We've never been big IKEA furniture shoppers, but we often go and peruse their smaller objects for great finds. Over the years, we've accumulated three particular standouts that we still use and love but can no longer find in their stores. First, our absolute favorite IKEA purchase, ever...
This handy little wooden clock has been with us for over 8 years. We purchased it when we were studying abroad in Finland, on our maiden IKEA shopping trip. We sadly no longer have the information on the clock's name or designer, but it's a small (4" square) hinged plywood design that reads Made in Japan on its interior. We originally used the battery-operated clock as an alarm clock. We still use it today, but it's now perched on the kitchen windowsill. What's so cool about its design is that it can be oriented in any direction, as shown in the photos. We've scoured around for this clock, but alas cannot find it among the clocks available presently at IKEA (in the states).
Items two and three that we wish IKEA still had are these very simple, very cheap short and tall highball glasses. We bought lots of both versions years ago at the store's Elizabeth, New Jersey location. They're no longer available in IKEA's current selection of glassware, which leaves us with the odd count we've dwindled down to in our cupboards! These are a favorite of ours to this day.
Do you have an old IKEA favorite that you just can't get your hands on anymore? Please tell below.
Apartment Therapy's Sofa Shopping Guide
Nikki’s Sweet and Cheery Print Studio
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Stanley Console by ...
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
I've got glasses almost exactly like that at Crate and Barrel outlet. Try there!
The glasses are modeled after a set that Crate and Barrel has sold for more than 30 years - Crescent. Not as cheap as Ikea (~$8 each), but still available.
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=150&f=14016
As to what I miss from Ikea, Acrobat would be high on my list. Acrobat was a beech veneer storage system sold by Ikea in the late 80's/early 90's that was modeled after the Danish "Montana" storage system. I also miss the 60 cm wide Billy bookcases, which mysteriously disappeared last year. Bonde is another favorite of mine, and is currently being phased out.
I have no idea what it's called - but it was a simple waterproof clock that had a suctioncup on the back, for mounting to mirrors, tile, etc....
...I have one in the bathtub and I'd like another in the shower.
I'd also like one of the red Dhurrie rugs w/ white squares
Don't they have glasses more or less exactly like that...everywhere?
i do... but it's not small. it's a shelving system called dirigent. i'd buy another wall worth of it if i could.
shelving and cd storage and i swear, it'd hold up my husband's weight. plus, it looks cool.
I wish they still had the plain frosted glass doors for the billy bookcase. We had them in our old house which we sold furnished... I didn't think to check to see if they'd still be available!
I miss the really REALLY cheap picture rails they used to have, the simple wood one with nothing fancier than screw holes to hang them by. I have one screwed to the wall behind my stove to keep salt, pepper, oil and potholders on and wanted some to put, you know, pictures on but they were gone and I was told they would not be carried any longer.
Easily, the tall Diod drinking glass. They still sell a form of it in the shorter old-fashion type glass. Its just the most attractive glass I've ever own. I had 8 at one point and now i am down to 4, with one of them cracked, and wish I could replace them.
There was a post on AT with a cute kitchen and they had a window system suspending several rows of small pots containing herbs in their window -- in the comments it said that it was a discontinued item at IKEA and I wish I could get my hands on it because it looked great!
i lament that they used to have more fun products and now they are trying to have too many traditional looking products.
it's not exactly the same but
try muji online for the wooden clock.
http://www.muji.us/store/electricity/beech-alarm-clock.html
I wish they still carried the IVAR Multimedia Shelf. I store all of my CDs & DVDs on the two I was able to get before they stopped selling them. I love these shelves because they have the most capacity for holding media out of anything I could find while searching at the time. Also, it is nice that you can mount them above each other so you can keep adding on (assuming you could still purchase them). I am running out of room on the two I have so I either need to get rid of some media I no longer want or find another media storage solution. Or Ikea if you are reading this... bring the shelves back!
I still kick myself over not getting their $249 Bangsund captain's bed. I didn't want to get another bed frame before getting rid of my old one, then it was too late :(
I learned my lesson and am hoarding some hatten tables.
I liked the Benjamin stools only after I saw them used to hold records. They discontinued them, but when I was by Ikea this past weekend, I noticed that they were restocking it.
The Docksta table was also not being restocked-- but I keep seeing it in the Philly location. I ended up getting a secondhand (scratched) one.
The metal organizer tins (I forget what they are called) from their office section. I love them.
Debbieeastbay, you are completely right. They have way too many traditional looking items for my taste. I still have my circa 2002 catalogs, and also lament at the great products. I love that they used to sell mobiles!
...sigh.
Oh, my favorite IKEA table, easily. It's hard to describe, but basically it was a modular table that let you slide the tabletop on top of itself in a kind of circular flip, so you could have a small table or a big table.
None of the size-changing tables they have these days are half as sturdy as that thing was.
Sadly we gave it away during a move just to not deal with the hassle - I didn't realize until we moved to a bigger place a year later that they no longer sold anything like it! A sad day indeed.
I am so bummed they got rid of the big, medium, small glass storage jars with the glass tops that have a knob on top and seal around the rim so you can store flour, sugar, whatever. They kept the bad ones that have metal tops and don't seal as well - thanks a lot, ikea!
yes! those drinking glasses! i have 2 and the other 2 broke. they are a classic. they sell similar ones elsewhere, but they aren't exactly the same.
I loved this lamp... anyone know what it was called? I'd love to find a replacement.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/saccenti/3543714477/
I have this black and white folding table. Its like three panels, and the two white panels are on the outside with a black panel on the inside. The white panels can each flip down by folding the legs in towards the black panel... essentially, it's a small table that can be one of three different sizes.
No idea what it's called, but I can't believe they don't sell it anymore! Its so handy in my small apartment and anyone who sees it is jealous.
The Rislev wool rug - I bought one and am desperately searching eBay and Craigslist for another, but I guess everyone loves theirs as much as I love mine, because I can't find one anywhere!
About 8? years ago IKEA had the best metal and wicker lounge chair with ottoman. We called it the "potato chip chair", but I have no idea what the real name and designer was. I saw it featured in many magazine spreads after buying it. They only carried it for one season, and this thing sold out immediately. I have not ever seen it since. IKEA carries so many junkier looking indoor/outdoor furniture for seasons on end (if not years on end), but this really great find was a one-off.
Sadly, it was not to be left outside, and it was rained upon. Therefore, it became mildew-y and broke apart. I saw two of these chairs in a ELLE Decoration UK spread in pristine condition, and nearly cried.
Why, IKEA, why?!? You are a harsh mistress!
My favourite item was the "Siu Siu" glass.
Small, but they were tough little cups. I only have two left out of a set of six...
I had that clock! Now I'm wondering where it is.
I'm bummed that when I find a storage system I like (Strikt in Brown), when it's time to add more, the color I want is all gone. They might have moved on, but i haven't!
Also, they are discontinuing the Norrebo storage unit which was AWESOME - so well designed, solid wood, customizable.
I'd be willing to pay top dollar for a Magnesit lamp base in good condition, silver preferably. Here's a photo I found of the base with a Tertial lamp in it.
http://www.designsyrup.com/designsyrup/gallery/furnitures/IKEA_tertial_lamp.jpg
I have a couple of those lamps, but only one base, and while Ikea still has the lamps, they don't sell the base anymore. I'm guessing that their weight factored into that decision (easily 5 pounds of solid iron). Down the line, I plan on having the base I have cast and copied, but that'll have to wait for now.
I can't remember what the system was called, but the plain pine storage shelving that Ikea sold before replacing it with "Gorm" was good and sturdy. No idea what Gorm is like, but it doesn't look like much.
Henrik dining chairs! They were in they were out in less than a year. I bought two chairs and four Bemz covers intending to buy another two Henrik but alas, they were discontinued!
What I really wish is that IKEA would be a little more up front about the items they were intending to discontinue and/or maintain a website of their discontinued-but-still-have-a-few items.
I have no idea what the name was, but 13 years ago I bought 4 milk crates that have slats instead of solid sides. Pretty sure they're made of birch. They had to be put together and glued but I haven't had to re-glue them since I put them together. I had them all through college and still use them to this day. I wish I had bought more
I'm so sad they're discontinuing the Norrebo line. Have the huge shelf and the smaller storage unit and agree with cvjn - great design and so sturdy - just like my crates. So much of their "wooden" stuff isn't made of wood anymore.
For a short while years ago, Ikea did a few reproductions of Gustavian antiques. In particular, they did a chandelier that was super pretty. It had some crystals on it, but just enough. It was the perfect intersection between minimal and maximal. I loved the one I hung in the dining room at my house, which we left when we sold the house. I'm still kicking myself for not replacing it with a home depot fixture and bringing it with me to the new place. I thought for sure I'd find something I like just as well easily, but I haven't in two years of hard searching...
I have some lovely curtains from IKEA that were a gift...they are white, with a kind of lace pattern...hard to describe, just very simple. I have them in my bedroom and planned to use them in another bedroom. But when I went to IKEA, it's as if they never existed.
The malm bedside tables! I saved up to buy two tables and the bed because it was the only system that would have fit in my room and when I went to buy them? Gone!
tiamat - i know the picture rail you're talking about (but have no idea what they're called). i just bought two within the past year and they're great. when did they tell you that they wouldn't be carrying them anymore? i'm hoping that maybe you just went to the ikea store on an off day and the person had no idea what they were talking about!
Triedthistwice, they may just have been out of them and needed to restock. I know I bought two Malm bedside tables within the past couple of months. In fact, they now have glass pieces cut to fit the tops of the bedside Malm! Really bright green glass or smoky gray glass. I'm presuming you mean the two drawer Malm bedstand and not the attach-it-to-the-wall variety with the shelf.
i just bought two of those malm bedside tables on sunday! you're talking about the ones that attach to the headboard?? they seemed to have plenty at the IKEA in baltimore. maybe you could get them delivered from another location?
oh god... I have those glasses, & I hate them. They're from my husband's old apt. You can have em.
I wish they still sold the rattan/wicker baskets that slid into the old TROFAST system... now it's just plastic bins and they market it toward kids rooms, etc. I'd love to have another deep basket vs. the three shallow drawers I have now. Wah.
I also bought *not quite enough* fabric with this awesome brown & orange starburst print on an avocado green background... too bad. Double wah.
Oh, and my BR curtains... gone. Can't remember the name - has a brown background w/a flocked velvet dark green pattern on top (intersecting circles/very moroccan-style pattern). Triple wah.
*remembers the pre-ikea days* STOR! Omg my favorite blue striped bed sheets came from STOR ;_; I wish I could get my child hood back with those...
at my ikea store, the molger bathroom series had a wooden bathtub tray, and now it's discontinued. i can't seem to find anything similar anywhere
angeli.ca--I remember those lamps and bases! They were great. My sister had a pink one, and I had a white one. Mine is gone, but my sister may still have the pink one buried in her garage. The bases were indeed incredibly heavy, I'm not surprised they got rid of them, but they were around for a while, and came in loads of colors. Hence the pink one.
THE METAL KITCHEN WALL ORGANIZER RAILS... Gosh I've has it for about 5 years now so unfortunately I can't remember the original name. IF ANYONE ELSE REMEMBERS PLEASE HELP ME OUT! THEN MAYBE I CAN FIND IT ON EBAY OR SOMETHING!!! The rails were brushed metal, about 3" wide, came in different lengths and had a single horizontal slat going through the center that you used to hang all the different kitchen gadgets that went with it. The rail came with little hooks you could hang things from but Ikea sold a paper towel holder, recipe book holder, dish rack and spice shelf that also worked with it. I loved it cause unlike the ones they sell now, it was hung by small back plates that you screwed to the wall and snapped the rail in place on, so the rail was pretty flush to the wall and very understated. I brought all the components that went with it and when I last moved I forgot to unscrew the hanging plates so now the system is virtually unusable.
I could cry.
And the comments about Ikea toning down its image are so true! I so miss the interesting quirky items they used to sell. The traditional stuff they have now is so boring! And the more "modern" looking things they have aren't as experimental and fun as they used to be.
I am a bit of an Ikea addict, and there are a number of great items which I would love to still buy/replace that I cannot...
Malt glasses - huge drinking glasses in a beer glass type shape;
Some gorgeous sheer curtains (can't remember name);
Malm console table;
PS Boda box frame things (don't even know if they were available in Australia but I've recently seen them online and love them!);
Slugis white plastic boxes (still available in other countries :-( )
There's many more that I can't think of right now!
I have no idea IKEA discontinued the Jerker desk series and replaced them with the seriously inferior Frederik desks. We love our Jerker desk, and it's strong enough that I could stand and jump on it. I wouldn't think of doing that with the new stuff!
http://adam.pra.to/content/jerker/
Malt glasses and Sten shelving (the one that was before gorm, and easily held a 32" tv) - Luckily my family lined the storage unit with sten shelving years ago, so if I need more, I'm set.
The two column EXPEDIT bookcases look like they're being fazed out. I'd been contemplating buying several of these, one for our sizeable collection of albums (perfect size) and one to organize our closet then I got a flyer for a three day sale at almost half the price and also noticed the item disappeared from their website. Yikes! So I dragged myself across the bay super early this morning to stand in the huge line of fellow sale seekers and bought two. Hope I don't want any more... Great price though. http://info.ikea-usa.com/seizethedays/
I most wish I could buy more 60cm Billy bookcases.
Oh, and the molded plastic outdoor lounge chairs and ottoman.
That white slipcovered bench? Bjoberg! They used to advertise it as a bedroom bench (although we use ours as a window seat). I luckily bought two of the slipcovers, but am always on the lookout for extras. No dice. Yet. I would have loved some Bemz covers too, but it was discontinued before they even existed. :(
Funny ... I opened up this post and saw the clock that was sitting right here on my desk!
:)
Indie.mom, I have those curtains...I think. In fact I have two sets of curtains, and the duvet cover, and the lampshades with the same pattern...what can I say, I really liked it. Not using them anymore(new house, different set-up), let me know if you're interested.
I bought this lamp on eBay, unfortunately I don't know the IKEA name for it:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3617/3420437104_dce5944ca2_o.jpg
They have a lamp called Orgel that looks similar, but my lamp is white paper with a faint brick pattern on it. Orgel is crumpled cream-colored paper. There also used to be a variation on my lamp that was the same paper, but a flower pattern.
(Just as an FYI, those 'short highball' glasses are called rocks glasses in the restaurant biz.)
I had these handmade red glass juice glasses that I loved, but they were very fragile and broke quickly. Still I wish I still had those!
AnnikaJ, thanks for the tip about the Expedit shelving--I'm planning to buy some for my new(ish) apartment, so I'll keep my eye out to see if they go on sudden discount.
One thing I really miss are the Index curtain rods and hardware. I had a set of silver rods in my last apartment and when I bought bigger ones for the new place, they were more grey than silver and not nearly as nice. It seems that they're being discontinued completely and being replaced by those panels. Grrr!
I bought those glasses at Ikea New Haven in the last few weeks...
My couch. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/40/97292821_65a876d44e.jpg?v=0
It was a huge hit in Elle UK and I got one while living in Sydney. I was never a fan of ikea lounges as they were always too weakly built but this sucker is heavy and everyone asks how is it possible this is an ikea piece? It's modern and converts to a single sleeper. I will never part with it if I don't have to.
paragraphloop -
Your lamp is an orgel...a couple years ago I noticed the paper changed in that light, the one you have was probably purchased prior to the change.
I have these really great, very simply white bowls that I wish I had bought more of. The have the same style, but they are now a kind of blah cream color...no bueno.