WAS THE NEWSLETTER #103

I’m Paige Wassel. WAS the Newsletter is your weekly dose of design inspiration, where we celebrate pieces that are in it for the long haul.

IKEA FOR NOW, IKEA FOREVER

Default thinking is that IKEA is disposable furniture, like it’s from the Playskool My First Apartment line. We’ve all been there, borrowing a friend’s car and heading to the nearest suburban IKEA, where we scarf some meatballs and pick up a piece we’re hard-pressed to pronounce. This is the same item we’ll drag to the curb under the cover of darkness five years later… like we’re disposing of a body. 

It’s a whole rite of passage, ya know?

Here’s what no one talks about: some IKEA pieces actually hang on for decades. And I’m not talking in the “I’m keeping this because I’m broke” way. Instead, it’s because the design and materials genuinely hold up.

The Washington Post did a deep dive into which IKEA classics hold up long-term. TBH, the reporter’s findings line up beautifully with what I’ve been shouting about ever since I wrote that ode to “vintage IKEA” and their Nytillverkad reissues. IKEA has always been about democratically good design. I’m talking about pieces that still look intentional. 

So let’s talk about the keepers.

MATERIALS + ASSEMBLY = MAGIC

Before we get into the icons, I need you to remember that solid wood and metal are your design besties. Particleboard is fine, but you’ve got to treat it like the sensitive friend who cries easily. Kid gloves and all.

Also, let’s be real here: half of the “IKEA doesn’t last” bad rap is because we assembled that piece with a butter knife instead of a screwdriver. If you want longevity, you’ve gotta follow the instructions. (Shocking, I know. )The pros even recommend grabbing IKEA’s little Trixig tool kit—aka, $15 insurance policy against a wonky bookcase.

THE EVERGREEN ICONS 

Billy Bookcase 

Billy is basically the Beyoncé of IKEA: she’s been famous for decades, she’s everywhere, and she puts in the work. Designers swear that Billy doesn’t warp, doesn’t wobble, and blends into literally any aesthetic. Every five seconds, one sells. That’s not by accident.

PS Cabinet 

That little powder-coated metal cabinet you’ve seen in every cool apartment is there because it’s light, yet somehow bulletproof. Drag it around, rest a plant jungle on top, whatever you dish out, the PS Cabinet can take it. Also, IKEA changes the colors based on trend cycles. Big fan.

Hemnes Line 

Spoiler alert: there’s solid wood at IKEA in the Hemnes line. Designers and real-estate pros say these pieces last 10–20 years without complaint. That means the drawers continue to slide, and nothing creaks or sags. Nice.

Uppland Sofa 

This couch (which is the artist formerly known as the Ektorp) is slipcovered, comfy, and wholly indestructible. If your dog destroys things for sport, buy this couch. If your toddler destroys things for sport, buy this couch. If you want to change your entire aesthetic overnight, buy this couch.

Ivar Shelving 

Here’s the kind of blank canvas that I freaking adore. Unfinished pine shelves give me license to stain, paint, hack, fill-in-the-blank. These things survive moves, careers, earthquakes, etc. They just keep on trucking indefinitely.

Poäng Chair 

Your parents probably had (or still have) this chair. It’s iconic and durable with its curved bentwood frame. If you get bored, swap out the cushion, and voilà! New chair, who dis? People hold onto these for decades and still talk about them as if they were family.

Kallax Shelving 

If you’ve ever lived in a small space, you know that Kallax is basically adult Lego. You can stack it. You can turn it into a bench. You can make it a room divider or a bar. This is the choose-your-own-adventure of pieces. Plus, organizers love it because it moves well and can take a beating.

Malm Series 

Everything Malm is clean and streamlined. The whole line is perfect for small rooms, thanks to the underbed storage. That’s why stagers swear by it.

IKEA’S “VINTAGE CORE” MOMENT

If you read my IKEA nostalgia piece from February, you know the brand has this whole 80-year-long ethos of making great design affordable. The reason those early pieces became cult classics is because of their smart engineering and uniform packaging. Plus, they’re made with materials that don’t quit.

The Nytillverkad “vintage IKEA” collection (those reissued 60s/70s/80s/90s bangers) proves the thesis that IKEA’s best designs weren’t meant to be disposable. They shouldn’t be banished in the night like a regrettable hook-up. They were meant to last.

Same goes for these “forever” pieces from the Post story. These items share the same DNA: solid wood and steel. They are things that age yet somehow never get old. (Sort of like Paul Rudd.)

So when you choose the right materials and assemble it correctly, your IKEA can actually be investment furniture. While it’s not a “hand-carved Danish teak credenza” investment, it's definitely an “I’ve dragged this across the country four times and it still looks great” investment.

Honestly?

That’s good design… doing exactly what good design is supposed to do.

DO / DON’T by Basma Alromaih

xx,
P