Post # 1
Member
272 posts
Helper bee
A little bit of back story: DH and myself moved into a new apartment about a week before we got married, so I’m just now getting around to fixing the house up like I would want it. Darling Husband also started his first year of medical school this year, so naturally our one spare room became a study for him. Before school started this was also where I did all my wedding crafting, but now that school is in full swing I want to give him is space. So, I’ve set my sights on our laundry room which is a small, oddly shaped room.
So anyway, I found a desk that fit’s perfectly into this small space (long and narrow), and it was (just barely) within my price range. ($120). However, when I went to check out, it said it was going to cost over $80 to ship I since we don’t live with 5 hours of a Ikea. 🙁 I knew it was going to cost a bit to ship, but I totally wasn’t expecting $80. Bummer.
To me, I would be spending $200 on a cheap desk. I have never been to a Ikea, but according to the internet/popular culture Ikea is supposed to be cheap furniture, so I’m expecting something on par to what I would buy from Wal-mart. Am I wrong? I would be more willing to spend the money if I thought it was going to be something of quality.
Also, I’ve already checked out all the local thrift shops, Wal-mart, Lowes, target, amazon and such. So far I haven’t found a desk with similar dimensions. However, if you would like to suggest a place I could look I would be grateful
The desk in question: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S79932697/#/S99932700
Post # 3
Member
749 posts
Busy bee
I feel like you could buy along narrow folding table and some of plastic drawer things from target or walmart and “pinterest it up” to make it look cuter.
Iwouldnt pay that much money for that desk.
Post # 4
Member
8453 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
@MiraJo: We bought our kitchen cabinets from IKEA, but know that most IKEA furniture isn’t meant to be moved. Once it’s set up, it may not make it out of your apt into your next home. That being said, we’re very happy with our IKEA items.
Post # 5
Member
9682 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I haven’t. It reminds me of furniture in a dorm room. It wasn’t what I wanted for my grown up house. If I was in college, maybe I’d reconsider.
Post # 6
Member
1408 posts
Bumble bee
Do you live close to one where you could pick up instead? Ikea always charges a lot for shipping, that’s how they make their Money. I’ve found target furniture to be as good of quality as ikea, Walmart not so much.
Post # 7
Member
44 posts
Newbee
I’ve only had one piece of furniture from IKEA, and it was a dresser I bought second hand and I loved it. We moved shortly after buying it though, so I sold it. I can’t speak to the durability.
Anyway, from looking at the picture of the desk, it seems like it would be fairly easy to DIY something similar using a file cabinet, some posts, and a nice piece of wood you could cut to size and then paint or stain. It sounds like you’re kind of crafty, so that might be a good option for you!
Just an idea. Good luck!
Post # 8
Member
2685 posts
Sugar bee
I’ve had decent luck with Ikea furniture. The items we have from Ikea have definitely held up better than our Target and Walmart furniture. If you assmeble it yourself, buy some wood glue and apply it liberally. The extra glue really makes a difference. I would also check out Office Depot, Staples, etc. because their office furniture selection is pretty good. They’re also running back to school deals right now so you may be able to score a better deal through them.
Post # 9
Member
1116 posts
Bumble bee
We recently bought some items from IKEA and they work great for us. They are durable, fresh looking and were the right price. We purchased a coffee table, end tables and a bed (headboard and frame). They all seem to be pretty sturdy and should last 3-5 years if not longer.
Post # 10
Member
1019 posts
Bumble bee
I have that desk with just the legs (recently switched to chrome look legs and use it as a dining table now!) I’ve moved my ikea furniture loooooots of times, from desks to side tables to book cases – I just tightened the screws a bit when I got them to the new place. The veneer scratches easily which is my only qualm with moving it. I would avoid taking them apart as much as possible, but removing legs on a desk like that is no biggie and can probably be done a thousand times over.
I just wonder if you could build something similar for less than $200 since desks are so easy to make, even if you bought the drawer unit and added it to your built desk (this may also save shipping $).
$200 doesn’t get you much these days mind you, and the drawer unit is probably your greatest expense in this set up. Around here though, walmart furniture is ugly, way more expensive, and same or even lesser quality.
Post # 12
Member
1150 posts
Bumble bee
We have a decent amount of furniture from IKEA- couch, chair, TV stand, bookshelf, nightstands, shoe rack, etc.
Some of their furniture is quite nice (like the couch we have) and some is pretty cheaply made. I have a feeling the desk you posted falls into the latter category. It probably isn’t worth spending $200 on.
Do you have a Container Store? Or a good hardware store- we found modular shelving in ours that was easy to install and worked great as a combo desk/bookshelf for both of us in our previous apartment.
Post # 13
Member
1030 posts
Bumble bee
Almost all of the furniture in our apartment is from Ikea (bed frame/headboard, night stand, dresser, dresser mirror, stand up mirror, living room tv stand, side table, book shelf and another tv stand in the spare bedroom). It’s inexpensive decently constructed products. Of course some items are better quality than others but overall we’re very satisfied with everything we purchased at Ikea.
Seems like you’ve searched everywhere so I say go for it! I do agree that it’s a pretty steep S&H cost but it is a bulky piece of furniture so I’m assuming that reflects in cost. Seeing that your 5 hours away it might be best to just pay the $80.
Post # 14
Member
1088 posts
Bumble bee
First, most of our furniture is from Ikea (bed, bedroom furniture, bookshelves, tv stand, etc), so I know a lot about them. When we were shopping for a desk, it’s the first place I looked, but honestly I didn’t find anything great for the price? I found our desk at Staples instead (and I wouldn’t have even thought to look there?). There’s probably a Staples much closer to you than an Ikea? Here’s the one we got for $140 on sale, and free shipping (wasn’t in stock). They have some nice ones simliar to what you’re looking for as well?
http://www.staples.com/Altra-Chadwick-Collection-L-Desk-Virginia-Cherry/product_918491
Post # 15
Member
272 posts
Helper bee
@Kandiss16: That was actually my origional Idea, but folding tables at this size (5ft) are still pretty dang expensive.
@Mrs. Boots: Making it was my second idea after priceing the desks lol. I would worry aboiut it being level though, do you think a store would cut a board for a decent price?
@bleusteel: Oh I forgot about those! Thanks!
Post # 16
Member
2213 posts
Buzzing bee
@MiraJo: I wouldn’t buy an Ikea desk unless I was close enough to pick it up. Is the Ikea in a fun city that you would like to visit anyway? They don’t ship via UPS, FedEx, etc, but instead through independent companies with trucks, and that’s why it costs so much.
Our closest Ikeas are about 2.5 and 5 hours away, so we drove to get the desk for my sewing room (an older Jonas collection with a slide out that I’ve been very happy with).
I have the wider, shorter version of the drawer unit you show with the desk, and it has paperboard drawer bottoms, which work fine as long as you don’t put too much weight on them.
I also have a 5×5 expedit unit, which holds (almost) all of my fabric.
Annnd I also have a bookshelf with a bottom drawer that I put option glass doors on. Probably my favorite piece.
Ikea furniture isn’t high quality, but if you’re not going to be moving it or abusing it too much, it does the job.
