Monday, September 23, 2013

IKEA: A Home within Home

I love furniture as I love bags and shoes ^_^ but I just noticed as I get aged I loving home decors over some petty girly thingy . If there will be a bazaar or sale between a clothing apparels boutique and home depot or stores I will choose the home depot. Well, I guess one of my aunt is correct, hmmm maybe its a sign of "old aged" and I corrected her as I say "its a sign of "growing up" :-)
Remember when I featured here the SALE on Home Centre? well if not yet, just read it HERE. Two weeks I ago without any plan to join my girl friends from the church napadpad ako sa IKEA instead na sa City Center lang.
IKEA is a Swedish company that designs and sells ready - to -assemble furniture like beds, cabinets, desks, etc. It was founded since 1943. They are known for its modern architectural designs associated with eco friendly simplicity. Simple, elegant, and really useable as I personally described their stuffs.
I read so many blogs about IKEA, and the last time I visited Dubai di ko talaga sya pinalampas puntahan although I was not able na nakapamili kasi ubos oras talaga then ang daming tao as in, so its good thing we have IKEA na rin dito sa Doha. It was opened last March and from that month September ko na sya napuntahan..hehehe, mejo malayo rin naman kasi sa kabihasnan..hehehe. And if you don't have car theb good luck to you how much taxi fare you'll be pay and good luck for the second time if there are taxi who will pick up to you after you shop.
So let's go inside, busugin natin ang mga mata at even our tummies ^_^.

Meet my IKEA Buddies
They are brethren from QICM and the only handsome with us is one of our Pastor, which we call "tatay". Without him hindi kami makakarating sa IKEA at wala kayong mababasang post ko ngayon, hehehe kasi sya nag nagdrive for us. Thank you po Pastor Frank! 
 

I love how they arranged every stuffs they have. I was able to get some ideas and tips from them too. Kaya if you're planning to redesign or redecorate your house, visit them. You'll learned a lot of ideas from a limited space to a spacious area to fill up.

Shelves and Frames
I love ready to install shelves, every time Home Center is on sale I grabbed at least one set of the ready to install shelves, aside from its stylish look it seems na matibay talaga yung pagka-wood nya. Here's the IKEA's version, mas mahaba sya but ang ayaw ko lang is yung metal na nakasupport sa kanya. I'd rather choose yung nakascrew lang para malinis tingnan but for rooms and family rooms or if you have mini library or office space sa bahay nyo, putting these shelves will be a great help to store books, VCD tapes or keepsake collections.
 
IKEA has so many picture frames design but mostly are plastic made, although you'll not notice it when you only see it but when you touch doon mo malalaman na plastic pala. Plastic frames are good especially if you have kids at home, iwas multiply hehehe. I'm eyeing to buy this film frame, not bad for 25QR or around 250.00 PHP pero iniisip ko kung paano sya magkakasya sa cargo box ko para maipadala ko sa Pinas.

Chairs, Ottoman, Bean Bags
I hold my breath when I saw these chairs honestly super I love to have at least one of this on my room in Philippines. I even checked some online furniture stores but  oh-m-gee naman sa prices. IKEA's is cheaper kaya super na-amazed naman ako...how I wish I can shoot it to the box, pero pwedeng gawan ng paraan...isip isip Jen pwede pa naman syang balikan :-)

 
 Color Coordinated
I love coordinating colors not only for my dress, shoes and bag but even on house decor and most especially my room. Aside from a coordinated theme of your house, isn't it nice and pleasing to eyes if its color coordinated?
Color it Pink for your young ladies.
Meet Madz, nag babaeng walang kahilighilig sa pink, hindi nya favorite kaya pink bag, pink phone case, etc.
 Hindi ko naman favorite ang green, super favorite ko :-)
Dining and Kitchens
You can find ideas on how to arrange your dining or coffee table out of small spaces.
Let's check their kitchens...
Si Mommy at Daddy ko kaagad ang una kong naisip when I saw their kitchen showroom. My parents love to decorate and arrange home furniture too. Di bale I'll just get catalogue na lang for you para you.
 Combination of wood, steel, and glass
 Ewan ko na lang kapag di ka pa naging organized sa kitchen mo sa daming drawers and cabinets. Nice right, everything pwedeng itago para pleasing sa mata, ang linis!
 I love the idea of this cabinet, instead to pull you just need to take it up :-) But this kind of cabinet is usually ideal only para don sa di masyadong marami ang mga kitchen wares.
This glass-wooden cabinet is 25 years warranty. So paano kung sa Pinas ko iuuwi? paano ang warranty? hehehe.
I'm thinking to change our kitchen into white, ours is currently dark mahogany.
 O guys be sure na kung ganyan ang ref nyo is may laman or else sayang lang ang ibabayad mo sa kuryente :-) One thing I noticed on all the kitchen room display, laging may laptop na kasama, well isa lang ang ibig sabihin nyan wifi na talaga ang uso at habang nagluluto or nagbabake ka sa kusina may time ka pa rin magbrowse or magblog...hmmm baka yan na ang unang tanong ni Inday kapag nagapply "mam - sir may wifi po ba kayo?" hehehe.
And dahil sosyal na si Inday, hindi lang kitchen ang dapat maganda, dapat may laundry and ironing room din.

Living Room, Family room and Receiving Area
This is one of the busiest part of the house, we usually called it "sala". Some houses already have their entertainment case on their sala, some do have music room or family room. Aside from living room and family room some still have their receiving area, this is usually located as extension of their terrace or located before the main door going to the living room.

Family room serves as a mini library as well of the house where you can store your books and magazines. Its the place where kids gather to do their homework as well. I love the cabinets ...another idea for our family room ^_^
 
 Receiving area has a casual look compare to the main living room. You can just put any types of furniture and accessorize it with fresh plants.
 
Living room where most of the people - family or visitors gathered. I personally suggest to look for a furniture that is classic. It will be easy for you as well to match the curtains or accessories or decors that you want to put if your furniture has a neutral color like brown, white or beige, black, anyways it is easy nowadays to just buy ready to use seat covers for your living room set.

Porch and Terrace
 Wood, rattan, and metal made of furniture fitted best on your porch or terrace. You can also put plants as ornament.
Offices and Study Areas
 
Bedrooms
Color coordinated rooms are really pleasing.
Brass bed and victorian look is always in style
 Sofa bed for teens. One of tip I got from IKEA, if you want to match your frame with your bed sheets or even in some home decors, look for near designs or color of cloth, cut it and put it into frame then hang - as easy and DIY talaga :-)
I love putting couch on my room. A piece is enough especially if your space is not that big.

Aside from their show rooms, IKEA offers some home staples for affordable price. Here are some of my personal choice, konti lang kasi naglowbat na lahat ng cam...kaya eto na lang ^_^

 Mirror, storage boxes, hangers, lamps....
 wall decors and net for your young girls' room
Mirror mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all :-) I love the white dresser, but when  I checked it, its only plastic, just wondering maybe it will be yellowish after a year, ganda pa naman sana kasi you can buy the mirror separate.
 They have so many canvass and frames too but a bit expensive. The one in the photo is more than 10k (QR).
This is one of my best pick! Perfect for my shoes, but how many pieces should I buy...hahaha, if I'm not mistaken its more or less 30QR, ok lang sana kung 5 pairs of shoes ang meron ako.
Next visit talaga I'll make it sure to charge my camera and phone so I can share more to you guys. Actually second floor pa lang yan, where their show rooms are located. On the 1st floor naman yung mga kitchen wares, frames, lamps, pillows, blankets, vases and so many home decors plus their sale items. 
One more thing that I love with IKEA, after na mapagod ang paa mo sa kakalibot at kakashopping at if ever na magutom ka, they have restaurant inside na super affordable talaga ang price as in sulit na sulit. No picture nga kasi lowbat na, but I enjoyed their salmon and mashed potato for only 30QR, other ladies got their roasted chicken with rice and veggies for less than 30QR and if you will take a cake and coffee..coffee is unlimited! They are self service and according to the note I've read to continue such cheap price you need to clean the table and put the plates that you used on their used section, then you might say the connection? e kasi less manpower nga naman kapag ganon so instead na sa manpower mapunta ibaba na lang nila ang price ng food. 
While waiting for our turn to get food at IKEA food court - selfie selfie muna ^_^
It took us 3 hours or more yata inside IKEA, and dahil sabi ni Pastor yung kasya lang daw sa sasakyan kaya eto lang...taraaannnn!!!
The HAPPY Shoppers
 
Don't miss their vanilla ice cream cone after you pay to the cashier. In front of cashiers you will see their mini-food stalls and the ice cream cone cost only for 1.00 QR and its taste good as in mapapacompare ka kasi mas masarap sya sa ibang ice cream cone ^_^
So guys if you have time don't miss to visit IKEA!

IKEA DOHA (Doha Festival City)
Address: Plot 450, Zone No. 70, 253 Al Shamal Rd, Umm Salal Muhammed 
Phone:4406 2555

Like us for sure you ladies out there sabihin nyo naman mas gusto nyo nang magshopping ng mga house decors kesa magshopping ng clothes, parang kami lang  :-)