/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
Style

New IKEA catalogue is out: let’s compare it to last year’s

By Karon Liu
Copy link

Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come. The company that brought umlauts to America and made an L-shaped piece of metal replace an entire toolbox has released its annual catalogue. We got ours at Union Station, where a team of yellow polo–clad Poäng elves was handing out catalogues to commuters. While we saw prices rise last year, things are cheaper in 2011—so as far as we’re concerned, the recession is over, according to IKEA. Billy bookcases for everyone!

A comparison of the 2011 catalogue to the 2010 edition, after the jump.

2010 2011
Pages 376 376
Cheapest 10’ kitchen $1,367 $1,277
Price of a Poäng chair $99.99 (p.49) $99 (p.60)
Price of a Lack coffee table $14.99 $7.99
Price of a basic Billy bookcase $69.99 (p.77) $69 (p.76)
Excruciatingly Scandinavian item Gullholmen rocking chair (p.17). Fashion over function, vaguely resembles a sex toy, stackable Chosigt funnel (p.84). Bright colour, vaguely resembles a sex toy, made of plastic
Most useless item Lycka boot hanger, $4.99. Who hangs boots? (p.289) Byholma wicker baskets, three for $12.99. For some reason, all furniture and decor stores think the world needs more wicker baskets that are too small to hold anything. (p.256-257)
No one lives like this An entirely white room (white walls, white floors, white furniture) filled with kids running around with paint. (p.10-11) A wardrobe consisting of only white clothing. Only serial killers and Club Monaco employees do this. (p.172-173)
Impending lawsuit item Not for sale, but there is a floating toilet in one of the bathrooms. (p.202) The chalkboard door. We see little Annie drawing stick figures on one side while mom, holding two bags of groceries, is about to kick open the door on the other. (p.88).
Cheap duvet cover b/c it’s ugly Myskmalva twin duvet cover and pillowcase, $9.99. Dude, my blanket has scabies. (p.210) Renate twin duvet cover and pillowcase, $12.99. (p.304). Bonus:Matching curtains!
Couch Pattern on Acid award Klippan sofa, $329.99. It’s like sitting on a pile of hobos. (p.20) Old, dependable Klippan pulls through for the third year in a row with a half-assed embroidered number (p.56). Either leave it white or go all out in folksy birds and flowers; there’s no middle ground.
Back of book food promo Salmon w/veggies, $6.99 Chicken w/pasta and cream-vegetable sauce, $6.99
Imminent feature on Catalogue Living Take a seat and have a jar of cereal. (p.98) Depressed dad contemplating where it all went wrong while holding his kid. (p.149).

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

The Latest

“I’m a Toronto man through and through”: Meet Hassan Phills, the Scarborough comedian sampled by Drake
Culture

“I’m a Toronto man through and through”: Meet Hassan Phills, the Scarborough comedian sampled by Drake

Inside the Latest Issue

The May issue of Toronto Life features the artists, professors, scientists and other luminaries moving north to avoid the carnage of Trump. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.