Are you part of the Ikea Family?
I was invited by Ikea to visit their store in Richmond and spend a few hours with Mark (General Manager of Ikea Family, Australia) and Sarah, to discuss the new Ikea Family program and to have a look at some of their products for kids and storage/craft rooms. How could I resist?!
I’m quite sure you’ve heard of Ikea and perhaps you’ve even got one (or two or five, or ten) of their products in your home. I use a lot of their storage solutions for my craft room and for the girls’ room, so I was really excited about a new program that they launched this past September for Australian customers – the Ikea Family. It’s free to join and these are just some of the benefits:
- Free bottomless coffee every visit
- FAMILY discounts on meals in the IKEA Restaurant
- Exclusive savings on lots of products
- Exclusive seminars and events
- 10c donated to charity every time you swipe or scan your card
- Free store to home insurance
- Extended 12 month return policy
- Free IKEA FAMILY LIVE magazine home delivered
- Ask any questions you like online and have experts answer them
Now if you are an avid Ikea shopper (like I am!) you’ll actually reap the benefits very quickly – and you’ll also be donating towards a charity at the same time. When I got to the store and met up with Mark and Sarah, I was able to join the program on the spot by signing up via these in-store kiosks.
Of course, you can just as easily sign up online. Sign-up instore took 5 minutes and at the end I was given a receipt, which was my temporary card (the actual card will be sent to you a few days later).
With the receipt in hand, I was then able to enjoy a free (and bottomless) cup of coffee straight away. Then it was time to tour the store for a little browsing and shopping!
I couldn’t wait to get to the fabric section!!! Well, this is a no brainer for me! A really great range of 100% cotton fabric in graphic and vibrant designs.
These were just a few of the other things that caught my eye:
Top to bottom:
>> Retur – okay, so this is meant to be a waste-sorting bin, but I reckon it’s a fantastic stackable storage solution! Made up of different sizes, this would be perfect to store crafty notions and materials. And you can make them pretty with decals, wallpaper, etc :-)
>> Skojig – cute toadstoolesque lamp for the kid’s room
>> Vika Glasholm – love the design on this table top
>> Vika Blecket/Vika Artur – something a little more adaptable. I could use this flat as my sewing and cutting desk, then clear it and adjust the height for painting/drawing projects
>> Alvine Flora – smitten with this cushion and the embroidered design (in fact, this one is now sitting on my bed!)
>> Duktig – super cute, gelato-coloured, ceramic 10-piece tea set! (not all pieces shown)
After picking up a bag of goodies, I used the receipt at check-out, which meant an instant donation to charity. I then went home and logged into my Ikea Family account and filled in further details on my profile. By doing this, I’m helping Ikea send me information, offers and news that will actually be relevant and interesting to me. The other great news is that Ikea will be running events in the new year for Ikea Family members – from social events to how-to seminars.
So if you love to shop at Ikea, I’d highly recommend joining the Ikea Family!
Thanks to Mark and Sarah for their time and company :-) And thanks to Ikea, I have a few goodies to give away! So please pop back here mid-week to see what’s up for grabs!
November 15th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
I’m an Ikea fan, but they only have 1 store in WA :( And I don’t live metro. I’ve still managed to spend my fair share of $$ there. I don’t recall Perth’s fabric selection looking so scrumptious!!!
I just looked up that desk, thank you soooo much for posting it! I was telling my grandmother only a few months ago I needed an angled desk and had no idea where to find one. Now I do :D
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Yay, glad to be of help Michelle :-) We have only one store here in VIC at the moment so I make a day of it when we do get the chance to go!
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November 15th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Love Ikea! Doesn’t help that it is less than 5 minutes from my house!
Michelle – the fabric selection here is pretty good too!! Wait til sale time – they had some fantastic stuff that was marked down to $5 per metre!! (and someone was being silly and frugal and thought she had “enough” fabric so didn’t buy any and has regretted it ever since!!)
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November 15th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
But… Ikea family isn’t available in WA or SA! We are owned by different people, so we miss out for now!
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Oh! C’mon IKEA SA and IKEA WA – get with the program!! :-)
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November 15th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
can you believe that i havent been to an ikea yet!?! looks wonderful and extremely family friendly.
xx
p.s. your friends from year 7 look wonderful. i too have friends that i have known for over 20 years and some even 30 years and i too hope that my girls find such extraordinary friends as well.
xx
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Long-term friends are one of the best blessings in life!
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November 15th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
I have that tabletop :) A big Ikea household here too!
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Love that tabletop – so pretty!
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November 15th, 2010 at 11:55 pm
I also had my eye on that Vika Glasholm table!!! :D My house is filled with Billy Bookcases from Ikea and Malm drawers, and all the cool bits and bobs I keep picking up each time I go. I MUST go to the fabric section next time!!! The Ikea Family Program sounds really good. Thanks for letting us know!!!
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
No worries Jen :-) I’m a big fan of the billy bookcases too!
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November 16th, 2010 at 9:30 am
In Italy there is a long time the Ikea family. I am a member for several years and I enjoy many advantages. Ikea is a store where I found so many wonderful ideas for my creativity and my home.
My house is almost completely furnished with Ikea, to my three children have many games ikea and the fabrics are colorful and perfect for creating puppets and dolls.
I go to Ikea very often and I never go out without buying. The prices are very good and excellent quality.
P.S. Many compliments for your dolls are beautiful … I’m beginning to take its first steps in this direction and your creations give me an opportunity to learn how to do it.
Stefania
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Thank you Stefania – I hope you are enjoying making dolls! Like you, I never leave without buying something from IKEA. Oh, and one day I will visit Italy – it is one of my dream holidays :-)
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November 17th, 2010 at 3:05 am
I’m a big fan of Ikea, there’s one just round the corner from my uni here in Edinburgh so I have a family card and go there quite often with friends for lunch! The free tea and coffee is a definite draw, plus money off the food and I always stop and buy something in either the plants or fabric sections!
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
I would definitely go there for lunch more often if I lived nearby!
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November 17th, 2010 at 4:17 am
I love the floral cushion! I’ve been checking the ikea.au website looking for decorating ideas for my new home but I missed this gem. This has really inspired me, so thank you!
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Yay! They’ve got quite a selection of embroidered cushions in different designs in store at the moment!
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November 22nd, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Oh bummer its not available in WA and SA :( sounds great though. What a good idea.
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jhoanna Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
Bummer Nancy! Must petition them to start it up!
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