Friday, October 21, 2011

The international language of Ikea


Here is a novel concept, start a store that has everything you may need to set up a house. Hire industrial designers to design user friendly products that are current and interesting. Use packaging that printed in as many languages as possible, then put the stores in easy to reach locations all around the world and have the layout as similar as possible. Then, to really make it simple, put arrows on the floor so anyone can find their way around. Oh wait, it has been done, it is called Ikea.

We have been in Ikea in Canada, Australia and now Italy, and there is something comforting about being able to find some basic items, at reasonable prices, as well as one stop shopping for setting up a new home. I also liked the English option on the self serve checkout, as my Italian is still very basic. Sure I would love to traipse around Italy finding all the funky cool gadgets I may be needing, but for one day, having a sense of knowledge that has escaped me the last few shopping trips was a real pleasure. We sent Finn and Pippa to 'smaland', and they had a great time, while I tried to speed through the ikea marketplace. Molly and Mieran loved checking out all the rooms and the designs. And though it took a long time, it was all good.

Our place is starting to feel a little more homey to us. Our stuff arrived the other day and the children have been happily playing with things they haven't seen in a few weeks. This morning I woke up and found Finn quietly playing with his physics kit in the living room. This is a first. Usually he just likes to wake everyone else up.

Each time we go somewhere I am more and more impressed by the beauty. Some of it seems so surreal. It is like stepping into an art book. These are the views that we had become so familiar with, having seen them in countless paintings and books, and now they are our surroundings. I think the children are going to get tired of me saying how beautiful things are. But oh well, children get tired of listening to their parents anyway.

1 comment:

  1. I LOVE that you went to IKEA in Italy. It IS nice to find something familiar. It is raining here, they are all watching Charlie & Lola while I re-plan a new diet/workout plan. How I miss you my dear. Hope this comment works, then I can harass you publicly anytime I want.

    C

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