IKEA thoughts and some of my favorite items from IKEA

I am not sure if it is a blessing or a curse but I live 15 minutes from an IKEA. My original thoughts were hesitation to this store; I wasn't really sure what all the hype was about because from my knowledge, IKEA was the place were you bought cheap particle board furniture. I still don't like all the particle board stuff but my opinions have changed when I realized they have a lot more to offer than cheap tables and bookshelves. Over the past three years, I have purchased some IKEA stuff that I am a big fan of and there are still some other things that I have my eye on (looking to add to a registry perhaps?)

Here are my favorite items that I have from IKEA:

Alvine Ruta Rug

I had my eye on the Alvine Ruta for a long time and found one for sale on Craigslist for pretty cheap (thank you close proximity to IKEA.) I love the pattern of this rug and wouldn't hesitate to buy a new one for our first real home if we have wooden floors.

Ofelia Vass Duvet Cover and Pillow Cases

Mine is largely covered by a twin duvet that I shibori dyed

I fell in love with the simple nature of this duvet. It's perfect. I got it to put over my white duvet that I had got from my grandma when she got a smaller bed. I love the cover. I was wary of the white color but have kept it clean by avoiding eating in bed and doing homework on bed. That last sentence clearly gave it away that I am in college.  

Korken jars

The Korken jars are pretty awesome and cheap. I have some holding miscellaneous craft supplies and some holding pasta. They are great for storing kitchen items like pasta and pretzels but I wouldn't recommend them for storing baking items because none of my measuring cups fit inside the top so it was hard to get flour out. Live and learn. 

Sanela Cushion Covers, pink and blue

I got three of these pillow cases on clearance at IKEA. All of them have gone up to Carter's family's cottage but I love how soft they are. Full price is $8 but even better than I got them for $3 each. Sadly I have no pictures of these pillows in action at the cottage. 

Maffens Basket

The Maffens basket is so pretty but it earns extra points for being large and sturdy. I have seen people use it to hold large indoor plants and wouldn't mind doing that myself. For now, mine holds a cotton blanket. 

Elly Dish Towels

$4 for 4 towels, need I say more? Okay, I will. I like the simple patterns on these. They are also pretty thin so they dry quickly. 

Gubbrora Rubber Spatulas

I have two of these and I am in love. They work so well. What makes these really stand out though is the $1.29 price.

Pruta Food Storage

I got one set for free when IKEA was giving away products on campus. I liked it so much that I went and bought a second set. There are 17 containers per set and offer a nice range of storage and you cannot beat the $4.79 price tag either! These are perfect for storing leftovers and packing smaller odds and ends in my lunch.

Ribba Frames

I am not sure why this was so grainy but you get the idea. 

These are great because they have then in a bunch of different size options. The clean lines make them appropriate for almost any decor situation. I also am a fan of them for the fact that all the frames come with a mat so you can insert a picture that takes up the whole frame or use a smaller picture with the mat.

What are your IKEA favorites?