A Swedish-American woman I know always talks about IKEA as The Mothership. IKEA is a place where Swedes living abroad get to reconnect with their roots, stock up on necessities, and feel the joy of being surrounded by your first language. I remember going through the showroom with an American friend once, and she was amazed that 1. all product names are actual Swedish words, and 2. all books they use for props are actual Swedish books. (I asked to buy one of the books because I wanted to read it, but was turned down.) I think she felt my knowledge of Swedish had gained her access to a secret world.

I love the smell right where you enter the warehouse part of the store. The smell of wood mixes with cinnamon from the cinnamon rolls they sell near the exit. In America, even if it’s at The Mothership, the cinnamon rolls are nothing like Swedish cinnamon rolls, tho. They are too large, too sweet, too covered in icing. But the smell of cinnamon seems pretty authentic to me. At that spot it smells of wood shop class (my favorite) and a Swedish bakery all at once.

I also like the efficiency, the utilitarian decor, and much of the design. And the meatballs. Also:
– Scent-free candles for us migraines sufferers.
– Spend a little time looking and you’ll find simple furniture that works anywhere. It’s OK to paint stuff if you’re looking for a particular color.
– Sign up for the newsletter and pay attention to limited series of design collaborations.
– Avoid shipping larger items. It’s totally unreliable and extremely frustrating.
– Shipping smaller items is cheap (around $10), and your stuff will arrive via FedEx. No problems there.