What is the new "black" then?
Below is a photo of my kitchen (long awaited, I know). However, I'm not here tonight to talk about my kitchen. In fact, I'm here to talk about my “great room” (aka: family room)... or more specifically, what is not in my great room. You see, Ikea has failed me.
“What?!”, you exclaim in disbelief.
Yes, it's true. The Swedish grandfather of entry-level and university/dorm furniture everywhere could not save me from my cardboard box tables that currently sit proudly (and very nearly permanently at this point) in my family room. Apparently black isn't a colour this season; black-brown is. But what happens when you put a (very nice) black-brown table beside something black? It looks brown and it doesn't look good in the room.
I must admit that I've never been a big Ikea shopper, but don't think that I anything against it. It has defined that 'urban condo' look for quite some time now (at least for 20- and 30-somethings I think); it's kind of like The Gap for new homeowners. The ads tell you what is cool and then you go buy it. And that is more-or-less what was going on here.
A set of tables is what I need; the one piece (or set of pieces to be more precise) that I would really like to add next. I don't want to spend a mint, but I want something both functional and cool. Ikea. Of course you think Ikea. So I begged, borrowed, or stole a catalogue - if any of my friends are missing one, it wasn't me who took it... really - browsed through it, and then (of course) hit the web to see the dimensions, check availability, find the closest store, and then plan the trip (e.g., decide on what CDs I should take for the ride).
On arrival, I negotiate the complex maze that Ikea appears to be for every shopping novice like me and... I find out that this table doesn't come in black. Doesn't everything come in black?! And at this point I realize that something black-brown, when compared to something black, is just brown. I guess it's some sort of mathematical colour thing (x + black = brown + black... gather like terms... x = brown -- nothing like geeky grade ten math humour, eh?).
I guess what I learned from all this is to always trust the internet. At least with respect to Ikea furniture colour availability. Now, I'm back on the hunt for a new set of cool, yet functional, tables for my great room. Ideas anyone?
(Oh, and I hope you like my kitchen photo. Maybe next time I'll talk about it. Have to wait and see I guess... but hopefully not another two weeks.)
“What?!”, you exclaim in disbelief.
Yes, it's true. The Swedish grandfather of entry-level and university/dorm furniture everywhere could not save me from my cardboard box tables that currently sit proudly (and very nearly permanently at this point) in my family room. Apparently black isn't a colour this season; black-brown is. But what happens when you put a (very nice) black-brown table beside something black? It looks brown and it doesn't look good in the room.
I must admit that I've never been a big Ikea shopper, but don't think that I anything against it. It has defined that 'urban condo' look for quite some time now (at least for 20- and 30-somethings I think); it's kind of like The Gap for new homeowners. The ads tell you what is cool and then you go buy it. And that is more-or-less what was going on here.
A set of tables is what I need; the one piece (or set of pieces to be more precise) that I would really like to add next. I don't want to spend a mint, but I want something both functional and cool. Ikea. Of course you think Ikea. So I begged, borrowed, or stole a catalogue - if any of my friends are missing one, it wasn't me who took it... really - browsed through it, and then (of course) hit the web to see the dimensions, check availability, find the closest store, and then plan the trip (e.g., decide on what CDs I should take for the ride).
On arrival, I negotiate the complex maze that Ikea appears to be for every shopping novice like me and... I find out that this table doesn't come in black. Doesn't everything come in black?! And at this point I realize that something black-brown, when compared to something black, is just brown. I guess it's some sort of mathematical colour thing (x + black = brown + black... gather like terms... x = brown -- nothing like geeky grade ten math humour, eh?).
I guess what I learned from all this is to always trust the internet. At least with respect to Ikea furniture colour availability. Now, I'm back on the hunt for a new set of cool, yet functional, tables for my great room. Ideas anyone?
(Oh, and I hope you like my kitchen photo. Maybe next time I'll talk about it. Have to wait and see I guess... but hopefully not another two weeks.)
