IKEA?! A Love Letter from an Architect Who Knows Better
The Experience: Large Blue Bags, Oversized Boxes, and a Hotdog Reward
As an architect, I’ve had my fair share of high-end showroom visits, luxury material sample boxes, and boutique craftsmanship meetings. But few experiences are quite as humbling—and genuinely enjoyable—as a day at IKEA.
There’s something uniquely exhilarating about pushing an overloaded cart full of sleek flat-packed furniture parts that almost fit in your car. Add a few of those iconic oversized blue bags stuffed with accessories, a surprisingly good hotdog or slice of pizza as a reward, and you’ve got yourself a project kickoff IKEA-style.
But let’s be honest. In design circles, IKEA doesn’t always get the respect it deserves.
The Perception Problem: Cheap, Temporary, and ‘Not for Clients’
Many in the design world turn their noses up at IKEA. It's seen as cheap, mass-market, and disposable—a far cry from the custom cabinetry and artisan-crafted fixtures often featured in architecture magazines.
But here’s the thing: IKEA has quietly brought contemporary Scandinavian design to the U.S. at a fraction of the cost—and it looks amazing when done right.
Let’s rethink the outdated assumption that affordability equates to poor quality. Instead, let’s celebrate IKEA for what it is: a gateway to beautiful, clean-lined, modern interiors that are accessible, sustainable, and surprisingly durable when assembled and installed properly.
Contemporary Design: More Expensive Than It Looks
There’s a paradox in contemporary design—it looks simple, but it's far from cheap.
Unlike traditional American architecture, which often relies on trim, molding, and other decorative elements to cover imperfections, contemporary European design demands precision. There's no place to hide mistakes. Every corner, joint, and reveal must be perfect. This means:
Tighter construction tolerances
Better-quality installation
Higher construction costs
Windows and doors must be the exact sizes. Flush baseboards and frameless cabinetry mean the structure itself becomes the finish material.
Designers of contemporary buildings need to be masters of building science. We’re not just sketching beautiful forms; we’re solving complex details to ensure these elegant, minimalistic spaces don’t leak—something even architectural legends like Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright famously struggled with.
IKEA: European Contemporary Design, Democratized
And this is where IKEA shines.
Its design language mirrors that same European sensibility—clean lines, smart storage, restrained detailing—but it’s pre-engineered and flat-packed to fit into real-life budgets. For designers working with tight cost constraints, IKEA is a powerful tool that delivers an elevated aesthetic with a manageable price tag.
While it’s true that IKEA may not be the right fit for ultra-modern, ultra-high-end dream homes, it is perfect for the kinds of projects that matter most right now:
Missing Middle Housing
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Small-scale urban infill developments
Budget-conscious residential remodels
These are the projects where every dollar matters. IKEA allows developers and homeowners to focus their budget where it counts—good architecture, smart layouts, durable envelopes—while still delivering beautiful, functional interiors.
The Caveats: IKEA Takes Work (and a Lot of Phone Calls)
Of course, IKEA isn’t perfect. The affordability and accessibility come at a cost—your time and patience.
If you’ve ever ordered an IKEA kitchen, you’ll know it’s not as simple as clicking a few buttons. Every hinge, bracket, cover panel, and toe kick has to be counted. Miss a part? You’ll spend days navigating backorders, missed deliveries, and customer service hold music.
On one of our recent projects, we installed an entire kitchen without baseboards—because they were backordered for two months. In a wardrobe install, we had multiple missing parts, incorrect panels, and a confusing trail of packages and delivery windows. The outcome? Gorgeous. The process? Exhausting.
Here’s our advice: don’t let clients handle this alone. IKEA projects need a designer, contractor, or experienced project manager to oversee the ordering, check for missing parts, and schedule installation only after everything is in hand.
Disclaimer: This blog is an independent publication and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by IKEA or Inter IKEA Systems B.V. All trademarks, product names, and company names or logos mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Images used on this site that are sourced from the IKEA website are used for illustrative purposes only. If you are the copyright holder and believe your rights have been violated, please contact us, and we will promptly address the issue.
Final Thoughts: IKEA Is Good Design, Done Differently
It’s time to stop thinking of IKEA as the budget fallback and start appreciating it as a tool for delivering great design at scale. It’s not always easy—but when done right, the results are beautiful, functional, and smart.
So yes, that pizza party you had to throw to assemble your kitchen was worth it.
Yes, your cart looked ridiculous.
Yes, the blue bags are still under your bed.
But your space? It looks like it was designed in Milan.
And that, for a fraction of the price, is pretty incredible.
Let’s make good design more accessible. One flat-pack at a time.
Ready to bring thoughtful design to your next small-scale development, ADU, or remodel? Let’s talk.
