whilst it isn't a true solid wood chair the durability is definitely there. Love Ikea's solid wood stuff and wish they could/would do more of it.
So many great choices, I love real wood of just about any species. The little spindle chair is gorgeous and totally timeless, as is the acacia kitchen table.
Nick, wanted to say: I despise gateleg (and all "drop-leaf") tables. Which is weird, because bureau desks and davenport desks alike: love. And then I twigged. I'm ADHD / Autistic, which together cause major additive risks to both "having a lot of junk on my table" and "I accidentally bumped into my table". Davenports: accidentally or deliberately close it? That counts as tidying everything away! Bureau: built so that the "table" surface will not drop below horizontal Anyway, just thought I'd mention, since you take different forms of accessibility and reasonable adjustments as seriously as they deserve.
You're hilarious. Love the sarcasm on top of all the good advice. "Really, IKEA... are you... I'm not sure you actually are?" And the whole I'm going to butcher the names thing... 😂
I love the Bekvam shelves! I use those in my kitchen to store all my teas and coffee, and in my bathroom to store lotions and perfumes. Super easy to mount and they look great!
Years ago I picked the Hemnes bed frame … the box spring support has 3 available heights to best fit your overall mattress thickness (height.) I also now use the tall/narrow Trofast for closet storage. Not great for large or bulky clothes but just fine for socks and undies.
The Havasta in black is the dark academia bookshelf for my office I was looking for. My books sag particleboard shelving over time. Thank you so much for sharing this.
You are SO cute and funny, Nick! I’ve really enjoyed watching your videos and learning about different styles. My husband has even watched a couple with me!
Hey there! This is my first visit to your channel. Wow, you deliver the information in such a witty, funny, way. You are a new favorite! Thanks for such a lively video.
I had a Trofast unit, originally for kids' storage. Then when they were bigger it was my patio recyclables sorter with plants on top. Unfortunately, I didn't treat the raw wood for outdoor use so it eventually broke from exposure. I had it for over 20 years, though.
I can attest to the paintability of the IVAR cabinets. The knots in the pine are prominent so I painted ours black but I used milk paint and finished them with hemp oil. The wood grain is still visible but the milk paint with hemp oil finish is smooth and fairly matte. This all sounds quite rustic but we wall-mounted 4 units about a foot off the floor and they seem kinda sleek and minimal (no handles/knobs required). Milk paint is pretty different from conventional paint but I'm so happy with the results.
Sitting infront of my front door, closetless space; thats a mess...I feel really called out. 😅 I will be lookking into that luxury of having that ikea front door rack as soon as i finish this. Hahaha.
I love Ivar... it is one of the most versitile systems I have ever worked with... easy to paint, stain, customise... and a lot cheaper than erecting dry wall, and plastering... used it to half divide an open plan space... I used it to create a home office in a large living room, where the second sofa/ day bed was my spare bed (I moved there when I had visitors and gave them my bedroom) the day bed was 70 cm x 1.9 m, with storage underneath - and then realised I could do it again to create a separate zone (3 in one room) without compromising too much on natural light or having to move heavy furniture to re jig purpose... so using Ivar to delineate zones... a bit like playing with Lego . it's not 'cheap" cheap when you add in the bits and pieces... I wanted two glass door cabinets and two closed door cabinets - and I didn't do it all at once... but by the time I was finished, a 58 sq m one bedroom apartment could sleep 4 ( 2 couples) or .. just once .. 5 adults and 3 children, but still leave my life and home office intact!!! You can leave it looking like industrial wooden shelving for garage and warehouse... or you can stain, sand, or paint the life out of it to make it look like expensive built in cabinetry... Can't praise it enough.. and as pine, it is sustainable, and none of the bits I got had issues with knots, etc that needed to be addressed. P.S - love the Swedish... but some of those words/ names have actually meaning.... I love that the baskets are "shabby"
My fav is the RAST dresser. I use it as nightstands on both sides of my bed and store all my socks and stockings inside (perfect place to get dressed sitting on the bed) 😃
I made my kitchen island out of 4 Havasta cabinets (2 on one side 2 on the other side) & a used marble slab that weighs around 400-500 lb on top. It's such a sturdy cabinet. I did this to replace an Island which was twice as long & somehow only had half as much storage space as this. The cabinets are only 17" deep, but that makes it easier to get out pots & pans. The cost of any kitchen cabinets with a body made from anything other than partical board or melamine at Home Depot is way more expensive.
Solid wood is great option but don't rule out veneer because there are different types. Example of something many people might assume would be considered solid wood but is technically veneer is butcher block. There are many different types of veneers and so it is easy for people to associate veneer with plastic but veneer can be made all types of natural products! So if something says veneer take a closer look before turning down. Another example is proper brick/ stone veneer. In situations when you don't need stone/ brick structurally but you are looking for the aesthetic of stone/ brick then stone/brick veneer is actual stone/ brick just cut into pieces. It is still stone/brick but because it is cut & used as a layer (not whole) it is considered a veneer.
I have a Jokkmokk dining table that I bought 15 years ago and it’s still going strong. It’s solid pine. The kids have done a number on the top of it so I really need to sand and refinish it but the fact that it’s real wood at least means I have that option.
You can have a very good looking desk with the IKEA solid wood table top and add the height adjustable legs so it’s perfectly ergonomic without being a sit-stand desk. I love a desk with good depth and IKEA mostly caters for small spaces so they shrink the width of their desks!
Oh see, I love the knots, I look out for the darkest knots in pine, I thought that was the beauty of pine… love some of the paint stains too. Thanks for your channel.
Hi Nick. Really like this info on IKEA quality wood pieces. Seems like a trend with reviewers recently. Also, I checked out the Trofast product after watching another reviewer's content & discovered that IKEA now has epoxy powder-coated, mesh steel drawers in 4 colours to appeal to teens+! They look nice though not sure of their durability. Good idea to expand the appeal of a classic product!
I have the norden in my kitchen. I would buy it again if I ever had to. Both sides will fold down completely giving you maximum space and has 3 deep storage drawers on both sides that you always have access to with tabel folded or not.
Love your video, Nick! So interesting to see in the Ikea pieces that there are often candles in the drawers. The Swedes are big on candles in the winter, given the short days there.
As a swede: yes, it is indeed fun for us to hear you butcher our laguage. This video is Swede-approved!
I was hoping that there would be a comment by a Swede!
❤ you because the Swedes always know how to have a laugh!
🤣🤣 excellent
Swedes speak perfect English with barely an accent. We on the other hand cannot wrap our tongues around all of the consonants you put into one word.
I dated a Swede and one day, I asked Lars if he wanted to go to IKEA and let me hear how the words are pronounced and it was quite surprising...and somewhat amusing when an IKEA employee tried to correct his pronounciation. It was a fun ride back in the Volvo....
Nick, back in the day IKEA actually made furniture from wood. I am from Finland, and they made quality furniture in the 70s and 80s. I have classic vintage pieces from that era that still look good and are solid.
Oh the vintage stuff is amazing! My friend has a dining table from around there and it's stunning!
We had bunkbeds that were solid wood bought from ikea in a little hole in the wall store in Mississauga I think, back in maybe 1983. They hung around for ever.
We had a solid wood kitchen table from Ikea that we had for 25 years. We recently replaced it but it was still going so we donated it to a consignment store and they sold it quickly!
Bought the solid wood stuff for college. My granddaughter has it now. 👍.
Lotta junk at Ikea now.
I know! We still have the 2 pine dressers and 2 pine book cases we had bought for our girls quarter of a century ago. They are a bit beat up and I think I will sand them down and give them new varnish. They are worth the upgrade!
Today's favorite line, "I like it for other people". I can so relate.
Love it for you - not for me.
@@Nick_Lewisnow your sounding like Garrett LeChic!
"It's not super sleek and modern..." While behind him is the furniture which my balkan grandma had in the '60
@aben1893 you should submit your room to his viewer critique! I'd love to see your sleek and modern room
@@blackburned I don’t see him claiming to have modern sleek…
Off topic, just got to say my husband and I stumbled across your channel and find ourselves hooked mostly for your amazing personality although we love your advice! We love your sense of humor and I can’t tell you how many time we bust out laughing! Thank you for bringing JOY to our living room! Love your style and show!
I agree, Nick has the amazing ability to have a sarcastic dry sense of humour without being mean spirited about it. Very few people are able to master that.
Oh thanks so much!
Yes, I totally enjoy Nick's sense of humor. I often rewind and replay his funnier/sillier comments. He brings so much joy!
Seriously. He nails that fine line where his humor has just enough snark for fun but he never veers into being mean or over the top about it. Nick, you’re a charmer! Keep doing what you do.
I love the way you talk like someone is running after you and you have to finish everything you want to say. I’m a grandma but totally love your style and agree with almost everything you say and you like. I know as a Persian kid used to love when people tried to speak my language. It was the cutest and funniest but in a really nice way! Keep up the good humor and work.
😂
"I don't know you... throw whatever you want in that thing!" 🤣🤣🥂
Someone taught you the letter "Ä" and you doing such a great job! Like in Björksnäs, you almost get the letter "Ö" but the "Ä" is phenomenal! And you are right, we dont care if you pronounce it right, it actually fills me with joy hearing you say the names, and it is so charming. I love it! 🥰 To get a bit serious, Ivar save lots of people money, so easy to make your own and you are the creator of this piece of furniture. Also, to all ranting about IKEA, look in to the history of the company and what Ingvar Kamprad wanted to achieve with it. It is kind of humbling. We love our IKEA, much is cheap, but there is some good gems in there, and i think you showed some of it Nick.
Wonderful comment. I will look into the history; the company ethos is evident in how they present themselves 🫶😊😊
I have had my IVAR for almost 25 years and it's as good as new, but honestly I have never had any problem with any pieces I got from them, be it solid wood, particleboard, plastic or even fabric. Granted, it was never really that affordable for me so I never bought anything just for a couple of years but I truly wonder what people do to their Ikea furniture for it to fall apart in a short amount of time. I got probably the flimsiest, cheapest little drawer cabinet for under my bathroom sink 13 years ago because it was the perfect size, and with the paint and new handles I slapped on it it's still perfect. To me Ikea is quite the opposite of "fast" interior design.
When painting pine, smooth the visible surfaces with dap and a putty knife, then sand. Knots won't show through. IKEA is so efficient, they probably make their particle board out of the sanding shavings from their solid woods. Interesting that they use acacia.
Yes I was hoping a furniture painting person would chime in as I know nothing on the subject.
I love how you just point out how we are all allowed to disagree with eath other if someone doesn't like a certain style or that something isn't your particular style but someone might like it. Its such a lovely way to talk about things without judging and looking at something on a neutral level.
IVAR is their longest solid wood line... over 50yrs!... I love it. Moved 17x since I was 18... easy to take apart and flat pack to move... and looks better with age! It is also very versatile.
I love pine 😊.
Oh yeah been around for ages. A true classic!
Yes, I have some old Ivar, sadly the cabinets changed shape, so my old ones don't fit with the new ones.
@@loes6839Yes!
It would be better if they would just give it a different name when they change it.
Things not fitting, even when being the "same" is the biggest issue I have with Ikea!
If there’s a person who doesn’t like Nick Lewis, I don’t trust that person. Nick is the best.
I initially misread this comment as "I'm a person who doesn't like Nick Lewis." I was sooo close to throwing down 😂
I have Leksvik solid pine bookshelves from the early 2000s that have lasted through 5 different houses. I painted them a few years back, but they remain perfect for books. My sister has IVAR narrow shelves from the 1980s they are still using; the natural pine finish has aged to a beautiful warm wood tone. IKEA is a GREAT option as long as you go with solid wood materials. Particle board and MDF not so much
I mean, like, I agree with your underlying point, but the cheap particle board sofa table that shall not be named (in case Nick hears it) *is* probably the best option for the sort of people who are looking for that kind of table in that kind of price range.
Ikea changed life for many people because suddenly they didn't have to keep old, ugly, jerry-rigged-let's-hope-it-still-works ugly furniture. Today old furniture is often very good looking, but that's because the ugly and bad furniture was killed by Ikea's particle board offerings.
Just know what you're buying.
We have an IKEA table from the late 80s, completed wood. Still have it, just have to tighten the screws from time to time. Great content, as always!
Why do you have to tighten the screws? Just because of moving it orr
@@Thepeanutcollector It just loosens over time. We tighten them about every 6 mos.
Pine is very soft and will dent fairly easily. To help pine, apply extra pure Tung Oil. It penetrates the pores and hardens. Also, if you take care of veneer, especially a really great wood veneer, you’ll notice veneer furniture is not prone to the same aging effects as solid wood, such as splitting or warping… so wood veneer furniture will often outlast solid wood furniture by years.
Yesssss, sort of. I come from a furniture family (NC) and veneers can do well but once they are chipped off or get bent then... not so good. Solid wood dents and chips can always be filled and sanded and refinished. Veneers are harder to repair. I love my old 'brown' furniture and some is hundreds of years old. But, hey get what you like! There is a lot of cool veneer stuff from the 1930's that is fun.
Thank you for the tip for hardening pine. It's a nice-looking wood but I haven't bought any yet because I've been worried about the durability.
@@ForestGreen88 Careful with tung oil though, once you've soaked a rag in it you need to dispose of it in a certain way so that it doesn't spontaneously combust.
@@lsamoa Thank you for the reminder, I'll make sure I look up proper disposal methods when I'm ready to use it.
If I am sanding and staining, when would tung oil be applied in that process?
We have seven Hemnes bookcases in our house. We are in the middle of repainting/restaining 3 of them. I'm kinda surprised you didn't mention them. It's great hearing about some things I haven't read up on yet, so thanks for that, Nick.
yes! i have two hemnes bookcases in that dark brown almost black color, they really class up my living room
after looking all over for tall solid wood bookcases it was either particleboard, things over a grand each or these beauties
The entire hemnes line is nice solid wood. Each of my 3 kids has a dresser and night stand, 1 kid has the daybed, and we have 2 nightstands in the spare bedroom. All Hemnes.
I think there is a Hemnes piece in every room in my house. We’ve moved them several times, and they look great wherever we use them.
Also here to say I’ve got Hemnes bookcases in several rooms, as well as the TV stand and a writer’s desk with hutch.
He did mention the Hemnes, but just the bedframe.
I had the same with the Ivar. I was like: 'You're forgetting the best part! The wonderful, tall, Ivar shelving unit/bookcases!!' 😂
Oh, forgot to say that I bought 4 stacking stools, bent plywood, from Ikea about 15 years ago and they don't make them anymore. Love them as they've held up in a tiny beach guest cottage, meaning they have to be stacked often and got a lot of rough use in a humid beach environment. They have held their shape and finish well. Ikea has been great for me.
Hi, Nick! My husband and I had those clasdic Billy bookcases, bought in the early 90’s. They survived 2 moves and had to be reinforced with L-braces, the particleboard shelves were turned once they started to sag - but they held up for 30 years of use. During the pandemic, I bought 2 skinny Billy book cases and was stunned to learn that only the tops and the bottoms are particleboard. The rest is engineered paper in vinyl veneer sandwich! They are affordable, look ok, and are stromg enough to hold my boojs and files. I appreciate that they are also light - when I wanted to reorganize my layout, I unloaded them wnd could move them around by myself. One caveat: don’t kneel on the boards during assembly! 😂
I have two Ivars in my kitchen!!! I feel so proud that Nick likes it!!! Ikea's solid wood furniture are great. My family has two kitchen shelves and a loft bed. They are 30 years old and still serving. My sister has been using the loft bed since she was in high school. She is in her 40s now and she is still sleeping on it!
I love acacia wood and am so thankful for this video. Didn't know Ikea did acacia furniture. I was born in what used to be Lourenço Marques in Mozambique, with pavements adorned with acacia trees galore. The fragrance was to die for. I live in the UK, with loads of TK Max stores with acacia chopping boards. I made a lamp stand out of one. It's got my chinoisie lamp. It's beautiful and wish you could see it. 😊
This is awesome. Not only does wood last longer, but the glues in MDF off gas and affect indoor air quality. I have the one hemnes dresser that is solid wood (white stain vs white paint).
Nice overview! Ikea also has great bamboo items. Although technically not wood, bamboo has those qualities we look in wood.
Thank you! A LOT of work went into that. You did my homework for me and Ikea in Atlanta here I come. Appreciate all you do and I bet you're a blast as a friend.
Long ago I developed my mantra for Ikea: "You get what you pay for. You get EXACTLY what you pay for." It's easy to distinguish the solid wood pieces or pieces with any curvature instead of 90° cornered: they're consistently the most expensive. (at least they're honest)
I love Nick Lewis videos, I love IKEA. This is a good Saturday morning.
I've had the Norden birch table for years and years, moved with it several times, and I've been very happy with my purchase 😍 It's sturdy and the drawers are amazing
Love it! Watched it with my husband and as soon as it ended I said, "Thanks Nick! I'll take one of everything 🙂" and he gasped. 😂
Thank you do much for all the mental labor you did for this video. It will help a lot of people, myself included. I always try to find real wood things because of their durability. So excited to chec out a few of these. That first cabinet and the kitchen table especially!
I’ve been out here prayin for this EXACT VIDEO!!!!! THANK YOU X1000000
❤❤❤❤ *DECOR WITHOUT NICK IS NOT AS SASSY* with you we feel like we’re just chatting with our friends irl convos and reactions 😂
I really enjoy your IKEA roundups - the place can be overwhelming and a “Nick filter” helps to signpost the best of the bunch. 👍🏼
Don't shop at Ikea, but could watch Nick talk about Ikea all day long, well, for 19:44 minutes. So entertaining!!
I have a butcher block as my desk from ikea, I love that wooden piece so so much. Going from a cheap desk to a heavy wooden desk is so much nicer 😊
My childhood bedroom was pine and I love the smell
I have two small Hemnes dressers that i use as night stands that have held up really well, real pine wood for most of it. And i got solid wood doors for the lower half of our Billy bookcases, i think they are oak
Hello from Muskoka! Adirondack region may claim it elsewhere, but here that's a Muskoka Chair!
I love our birch Rönninge bar table!! Definitely not cheap by IKEA standards but worth it for the look, feel, and sturdiness of solid wood
Some of these pieces are stunning. Certainly, there would be something for most people included. Thank you for the video.
Ivar with sliding doors dunked in tung oil is a very durable kitchen cabinet, love it
I actually have a solid wood, very simple, executive style desk from Ikea that I got when I lived in Germany back in 2005, and it's still one of my favorite pieces of furniture. Since then it's literally been moved thousands of miles and to about 10 different places. It's still going strong. I would definitely recommend Ikea wood furniture.
p.s. My aesthetic is minimalist meets comfy library/study using a mix of antiques and new MCM furniture, and this desk fits perfectly.
I bought the Nackanäs small round table and some chairs with it to my very small kitchen. Best Ikea buy I’ve ever made! 🥰 The Wood is lovely in a darkish warm tone, and I just love the look of it all 👍🏼😍
If a person is hard on furniture I wouldn't recommend the pine as it is a softwood and will not hold up as well as the birch, beech, acacia and eucalyptus pieces. Another great video.
Great point. I have a few pine wood pieces from IKEA. Have found pine works best for armoire/decorative storage kinds of uses where they aren't going to be high traffic.
Or you can say it adds to the patina.😊
I love your videos. You speak plainly, honestly. Keep it up.
OMG Nick, I swear I thought you were on Xanax or something and then I realised that I had the playback speed slowed down to .75 without knowing it LOL. Seriously prefer the non-stoned version of you 😅
It seems more and more that Nick is training for the speed-talking world record. Maybe listening at 75% is a good thing.
@@JuliaMarieSheehan That's hilarious - yet slightly true 🤣
Why paint wood? I have lots of solid wood in my home from pine to mahogany and the woods all look great, I love the knots and different shapes in the wood. It just reminds me all the time of how nature cannot be surpassed in beauty and surprises.
I love using trofast for storage in a pantry for things like: cans, bags of flour, tubes of tomato paste, pasta.
Thank you for this video highlighting real wood pieces from Ikea. I do not own anything from Ikea as I have shy'ed away from the particleboard furniture. It's good to know Ikea has real wood items, mostly in the wood finish!
The Nämmmarö is so beautiful, cant wait to buy it next summer. We were going to get a stupid ikea bed, but then saw that björksnäs and decided to checkout the collection, the bed is so unique and beautiful especially with an olive green wall. Saved me
Birch wood is beautiful and it is relatively free of knots. The kitchen in my previous house had birch wood cabinets and I wanted to repeat that wood in my new home, but it was way too expensive.
We have the Hemnes collection in our living room and bedroom and they are both great.
Also, we built our kitchen with Ikea cabinets more than ten years ago and they still look and work like new. Plus they were easy to install.
i got myself an ivar a few years ago, did not paint it but bought and stuck strandmon legs to it to elevate it slightly. 10/10 would recommend
Maybe I missed it but Skogsta is also great--they just released these spindle back acacia chairs, I paired them with a walnut dining table and they look amazing for the price.
I live in Norway and can assure you, every home in Scandiwegia has some Ivar furniture in it somewhere. Every single one. If you don't have it when you move in, some will be issued to you.
Recently bought the hemmed and we were shocked that it was all real wood. As always,, great video.
"Ugly" pla... I mean "lovely" places...
I died laughing. I'm saving this to use it the other way round.
For people's faces, spaces, clothes, babies... In an obviously obnoxious way...
I'm still laughing. 😂😂😂
Thanks for breaking this down and sifting through it all.
Love love Love all the solid wood options. Agreed ... a tad sacrilege to paint that lovely Birch. 😮
A lot of great pointers. I'm in the process of donating my old hand me down furniture and eventually upgrade. I especially loved the outdoor furniture section🖤
Nick, so helpful! I also want to recommend the Ikea bamboo cell phone and tablet holders - such beautiful design! 💐
Imagine my overwhelming sense of ecstacy when I heard that IKEA was opening up a store in my home town. How can this be true I asked myself? Well, it kind of isn't. Evidently they are opening a 'Plan and Order Point' which is so not what I was hoping for. Oh well, have car, will travel. Thanks for the video Nick!
Just to weigh in on the Persbol, it's a mixture of plywood and solid wood, so whilst it isn't a true solid wood chair the durability is definitely there. Love Ikea's solid wood stuff and wish they could/would do more of it.
You crack me up. I just love listening to you talk.
I really did enjoy this video Nick. Thanks.
The large Nackanas table at $430 is sold out in Portland, Oregon. I like hearing about wood, trends, etc. - great channel!
I've got a Havsta cabinet with sliding glass doors. It holds all my books. The pine is such a lovely smell every time I open and grab a book.
So many great choices, I love real wood of just about any species. The little spindle chair is gorgeous and totally timeless, as is the acacia kitchen table.
Yay, 🎉loved the arkelstorp coffee table and the kloven chair for outside!! Thank you Nick for the review🙏
Nick, wanted to say: I despise gateleg (and all "drop-leaf") tables. Which is weird, because bureau desks and davenport desks alike: love.
And then I twigged.
I'm ADHD / Autistic, which together cause major additive risks to both "having a lot of junk on my table" and "I accidentally bumped into my table".
Davenports: accidentally or deliberately close it? That counts as tidying everything away!
Bureau: built so that the "table" surface will not drop below horizontal
Anyway, just thought I'd mention, since you take different forms of accessibility and reasonable adjustments as seriously as they deserve.
You're hilarious. Love the sarcasm on top of all the good advice. "Really, IKEA... are you... I'm not sure you actually are?" And the whole I'm going to butcher the names thing... 😂
I love the Bekvam shelves! I use those in my kitchen to store all my teas and coffee, and in my bathroom to store lotions and perfumes. Super easy to mount and they look great!
Years ago I picked the Hemnes bed frame … the box spring support has 3 available heights to best fit your overall mattress thickness (height.)
I also now use the tall/narrow Trofast for closet storage. Not great for large or bulky clothes but just fine for socks and undies.
The Havasta in black is the dark academia bookshelf for my office I was looking for. My books sag particleboard shelving over time. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Nammaro is a newer set, the original stye was Applaro which I prefer.
You are SO cute and funny, Nick! I’ve really enjoyed watching your videos and learning about different styles. My husband has even watched a couple with me!
A good tip if you want to paint or stain pine is to use spray shellac as a primer. It seals the soft wood and prevents blotchiness.
Hey there! This is my first visit to your channel. Wow, you deliver the information in such a witty, funny, way. You are a new favorite! Thanks for such a lively video.
I had a Trofast unit, originally for kids' storage. Then when they were bigger it was my patio recyclables sorter with plants on top.
Unfortunately, I didn't treat the raw wood for outdoor use so it eventually broke from exposure. I had it for over 20 years, though.
I have a Norden! I bought it 10 years ago and it's been great, still looks good even after a few scratches and bumps... because it's solid wood.
I can attest to the paintability of the IVAR cabinets. The knots in the pine are prominent so I painted ours black but I used milk paint and finished them with hemp oil. The wood grain is still visible but the milk paint with hemp oil finish is smooth and fairly matte. This all sounds quite rustic but we wall-mounted 4 units about a foot off the floor and they seem kinda sleek and minimal (no handles/knobs required). Milk paint is pretty different from conventional paint but I'm so happy with the results.
TOTALLY AWSOME VIDEO NICK!!!! I LOVE ALL SOLID WOOD FUNITURE AND PRODUCTS. A GREAT INVESTMENT FOR NOW, AND FOR THE FUTURE.
I missed this video with 6 months and then i have missed the Ekenäset chair - You made me order one in grey-turquoise :) Thanks !
Sitting infront of my front door, closetless space; thats a mess...I feel really called out. 😅
I will be lookking into that luxury of having that ikea front door rack as soon as i finish this. Hahaha.
I probably never clicked so fast. Always here for a good ikea solid wood piece. And its possibilities to customizing...
I love Ivar... it is one of the most versitile systems I have ever worked with... easy to paint, stain, customise... and a lot cheaper than erecting dry wall, and plastering... used it to half divide an open plan space... I used it to create a home office in a large living room, where the second sofa/ day bed was my spare bed (I moved there when I had visitors and gave them my bedroom) the day bed was 70 cm x 1.9 m, with storage underneath - and then realised I could do it again to create a separate zone (3 in one room) without compromising too much on natural light or having to move heavy furniture to re jig purpose... so using Ivar to delineate zones... a bit like playing with Lego
. it's not 'cheap" cheap when you add in the bits and pieces... I wanted two glass door cabinets and two closed door cabinets - and I didn't do it all at once... but by the time I was finished, a 58 sq m one bedroom apartment could sleep 4 ( 2 couples) or .. just once .. 5 adults and 3 children, but still leave my life and home office intact!!! You can leave it looking like industrial wooden shelving for garage and warehouse... or you can stain, sand, or paint the life out of it to make it look like expensive built in cabinetry... Can't praise it enough.. and as pine, it is sustainable, and none of the bits I got had issues with knots, etc that needed to be addressed.
P.S - love the Swedish... but some of those words/ names have actually meaning.... I love that the baskets are "shabby"
When it comes to the Ivar, just keep in mind that a lot of Scandinavians will occasionally mention "pine hell". You *can* overdo it.
Especially once people go for pine wall covers, and ceiling pine panels
“This is fun for them.” “Having fun and painting! “. You are really cracking me up today!
My fav is the RAST dresser. I use it as nightstands on both sides of my bed and store all my socks and stockings inside (perfect place to get dressed sitting on the bed) 😃
I've got the Bjorksnas bed/side table, have had it for 5 years and it's held up so well even through 2 house moves.
I love this video! Thank you, thank you for going through all the pictures to find all the solid wood options. It helped me quite a bit. 😊
I made my kitchen island out of 4 Havasta cabinets (2 on one side 2 on the other side) & a used marble slab that weighs around 400-500 lb on top. It's such a sturdy cabinet. I did this to replace an Island which was twice as long & somehow only had half as much storage space as this. The cabinets are only 17" deep, but that makes it easier to get out pots & pans. The cost of any kitchen cabinets with a body made from anything other than partical board or melamine at Home Depot is way more expensive.
Just bought some Neiden twin beds for our Grand Darlings and they are great! Simple, sturdy and printable/stainable!
Solid wood is great option but don't rule out veneer because there are different types. Example of something many people might assume would be considered solid wood but is technically veneer is butcher block. There are many different types of veneers and so it is easy for people to associate veneer with plastic but veneer can be made all types of natural products! So if something says veneer take a closer look before turning down. Another example is proper brick/ stone veneer. In situations when you don't need stone/ brick structurally but you are looking for the aesthetic of stone/ brick then stone/brick veneer is actual stone/ brick just cut into pieces. It is still stone/brick but because it is cut & used as a layer (not whole) it is considered a veneer.
“If it’s vintage and fine leave it alone.”😅 my thoughts exactly!!!
I have a Jokkmokk dining table that I bought 15 years ago and it’s still going strong. It’s solid pine. The kids have done a number on the top of it so I really need to sand and refinish it but the fact that it’s real wood at least means I have that option.
You can have a very good looking desk with the IKEA solid wood table top and add the height adjustable legs so it’s perfectly ergonomic without being a sit-stand desk. I love a desk with good depth and IKEA mostly caters for small spaces so they shrink the width of their desks!
Oh see, I love the knots, I look out for the darkest knots in pine, I thought that was the beauty of pine… love some of the paint stains too. Thanks for your channel.
Hi Nick. Really like this info on IKEA quality wood pieces. Seems like a trend with reviewers recently.
Also, I checked out the Trofast product after watching another reviewer's content & discovered that IKEA now has epoxy powder-coated, mesh steel drawers in 4 colours to appeal to teens+! They look nice though not sure of their durability. Good idea to expand the appeal of a classic product!
I have the norden in my kitchen. I would buy it again if I ever had to. Both sides will fold down completely giving you maximum space and has 3 deep storage drawers on both sides that you always have access to with tabel folded or not.
Love your video, Nick! So interesting to see in the Ikea pieces that there are often candles in the drawers. The Swedes are big on candles in the winter, given the short days there.
I love this list. It inspired me for my Nova Scotia and Jamaica homes
Greetings from Halifax.
A friend has the norden as a desk and it is a workhorse. Survived 10 years, two countries and four house moves.