Seasonal Almanac
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March 27th, 2009
Every 8 months or so, we feel an overwhelming desire to improve the existing functioning of the house, to better organise our belongings, and to resolve some of the undesirable issues in the living space. Like moths drawn to a flame, we succumb to the calls of the siren that is the Swedish homestore, the vendor of the dream that one day everything will find its rightful place in an ordered universe. Like two amnesiacs who remember not the horror of Centennial Drive, we head towards Ikea in Homebush Bay.
The best of the 90s music in the undercover carpark immediately induce an anesthetic effect. We enter the megastore in a half-conscious state. An hour later we emerge without getting the most important item on the list but with everything that we didn’t know we needed. We head away from Homebush Bay vowing never to return. Then the cycle begins again.
Nevertheless, the hooks, the curtains, the blinds, and the various organisers generated much enthusiasm in giving renewed structures to our living experiences. In an inspired moment of maddness, I tidied all the drawers and shelves in the kitchen.
April 6th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I love this post. it captures absolutely the sleepwalking/shopping that is the IKEA experience. BUT i must say that chez nous i often look at organisational improvements, large and small, made with IKEA designs and feel thankful that the place exists. You only need to pop into Howard’s Storage World next door to realise that IKEA is still filling an amazingly persistent gap in the market for cheap stuff that is not completely horrible to look at.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:53 am
You are right. I am decking out my office with a splash of ikea (plus some REAL OP-shop find). I was talking with a friend from work about IKEA and he mentioned IKEAhacking. We all do a bit of that, I think, but some people make it their business to hack. Have a look at this: http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2009/01/vote-for-hack-of-2008.html Installation artists particularly have always engaged in IKEAhacking. I just love the idea of hacking.