The top 20 IKEA items that look high-end for a low price to decorate a home that is timeless and with a modern farmhouse style.
This post has been one I’ve written in my head before. Because so often when I look around our house I think, “Gosh. I really do have an IKEA love affair going on.”
I’m not sure if it’s my Swedish roots or the fact that I just really love a great deal, but when I walk into our nearby IKEA, I lose. my. mind!
I will say though you have to do it right. Because there’s a fine line between stylish home decor and hi-I-live-in-a-college-dorm-room.
So I thought it’d be fun to round up some of my favorite IKEA items that look high end for a low price, if you’ve ever felt lost there.
(By the way, this isn’t a sponsored post or anything. Pretty sure the peeps at IKEA don’t know I exist. I just like passing on any valuable information I can to y’all.)
Some affiliate links are provided below.
1. Vadholma Plate Shelf / Rack
This plate rack I got at IKEA has actually been discontinued (called Galemby), but they have one very similar to it now. It’s $70, and I swear I couldn’t even build it for less than that. I painted ours in Fusion Mineral Paint Coal Black.
I looooooove IKEA’s curtains! It’s really the only place I go to get them because most home decor stores carry curtains that are only 84″ long. IKEA carries lots of options that are 96″ or longer so you can get that gorgeous floor-to-ceiling action. These are $25 per pair! My favorite part is the linen-like texture they have. I can’t even make them out of bed sheets for that.
You can let them puddle on the floor or hem them with simple hemming tape or Heat n Bond. (Thinking I need to hem mine but we’ve had a million other projects going on.)
My other favorites that look high-end are these Lenda curtains. They have a really pretty stitching detail. I cut the tabs off of the tops of mine and hung them up with clip rings to make them look a tad more fancy.
These curtains are my favorite for a playroom or kid’s room since they’re light and flowy and have a sweet raised texture on them. I added pom pom trim to these in our old playroom to look like the pricey version in Anthropologie.
They have SO many great, basic frames for really cheap, and a lot of them come already matted, which is a bonus. I’m a sucker for matted black and white prints in frames because they are so timeless. I put free public domain images of vintage clotheslines in them for our laundry room.
And I hung these up with black and whites of our own family photos for our foyer gallery wall.
I swear it’s hard to find good looking faux plants, especially inexpensive ones. Most of the ones I’ve seen at IKEA actually look really convincing. They have great real plants too, but they don’t stand a chance against my black thumb.
I even got a pair of artificial boxwood trees for our front porch too. No one EVER guesses they’re totally fake, even up close. (They were only seasonal and have been discontinued, but they always have new artificial plants every 6 months or so.)
I’ve dedicated two whole blog posts to this sofa along with how it’s holding up because it’s a WINNER in my book, especially if you have kids and pets. I rip that slipcover off whenever I need to, toss it in the wash, and it’s like a brand new couch. I know I’ve seen one almost exactly like it in Pottery Barn, but of course the PB version is $1,000 more.
We have two of these slipcovered chairs from the Stocksund line too that we’ve been really happy with. They’re really wide, almost like a chair and a half, and very easy to curl up in.
We had the Ektorp sofa in our playroom in our last house, and it was easy to wash the slipcover too. Usually, I could get away with just washing one cushion cover if one every got dirty instead of the entire thing. It’s not as deep-sitting as the Farlov, and it’s on the short side, but we liked it.
We just installed this pendant light in Olivia’s new playroom and it is cuuuuuuute! It looks like something out of West Elm. But it is a little bit on the dim side, so if you don’t have other lighting in the room to help it out, this one might not be bright enough for you.
We’ve loved using Billy bookcases so much for built-ins that we’ve installed them TWICE! It’s way easier and cheaper using these that are already made than building entirely from scratch.
Here’s the tutorial for our short version.
And here’s the tutorial to build floor-to-ceiling built-ins.
I always forget about their art and posters, but they have some really great ones that they change out frequently. In our old playroom, I found a cute poster of theirs that I cut up to stick on some framed cork boards for pops of color.
These armed lamps we had on our nightstands in our old master bedroom were only $40 that look exactly like $100 versions I’ve seen in more high-end stores.
I’m a big fan of their plain white dishes, but they have some really pretty patterns too.
My favorite vase is this big glass one I got there, and I like that it can double as a hurricane lantern with a large pillar candle inside of it too.
If you’re a fan of farmhouse, their white pitchers are my favorite for flowers or for using in the kitchen.
I use their throw blankets all the time, especially the ones that have lots of texture. This one is called Ofelia.
We like this step stool so much that we bought two, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. Both of ours are currently splattered in paint because their the perfect height for painting our rooms. We keep them in the bathrooms so Olivia can reach the sinks, and we use them a lot in our kitchen so she can help us with baking and cooking whenever she wants.
18. Jars and Baskets
Their Korken jars are my favorites for keeping dry goods in our pantry air tight. And they’re glass, so we don’t have to worry about any plastic chemicals. I use their Byholma baskets quite a bit too, mainly because I love the gray wash on them.
We carried the slipcover love into our dining room because we love the look of upholstered dining chairs that can stand up to a messy kid. It’s been 5 months since we bought these Henriksdal chairs, and so far, we couldn’t be happier! The covers can be tossed in the wash, and to get the wrinkles out, I put them on damp and steam out any wrinkles in the skirt. They’re pretty comfy too.
20. Christmas Decorations
I went nuts this past year at Christmas because all of their artificial holiday greenery was so cheap! And I knew we’d use it over and over again. I picked up these white poinsettias for our planter wall.
And these boxwood wreaths were around $10.
I ended up buying a pack of their gingerbread cookies in the grocery section too and having fun decorating them to hang up as garland. So very Scandinavian-ish.
Aaaaand I already have a list of items in my virtual shopping cart for the next time I visit IKEA. I’m telling you… I have a problem. 😉
Do you have any IKEA favorites? I’m thinking our next visit will be for some outdoor furniture to get summer ready around here.
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This is a great list! I love Ikea too but don’t get there as often as I’d like. Now I have a few more things to add to my shopping cart next time I’m there!
Yes to all the IKEA goodness! I love their dishtowels and oddly enough their cheese grater! Plus most of the things you mentioned that I also own. I’ll admit it, I also have an IKEA problem.:)
I love the cheese grater too! Mine is the one with two sides and the other side is perfect for microplaning garlic.
I love this list!! Do you know if they still carry the faux boxwood trees on your front porch?
Hi Allie,
I don’t see them online. You may want to call (or stop by) your local IKEA.
I was gonna ask the same thing! Those trees are beautiful, and so real looking. I would love to get some.
I also have a lot of these items! I guess I have an Ikea Problem too!
It was a seasonal thing. Sorry guys!
The trees are back! In topiary cones or twists. They’re right near checkout at the Atlanta Ikea, $39.99 I think.
Where did you get the child’s story posters?
We made them. They’re free printables on my site!
Lauren Ikea has to be a way of life. When I was living in Greece it was really far away so I’d make a list for when we went once a year. But now in NY I have a few to pick from… oh the poor car is always weighed down. Haha. I love Ikea for their simple practical ideas. You have done a fantastic job of decorating your home with just the right mix and making it look fabulous!
I guess I need to get myself to Ikea…it’s a little far, but I also heard they are going to build one closer to me, so whoo hoo to that. Such a fun store with so many wonderful things at great prices! Your home is awesome!
I had no idea IKEA even carried some of the cuties you mentioned! I have GOT TO GET to IKEA! Thanks for sharing this post. I’m serious about getting to that store. WOWZA
Check out their new line called “Songesand”….I bought two nightstands and a long dresser (in white) and they are SO affordable and SO timeless looking! Our store here in Dallas has sold out of every piece now…apparently everyone else loves it as much as me!
Ooh, thanks for the tip!
Great list! I have some of these items. The Ektorp sofa is now available in an updated 3.5 version which is wider and deeper than the old Ektorp. One of the great things about IKEA is that they listen to their customers.
Love your list of favorite IKEA things. Your house looks so beautiful and comfortable. I would love to know where you purchased your mug rack. It is such a nice size.
Thanks! The mug rack came from World Market. Here’s the link to it: https://rstyle.me/n/c32yj4b5ky7
I’m in Raleigh and we are getting an IKEA in 2020, so excited!! I love your silverware pictured on top of the white plates you show above. Would you be willing to share the brand/style of your silverware/flatware please? Thank you!
Ooh yay! I didn’t know that! I wish I knew. We got it 7 years ago when we got married. I think it originally came from Macy’s, but that’s all I can remember about it.
I’ll have to check out some of the items on your list. I’ve only been to IKEA once and walked out empty handed. I was a little lost but now I will have to go with tons of time and money. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the list!!!
Lauren,
Thanks for the great ideas. IKEA is a wonderful place but most of the time when you are in the store you feel overwhelmed and how would I incorporate this or that in my home when you do see something you like. Thank you for your ideas and showing us how you used the items. This has been helpful in how to make items look expensive without breaking the wallet!!
Looking forward to our next trip to IKEA!!
I love your home.
Thank you Kathy!
I love IKEA, too! This list is great and I’ll be saving it for my next trip to IKEA! 🙂
Lauren, I stumbled along your blog via Pinterest last week. I love your style so much! I’ve been trying to define what I want and I love everything I’ve seen in your (many) blog posts I’ve read. I especially love the secret Facebook group. I’m a first time home owner and it’s difficult for me to make decisions because it’s so permanent or it seems too difficult. We’re going to IKEA soon and I’m so glad I checked my email and read your post. Charlotte seems forever away, but fortunately, they have plans to build one in Cary! Im going to go broke! 🙂
Hi Amanda,
Take your time and don’t go broke. 🙂 You can also get great finds on Craigslist, FB marketplace, and Goodwill. You can grab some good deals so if you don’t like it, you can always resell it, move it to another space, and not feel like you spent a fortune. Your style will probably evolve over time so don’t get too stressed out. Choose what you love.
I feel your pain, Amanda! Just bought a house a few months ago. Finally finished flooring and paint and now I’m frozen. I can’t tell you how many items I’ve bought and returned because I’m overwhelmed. I’ve only hung one thing, a mirror above a console table by the garage door. Everything else is stacked up until I can get the courage to put nails in the wall. This post came at the PERFECT time. My birthday is in a few days and I’ve requested a trip to IKEA (almost 2 hours away).
Thanks, Lauren, for putting this together!
Where did you get your lovely wall plant holder?
Hi Stephanie! I made it from a salvaged banister. Here’s the post about it: https://www.blesserhouse.com/antique-banister-wall-planter/
Hello Lauren,
Thank you for this post, and all the others! I find your home very inspiring. Would you tell me where the beautiful picture in your dining room is from?
Many thanks,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
It came from Pier 1. Here’s a blog post I with the link to the exact piece, but I found lots of pretty abstracts to choose from. I hope you find one you like. 🙂 https://www.blesserhouse.com/designer-look-alike-abstract-acrylic-art/
Great post! I will keep these in mind for my next ikea trip! Can I ask where the beautiful blue rug is from in your living room?
Hi Jess,
Thank you. The rug is available through Amazon. The link is in this post: https://www.blesserhouse.com/spring-living-room-tour/
Thanks for sharing! It is great to see that decorating can be done on a budget!
Hi Lauren
Thank you so much for this post! We got into our new home last Sunday and funny enough the majority of things I’ve been thinking about getting were on your list! So thank you for making my decisions narrowed down- watch out IKEA here I come! I look forward to sending you pics of the finished painting of cabinets and organization of it. Thank you again for all you ideas and blessing us all!
Congratulations on your new home! Glad to help 🙂 Yes please send pics of your projects. I would love to see them.
Hi Lauren
This is great! Your home is so beautiful.
I have a question. Did you paint or white wash your backsplash tiles in your kitchen? It looked like it’s been painted over in some of your pictures. If you did, how did you do that?
Hi Masayo,
All the details are in this blog post: https://www.blesserhouse.com/diy-pressed-tin-kitchen-backsplash/ They were already white when we bought them, so not a thing.
Thank you Lauren!
Your home is lovely.
Where did you get the hooks for your measuring cups and spoons?
Hobby Lobby 🙂
Where did you get your wall rack right the pots?
Hi Sabrina,
It’s #1 on the list from Ikea, the Stensdorf plate shelf/rack.
Hi!
Love your post. Fun to read about some of my favorite IKEA products from someone non swedish. I am Swedish and probaby have to much IKEA at home. But they are hard to beat. And when you grow up building IKEA furniture its hard to think you should get furniture that someone else put together :). The Sinnerlig lamp is one of my want to haves right now and I am just about to put up an old IVAR shelf in my daughters room that I had in mine when I was a kid. A tip if you want to change things around but not buy new furniture is Bemz (https://bemz.com/) for new fabrics for your IKEA sofas and Pretty Pegs (https://www.prettypegs.com/us/) for new legs! They both deliver to alot of places. Good luck with your continued IKEA love!
//Jenny
Thanks, Jenny! We JUST got some new slipcovers from Bemz last week that I LOVE! I’ll be sharing about them really soon. They are so much more amazing than the ones IKEA carries. I’ll have to check out Pretty Pegs. Thanks for the tip!
The Bekvam spice rack is perfect for hanging inside a pantry door. I bought 4 to hang inside the door. I was going to make my own, but these were too cheap to pass up. I couldn’t buy the lumber for what I paid for these to make a spice rack for the pantry door. At $3.99 per rack, solid wood, and approximately 15″ wide, well, this bargain won out.
Can you tell me where you got the wicker chair in the dining room picture? Thank you!
Hi Laurie, Target, in the patio furniture department, but that was last year. Depending on where you live, you may be able to score some either at Target or World Market, or your local garden center.
Great list, thanks for sharing! I especially like the Sinnerlig light. I’ve been thinking about a hanging light with natural looking elements.
I came here looking for Ikea toy storage ideas, and may I say you have my FAVOURITE HOUSE EVER?!!! Seriously, I really like your style! Brb, just going to order pom pom garlands to hand above black and white photos in my son’s room… 🙂
Where did you get those great labels for your pantry project?
Hi Beth. The basket labels are leather business ID badges off Amazon. The spoon labels are from Hobby Lobby and are ‘antique bronze plated metal label holders. The dry good jar labels have a printable shared on the post. I hope you enjoy!!
Wonderful, thank you for the quick reply!
Hi Lauren: Great post. Would you believe I have 13 out of the 20! If I look around my house I think it’s safe to say I should have shares in Ikea I own so much! A girlfriend of mine last week asked for some help/opinions with her living room re-do. She subscribes to a comfy farmhouse vibe so of course we grabbed the Ektorp sectional and a couple of Stocksund chairs! We also picked up six of the slipcovered dining room chairs (go figure). Your house looks beautiful. This post showed up as a suggested pin in my Pinterest account and I’m so glad. I’ve subscribed and look forward to exploring your blog!
WELCOME, Cathi!! I am so glad to ‘meet’ you! It is always fun to get new faces through the blog.
IKEA is always trouble but FUN!! It sounds like you and your friend have a lot of fun decorating together. I look forward to continuing to hear all about it. Thank you for joining!
Love the plate rack! The new one comes in white but I want it in black. Did you just paint right over the white?
Thanks! And yes, mine was originally just wood. I painted it black using Fusion Mineral Paint Coal Black.
Thanks Lauren…I am new at this. Kinda scary….
Do you have a tutorial for how you did this? Did you take the plate shelves apart? Where and how much paint did you buy? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
I painted all of the pieces before I put the rack together out of the box. I bought the paint from Amazon and just brushed on two coats. Fusion Mineral Paint doesn’t require a primer or a sealer, so it was super easy.
Perfect! Thanks so much for the tips!
I love this list! Can you provide your source for the ceiling fan in #7, with the Farlov Sofa?
Thanks!!
Absolutely!! It can be found on Amazon. The direct link is https://rstyle.me/n/cnmzckb5ky7 .
Hi, i really love the latters with the plant holders to put on the wall. Can you tell me where I can purchase. Would look great in my kitchen.
Nancy, this is a DIY project featured in a previous post. Here is the link https://www.blesserhouse.com/antique-banister-wall-planter/ . However, I also started with a shared idea post with similar pieces including a wall decor https://rstyle.me/n/cm6xiqb5ky7 and potted plants. I hope you are able to make the perfect piece for your kitchen. Let me know how it turns out!!
I am adoring your “taxidermy” ? can you please source that and the wreath for me?? Thank you kindly.
While there are several wreaths in different rooms, i mentioned the boxwood wreaths. The link to similar wreaths is https://rstyle.me/n/c985y3b5ky7. let me know if there is a different wrath you are interested in. If you search fall wreaths, i have an entire post dedicated to options.
Loved the combination of dining chairs; where did the host rattan chairs come from? Thanks!
Virginia, the host chairs are from World Market https://rstyle.me/n/cxs6rjb5ky7 .
I’m dying at your house!! Absolutely gorgeous! ?
Where did you get the rug in the playroom? Love! Thank you!!
🙂 Here is a link to the playroom rug https://rstyle.me/n/c3tvaib5ky7
Love this list! Pic #5 where did you get your bamboo shades?
The blinds are from Home Depot. 🙂
Hi- I love these pictures and the tips. Where is your chest from in your bedroom picture? This is exactly what I’vd been looking for!
Thank you!
Hi, Kristi. Thank you!! We lucked out with this whole set. This chest is from a decor store called Shoppes at River’s Edge. There is not a name brand on it. I have a few beds linked that look similar but cannot find anything to link for the dressers. I wish I could help more.
I love your ideas! I was wondering if you could give me the link for the area rug you used in the playroom? I think the pic was under #11. Billy Bookcases. Thank you!
Hi, Kim. Here is the link to the rug. https://rstyle.me/n/c3tvaib5ky7 AND IT IS ON SALE!!! WHOOP WHOOP!!
Hi! Thank you for your post. Great decor ideas!! Where did you get your bed? Love the headboard and storage at the foot of the bed. Pic #17 I think 🙂
Hi, Kelly!! Thank you! We found the bed at a local warehouse. It does not have a name brand attached. It was on clearance without any tags. The only thing I can offer is a link to one that is very similar here https://rstyle.me/n/cpmwfzb5ky7 .
Awesome! Thank you for your reply ?
IKEA opening in Norfolk Va next month. Yeah, thanks for the list of things to look for.
Where did you get the tufted coffee table from please?
Hi!! This coffee table was a furniture makeover project that I made. 🙂 The base was bought from Good Will.
Beautiful items.. thanks for sharing
Love your place—can I ask where you got the wood nightstand next to the bed?
Thank you, Jessica! The nightstand was a thrift find. I have a lot of those (thrift finds). 🙂
I love the look of the home. My wife and I build a lot of furniture (god awful at upholstery though) but if we need something that looks good without to much hassle IKEA is always the first stop.
I must know if you replaced your front door after purchase, and if so, where did you find it?? I am trying to find one exactly like it and have not!!!
Sarah, I get this ALL THE TIME!! 🙂 This door came with the house. I have searched for similar ones to share and I cannot find one. I will continue to search and as soon as I find it I will let you all know. 🙂
In photo #20, I LOVE the table! That definitely looks like an heirloom piece or either a great find.
I really love Ikea items and mostly prefer to buy for home decor.
I need this. I need this home decoration. Thanks for sharing!
Hello! Love the story book pages – we’re decorating our sons playroom now and would love to add these. Do you remember where you purchased them?
Hi Anna! I made them actually. You can get the free downloadable printable here: https://www.blesserhouse.com/diy-storybook-art/
Where did you get the hooks and tags for your measuring cups and spoons?
Hobby Lobby 🙂
Where did you get your vertical wall planter?? Obsessed with the look!
Here’s the blog post: