The 5 pieces of IKEA furniture your home NEEDS!

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It's no secret that IKEA plays a huge role in millions of homes around the world, but how do you stop yourself from getting lost in Markethall when you only need the basics? Well, you take our list of the five items that your home needs and stick to it rigidly, while resisting the urge to buy a whole new kitchen! We think that interior designers love a bit of IKEA as well, especially when you consider how easy the flatpack furniture is to 'hack' and personalise, so we don't think any of them will complain too much if we encourage you to go a little wild in the aisles next time you make a road trip for some meatballs! Let's acquaint ourselves with the most popular and adaptable pieces of furniture available at IKEA and see which your home is in desperate need of!

1. The PHOTO lamp.

Half the fun of IKEA purchases is looking at the brilliant and often, funny names of the products and the PHOTO lamp could be a confusing moniker! It has nothing to do with pictures, but everything to do with gorgeous pendulum lighting that is perfect for hanging over a dining table. Available in a neutral cream colour and with a long chord, it is basically ideal for any home!

2. A HEMNES day bed.

Day beds are so cool, in that they can be a sofa during the day and simply transform into a comfortable bed at night, with the addition of a duvet and some pillows. The HEMNES day bed from IKEA is so great because it has integrated storage drawers and comes in a very classic cream wood, which will suit any bedroom. Don't forget that you can always paint one to more perfectly match a bedroom!

3. A FRIHETEN sofa bed.

Speaking of transforming furniture, the FRIHETEN sofa is a strike of genius! By day it is a low-level, super stylish sofa that embraces the Scandinavian interior design trend that is so hot right now, but a tug of a couple of straps and you have a comfortable bed, ready for guests to sleep on! 

4. The classic POÄNG chair.

We don't think you could walk into a single student house without finding a POÄNG chair or two, but that's because it is such great value! It's not only students that are buying these amazing seats though, as they are simple, stylish and such a staple that most homes seem to have one now! They even make great nursing chairs, which is why they are so popular in nurseries.

5. A set of KALLAX shelves.

We've saved the best for last! Formerly known as the EXPEDIT range, KALLAX shelving systems from IKEA are a must have for anyone that likes modern storage, collects records or just wants their home to look super cool! Easy to transform into a number of furniture items, such as television stands, room divides and filing towers, they are indispensable, awesome and a steadfast classic that we will all be buying for decades to come!

For more IKEA inspiration, take a look at this Ideabook: IKEA furniture hacks.

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