7 Best IKEA Items Design Experts Always Buy

IKEA sells super affordable home items, ranging from sofas to Swedish meatballs. Once upon a time, it was known as an excellent resource for furnishing rentals and first homes on a budget. Over the years, it has become a reliable resource for interior designers and experts. I have been interviewing these types of professionals for about a decade and have learned about the most coveted products in the store that you should invest in. Here are the 7 best IKEA items design experts always buy.

In a YouTube video, interior designer Nina Takesh recommends the new STOCKHOLM 2025 3-seat sofa, Alhamn beige, $1,899.00, as an Ikea product that looks high-end. She points out that similar designer sofas retail for around $20,000.

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I loathe curtains that look cheap, but I also don’t want to spend $1,000 per window for custom treatments. Design experts always recommend IKEA RITVA curtain panels as the top window treatments on a budget. There is a catch: They regularly sell out. Before you go to your store, make sure they are in stock. Or, order online. But I will say that for the price, they look luxurious and are the perfect weight and creamy white color. I spend a little more on a curtain rod at West Elm or Ballard, as IKEA rods look and feel cheap.

I have an interior designer friend who specializes in kid-friendly spaces, and always recommends KALLAX shelf units in high gloss white for her clients. I have these across the walls of my playroom, and they look just as lovely as any from Pottery Barn Kids or West Elm. They are also super easy to assemble and are perfectly sized for bins and baskets, which are also sold at IKEA. This 8-bin unit is just $89.99

I have been obsessed with IKEA sheepskin rugs forever. The ULLERSLEV Sheepskin, off-white, 2″ by 4 “, is a multifunctional textile. Use it as a rug, throw it on your bed to add texture, or cozy up a sofa or chair by tossing it on. I recommend buying more than just one, as you want them all over your home.

Another piece interior designers are obsessed with, especially for a guest room/office, is the HEMNES Daybed frame with 3 drawers, white, Twin, $399.00. It is a clean, white sofa, a single bed, a double bed, and storage in one piece of furniture. It works in lots of design schemes and is one of the most functional furniture pieces you will ever find.

I personally love heavy, white dinnerware. Why pay Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn prices when IKEA sells a designer and chef-endorsed set? The GODMIDDAG 18-piece dinnerware set is simplicity in its finest. For $39.99, you get the most versatile set ever. “Great dishes,” one person writes. “For the price these cannot be beat. I also appreciate that the bowls and salad plates are not huge. The dinner plate is what it is. When put in the microwave to heat food, the dishes do not get overly hot. I’ve had some dishes that get hotter than the food! Overall, I like these dishes.”

RELATED: 7 Best New Ikea Finds Hitting Shelves Now.

This elegant but straightforward ceiling lamp is a best-seller for a reason. Designers love the SOLKLINT Ceiling lamp, brass/gray clear glass, 11 “, $39.99, which looks identical to designer light fixtures. Shoppers love that it’s easy to install. “This is a great ceiling light for the price, wow! I’m using it in a small, dark theater room so I only need one bulb worth of light. It was easy to install and understand which wires go where. I have no experience with electrical work, it’s super easy. I was replacing an existing light which meant I had all the required screws and wire nuts, but if you’re choosing these for new construction, yeah, you need to get that stuff. The thing about IKEA is you need to buy one of those kits they sell with screws, anchors, etc. if you expect to mount and hang things. Once you have one you’re set for years!” one shopper writes.