It’s been a while – come along with me as I shop IKEA and check out what they have for Summer 2022.

I haven’t shared an IKEA trip with you for a while, so I wanted to let you in on what I think are some of the best & worst items they have in stock currently.

If you’re a fan of vlog style videos, you can shop right along with me (well, as close as possible in this instance) HERE on YouTube.

As always, I’ll share my thoughts for you here, too!

Before I jump in I’ll share a caveat that not all of these 15 items I’ll be discussing today are available online, at least not at the the time of writing this post. I think some might be new, and others might be more geographically specific. If there’s anything you’re wanting that you can’t find, I would try:

• Calling your local IKEA and asking for the product by name to see if they can have it shipped.
• Checking Ebay (I think some people purposely buy from IKEA to “flip” on Ebay, but for something you’re excited about, it might be worth it!)
• Checking Poshmark

15 Best & Worst of IKEA – Summer 2022

Item Number One | SISSIL Pillow Cover

This one gets a thumbs up!

This is priced at $16.99 for a 20×20″ cover, but I think the combination of the denim and the stitching makes it a fun piece to add to your summer decor. Especially for patriotic displays around the fourth of July.

Unfortunately I do not see this one online.

Item Number Two | APPLARYD Velvet Sofa

This sofa gets a thumbs up from me!

It’s a little on the spendy side, but I love both of the two velvet options you can choose from, and I think it’s great that there are variations in available sizes from loveseat to sectional to fit your family’s needs in your space.

These would look especially great in either an art deco style space or giving a nod to the 1920’s with the beautiful rich velvets.

These are available online (depending on your location) in all the various fabric & size options.

Item Number Three | ASKHOLMEN Bistro Patio Set

This set has been around a while, I would guess at least 5 years, and it gets two thumbs up from me!

The price is fantastic at $35 per chair, and $49 for the bistro size table – which is the one I have.

I’ve used mine both inside, and outside on my porch. (You can see it in action at my house: here and here.)

They also have a larger 4 person table, some flower boxes, trellis, and a plant stand in the ASKHOLMEN line – all available online.

Item Number Four | AINA Pillow Covers

Well, this is a best and worst list, so we’ve come to my first thumbs down.

I previously purchased a set of these pillow covers in green because I just loved the color and the cute tie detail, but I was disappointed once I got them home and put them in use.

The material was very wrinkled, and looked damaged and worn after being ironed, rather than crisp. The ties never looked as good as they had in the store again, either.

The new pink color option they have is really beautiful, but given my history, I wouldn’t purchase one again.

They are available online if you’d like to look for yourself!

Item Number Five | FLINSHULT Armchair

This is another option that jumped out at me (yes, with thumbs up) due to the gorgeous velvet finish.

They have other fabric choices available, but the dark green velvet is my personal favorite! I love the tuxedo arms, and think this would be a great choice for either a glam room or art deco style.

These are also available online.

Item Number Six | HOLMSTA Rattan Chair

This is a newer piece that I don’t think I saw the last times I was at IKEA. It gets a thumbs up from me!

I love the look of these rattan chairs. They do have very deep seats, so if you invest in these I’d also get nice lumbar pillows to go along with them.

You’ll notice I used the word “invest”… I did that intentionally because while I love the look of these, and they do seem to be really nice quality, they are a bit pricier at $250 (once you add in the cushions).

I do think they look very high end, and don’t really scream “I got this at IKEA”, because whereas sometimes IKEA gets a bad reputation for not looking the most expensive, these look like they are worth their value for the slightly higher price tag.

These are available online. The chair is called the HOLMSTA, and the cushion set is called the FROKNABO.

Item Number Seven | BAROMETER Track Light

Now, I am not usually one to appreciate track lighting, but this piece has me actually giving a thumbs up!

I was surprised at first how much I was liking the track light look until I looked closer and saw it was part of the Barometer line. I have both floor lamps and desk lamps from that line (which don’t appear to be online any longer) that I have loved for the past few years, so it made sense I’d also love their classic track light.

And the price, at $59.99 makes it even a sweeter find.

This track light is available in both gold and silver finish online.

Item Number Eight | ASPSAFTMAL Pillow Cover

This one gets a thumbs down from me (and some others in the design community). It’s actually known as the “spider pillow”.

What were supposed to be cute black tassels and texture turn into squashed spider shapes in nearly all circumstances. So unless you’re purchasing this to use as a scary accent for Halloween, I’d pass!

Available online for $14.99.

Item Number Nine | EKKRONMAL Throw Blanket

I wanted to like this one, and actually purchased one because the color was just so pretty and it was really soft…but by the time I had gotten it home, it already had a thumbs down from me.

First, the price is a bit higher than I would want to spend on a single throw blanket, at $29.99. Then, more importantly, before I had even gotten it unwrapped and opened up it was having a serious shedding issue.

It went straight into the pile to be returned to IKEA. Someone else with a pet and teenager free home might be OK to use it and not worry about things being stuck in the blanket, or the blanket shedding off onto them, but not here!

These are available online for anyone who would like to check them out for themselves, and they are available under different name for a dark blue option: RUNFRID.

Item Number Ten | FRODIS Throw Blanket

This blanket, however gets a thumbs up.

It has a great collegiate look to it that I think could be great for summer or patriotic decor. It’s also very soft, and does not seem to have the same issue with shedding.

This one is available online for $17.99.

Item Number Eleven | HOLMVI Throw Blanket

This is another throw blanket that got a thumbs up from me. Unfortunately the beautiful pink version I saw in store does not appear to be online (hopefully it’s coming!), but it would make a really cute accent for a girls room or for Valentine’s day.

I have to say that in general, IKEA has really stepped up their pink-game. They had so many beautiful pink pieces that would be really cute in a girl’s room, or for a baby or bridal shower. It was making me wish I had a reason to need them!

Item Number Twelve | INDO AGRO Floral Rug

And speaking of beautiful pink things I kind of wish I needed. This rug.

Please trust me when I say that the stock photos from the IKEA website do not do the pretty colors justice. It’s a yummy creamy beige grey with the perfect shades of pink and blue.

The one I saw in store was a runner for $299, but online they have a 5×7″ available for $699.

If any of you in the She Holds Dearly community end up buying this rug, will you please let me know so I can live vicariously through you?

Item Number Thirteen | Rugs

I know this item isn’t as specific as the rest have been, but that’s okay, because in general, IKEA rugs deserve a thumbs up.

I stand by them as I’m consistently impressed with their quality and available designs.

They’ve got some really great neutral textures that I think deserve a look if you’re in the market! They have a good selection to browse online like this VONSBAK which is pictured here.

Item Number Fourteen | KLOVEN Deck Chair

This adirondack style chair gets a thumbs up!

I’ve got a bit of a collection of Adirondack chairs started and I’ve learned that a quality chair for lounging and visiting outdoors is really beneficial. I’d spend up to $200 for a quality Adirondack, so these $129.99 options at IKEA are a great deal.

At first feel I thought they might be made out of high quality vinyl, but they’re actually eucalyptus!

These are available online in “dark brown” (which I would actually call black after seeing it in person), and light brown, which is almost a raw wood look.

You can also find these in on Amazon for even less! I have a blog post all about them, here.

Item Number Fifteen | RUNNEN Decking

This may not be my typical recommendation, but I give this RUNNEN system a thumbs up.

They have artificial grass, faux tiles, and decking slats. You can use any combination of these clicked together to customize your patio or deck area.

I think they’re a neat idea that could have a great number of uses.

Available online, and for various per square foot prices depending on the material chosen.

Overall I had a great trip to IKEA this time around. The rain couldn’t dampen my mood, and the great parking spot we found right off the bat was a nice beginning.

I do feel like it’s worth noting that IKEA does feel different ever since COVID hit. I had heard from others that they felt it was much emptier now, and while the shelves did seem a little more sparse, they were far from empty.

But with the slightly smaller quantities and the rise in prices on certain items, you can certainly tell they’re feeling the pinch of supply chain issues like most of the rest of the retail world.

I still think they have a lot of great pieces going for them, and I love hearing in the comments below which items you’ve found recently at your own stores that you’re loving! Any great hits or misses that I forgot to include here?

Until next time,