How to shop at IKEA like a home editor

Ilse Crawford’s new SINNERLIG collection for IKEA (photo via IKEA)

The approaching launch of the famed designer Ilse Crawford’s SINNERLIG collection at IKEA reminded me the Swedish mega-store offers a lot more than particle-board furniture. I picked my favorite pieces that always have people saying, “Wait, that’s from IKEA?”

photos via IKEA

1. I set a reminder on my phone to head to IKEA the day the SINNERLIG daybed hits the stores (and I don’t do that kind of thing). It’s the type of piece that could migrate from room to room and works with a lot of styles. I’ll also grab the pad while I’m there and pile the daybed with my own pillows when I get it home. It’s not online yet, so set your own reminder for October 1. $350 for daybed, $149 for pad (not shown)

2. A lineup of these can turn a bare wall into a mudroom. I favor the emerald green, but these NIPPRIG hooks would also look great mixed. $2.99 each

3. From the same collection, the NIPPRIG baskets have the look of much higher-end options. Decorators and prop stylists often grab woven baskets like these to tuck under desks for wastepaper, or beside a chair or sofa to hold magazines or throws to add that finishing layer of style to a room. $19.99 each

4. The LISABO desk would look great in an entry way, at the end of a hallway, or tucked into the corner of a living room or bedroom. It’s the exception to my “just say no to veneer” rule since the lines are so sophisticated. $149

5. IKEA is owning the copper trend in a subtle way, which I appreciate. This update on their PS pendant reveals metal inside the globe as you pull it apart. Hang these in multiples to get a good amount of light. $79.99

Notice a theme? IKEA does best with natural materials like woven grasses, canvas, glass, and unfinished wood. Skip the plastics and laminates and you’ll have success.