Architect's TOP 10 IKEA Products for Small Homes

as an architect what I am most passionate about  is squeezing the maximum possible functionality   quality and Aesthetics out of difficult spaces  at the very lowest possible cost and at this   intersection of opposing forces Ikea tends to  provide the most ubiquitous bang for your buck out   there so in this video I'm going to share with you  my list of Ikea's top 10 products for small homes   now in small spaces dining tables are often  one of the first compromises that people take   on board as they simply tend to take up so  much space but with gate leg tables like   Ikea's Northern table you end up with an item  that actually takes up little more space than   something like a hallway console but it expands  to seat 4 or even six people with a squeeze   back when I was single with my very first  apartment this was actually the table that I went   with and it really did make the space so versatile  especially when you put it on felt pads to make it   easy to slide around the space and along with the  integrated drawers it makes it a really handy item   to store things like Pantry or office items or  tools and when you pair it with folding chairs it   makes it a great item for entertaining guests as  you can simply fold everything out when you need   it however the problem that I have with this table  though is that it's solid Birch which usually is a   really nice thing when it comes to durability and  the aesthetic of it but for a table like this it   just makes the table leaves really awkward and  heavy to lift up which adds a layer of friction   that makes it just that bit harder to put away  which is kind of the whole point to a table like   this additionally this Timber construction means  that it requires a stretcher at the bottom of the   gate leg too which makes one of the sides really  comfortable and kind of annoying to sit at because   it just gets in the way of your feet however  because of this Ikea came up with their Calhoun   table which solves all of these problems whilst  being 70 dollars cheaper and 20 pounds lighter   so instead of solid Birch you get lightweight but  durable melamine-faced particle board and steel   epoxy coated legs and instead of heavy Timber  drawers you get a fabric cavity that stores two   folding chairs making it even more versatile so  if you're happy with a little bit of an aesthetic   compromise this may be one of the most impressive  and functional tables out there for the price when   Furnishing a small space and when paired with  Ikea's Terrier chairs which you can now buy with   padded seats and backs it makes it an incredibly  impressive and affordable solution foreign overlooked sofa bed in my opinion is the first  old daybed as unlike a lot of sofa beds this   extends to the width of a full U.S king-size  mattress without the need of having to sleep   on the sofa cushions themselves as the seat is  simply made up of two twin size mattresses one   thing that often puts people off day beds when  compared to sofa beds is the look and the comfort   as they're typically just made of particle board  without any kind of back which makes them heavy   and somewhat fragile to move too not to mention  that the depth and the height of a daybed often   means that you end up slouching back without  any kind of cushioned support behind you the   first also for bed however is made of metal  making it comparatively light and durable and   at Ikea you can actually pair these with the  friheten and Dev Holman cushions which are   proper cushioned sofa bags meaning that you get  the comfort of a proper sofa at a much lower cost   but with the versatility of a sofa  bed that's actually comfortable to   sleep on and I honestly think that with  the cushioned sofa backs and a couple of   storage boxes underneath them for things like  pillows and linen this might even be a decent   looking daybed that you might actually  be comfortable using as your main bed you're short on space in your living area Ikea's  tolkening ottoman is another great choice in place   of something like a coffee or side table as it  not only provides an additional seat but also   a surface for drinks and snacks and storage for  infrequently used items like extra blankets and   cushions because of this item's handmade rat  in construction it also has a really rich and   warm aesthetic which makes it a great addition  if your living room is feeling just a little   bit sterile and as it's just 5.7 kilos it doesn't  really weigh much more than a few bottles of soda   which on the whole makes it a really good looking  maneuverable and versatile item if ratan isn't   really your cup of tea and you want something a  little bit softer for sitting on a more typical   ottoman or poof is really just as versatile  albeit without the hidden storage and in   the United States Ikea makes a great circular  option called the gruntwear which is a little   bit taller wider and heavier than the tokening  but also likely to be a lot more durable and   comfortable too and when you pair it with a  serving tray like the ombanad It transforms   it into a really functional and good looking side  table too I personally really like this style of   Ottoman or poof mainly because of its softness  which makes them a really easy way to make a   space feel a little bit less hard and rigid and in  Daily practice too you often find yourself moving   these kind of items around the room to serve as a  foot rest seat or Surface which brings some really   welcome informality to your seating arrangement if  you frequently find yourself with guests stopping   by and because the design is just so minimal  they look at home in nearly any environment too as an update to their Valen tuna sofa that  I actually had in my London micro apartment   Ikea's Brand's new yatabo modules look to be  fantastic for small homes as they're modular   meaning that they can be pulled apart and moved  around they're maneuverable because they can be   easily transported if you expect to frequently  move homes they're versatile as they can be   rearranged to fit in almost any room and they  are highly functional as they also provide a ton   of hidden storage under each of their seating  modules so not only do you essentially get two   items of furniture in one but because it comes  in this muted gray colorway it makes it really   easy to fit in with other items of furniture that  you might already have and despite not being able   to get this sofa here in Canada quite yet it  does look to be incredibly comfortable and it   actually resembles a lot of higher priced  designer items too making it probably one   of my top picks and a great next iteration  from their very popular Valen tuna sofa how   however with all of this functionality it does  come at a much higher price tag than some of   their other sofas but if you want something that  you can move around with you wherever you go and   save yourself the space and the cost of a piece of  cumbersome storage Furniture it makes the yatabo   sofa a really compelling option that's backed by  Ikea's really impressive 10-year limited warranty who doesn't have space for a dining table in  your home without a doubt one of the best tables   for the money that you can buy at Ikea is the  trollstorp typically a coffee table takes up a lot   of space while providing very little in the way of  actual functionality other than serving as a perch   for your favorite drink of choice which makes them  a bit of a luxury product for people with larger   spaces than those of us with small homes however  this table on the other hand also functions as a   dining table as the table top lifts on gas struts  in order to raise the surface to make it suitable   for eating or working but also under this it has  a cavity for things like magazines or books and   because this section is completely concealed you  can use it to store really whatever you want to   and in a small studio apartment this could be  the difference between owning something like an   additional cupboard or sideboard for things like  dry goods or tools however the only shortcoming   of this kind of table is that it's not really  suitable for serving more than two people at   once which may make it a not so viable option  if you're looking to frequently entertain guests   so a proper ironing board style coffee to dining  table may be better suited for this kind of thing   however considering that the true stock table is a  capable piece of storage furniture too it makes it   a pretty compelling choice at a very compelling  price point that's actually only backed up by   Ikea's 365-day return policy should you run  into problems with things like the mechanical   struts or hinges foreign I think one of the most  versatile and durable storage options at Ikea has   to be their bestie units as the individual units  come in so many sizes that they can be arranged to   fit in almost any space for instance I've used the  low and deep units as a console that can be used   as seating too by simply placing them on felt pads  as they can be simply slid across wood or laminate   floors when you need a bench or a stall for  sitting and eating which makes them an incredibly   discreet and functional alternative to stacking  stores or folding chairs because of their dual   functionality additionally because you can stack  these units on top of themselves too it also means   that you can easily repurpose them should you want  to move or rearrange your space which means that   they can turn from being something like a console  into something more like a storage cupboard or   wall cabinet which makes the modularity perfect  for smaller spaces with the added bonus of being   able to easily change the fronts or internals  should you want drawers or shelves or simply   a refresh of the look of your home without having  to go out and buy a whole brand new furniture item of course folding chairs aren't the comfiest  for extended sitting despite them saving the   most space however stackable chairs are the  next best option if you have something like   a built-in closet to store them while typically  being more sturdy durable and comfortable when   it comes to Ikea furniture their udman's chairs  are great as they have fully upholstered seats   and backs with removable covers making them  incredibly comfortable and easy to clean and   because they have a powder coated steel  construction they're sturdy and durable   with a very visually light aesthetic making  them great for small spaces too of course   at Ikea as with most stores you usually do  get what you pay for so these are a little   bit more of a premium stacking option which  I think is actually something that might be   a worthwhile investment especially as you're  saving so much on housing costs in a smaller   space as in isolation it's really kind of hard  to tell that these are stacking chairs at all when it comes to maximizing space in your home  one area that is always massively underutilized   are the walls as they can actually store a  lot without taking up any floor space which   is arguably the most valuable asset in terms  of space in a small home as we perceive the   spaciousness of a room based on where we have  space for our feet to go which is actually a   reason why a sofa with legs can make a space  feel more spacious than a sofa without them   as shows are often a little bit too deep to  realistically place in areas like hallways picture   Ledges like Ikea's muslanda maliras and malmbach  can be great not only for displaying items like   books ornaments and Tech but also as catchers for  things like your keys makeup or stationery which   when paired with a mirror can make them a really  compact dressing area or an entryway console and   they even work as a great bedside table for  your phone or e-reader if you have no choice   but to place your bed in a corner but if you're  really tight on space in your living area I've   even seen these placed behind sofas as alleged  for you to place drinks or other items making   them function a bit like a side table too so if  you're comfortable mounting items to your walls   and your lease allows you to do so this can be  a fantastic and affordable space saving solution of course maneuverability is key when living in  a small space as ideally you want to be able to   quickly hide or fold away items that you're  not immediately using and other than folding   furniture and hidden storage items with wheels can  be really useful as you can simply wheel them away   into a corner that isn't being used when you  don't need them because of this their rascog   car is a fantastic storage Furniture item that's  really sturdy and well made too which I actually   keep in my office to ensure that all of my camera  gear is on hand whenever I'm filming and because   of its deep edges it becomes the perfect place to  Simply throw items though you're not really using   which is really helpful if you're kind of lazy  like me this makes this cart really useful for   any environment where you need things quickly on  hand so they work great in kitchens too and it's   really cool that they can be paired with their  Hogs my chopping board as this makes them an   additional work surface too which can be really  handy not only for preparing food but also when   using them as something like a side table in a  living room for things like drinks or other items   but really when it comes to all of these  Furniture items what you'll notice is the   running theme is that they are all very versatile  by possessing either overlapping functionality or   maneuverability by being easily hidden or folded  away with the defining factors being ergonomics   and durability as to whether or not they're  even worth your time or money in the first   place but hopefully you guys found this video  helpful and if you did it would mean a lot if   you hit subscribe if you aren't already for  more architecture and interior design related   videos like this one thank you all so much  for watching and I'll see you in the next one

Channel: Daniel Titchener

Views: 866,562

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Id: fuF1NhaJago

Length: 14min 21sec (861 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 08 2023