The Unofficial IKEA Web Journal

IKEA presses on despite some residents’ concerns

Centennial’s plan for a 4,000-square-foot(sic) IKEA store is one step closer to reality — but not without some residents’ concern.

After addressing traffic, lighting and noise issues associated with the proposed home furnishings store, City Council voted 8-0 in favor of proceeding with development.

The Willow Creek subdivision closest to the proposed site would endure most of the increased lighting and traffic.

As a result, members of the area’s homeowners’ board voiced their concerns on behalf of residents.

“We’ve been told that traffic at IKEA would be the same as at a new supermarket,” said Willow Creek board member Mike Morgan. “There are going to be 30 check-out stands in this store, and IKEA already has 70,000 existing customers,” he said. “There’s going to be far more traffic than they’re showing.”

As for noise, Morgan said residents already deal with noise from the interstate, and they expect more when IKEA is built.

“If you don’t put a noise [code] in place, the more developers will come in and the problem will get worse,” he said. “If you can’t do that, then recognize that you’re increasing the noise pollution in our community.”

City planners said they know noise is already an issue in the area, and that it’s a concern for the city. There is no city code that requires IKEA to build a sound barrier to reduce noise pollution, officials said.

In addition to added noise and lights, Willow Creek board member Linda Steis wants the IKEA sign to be reduced from its 100-foot-tall size.

“You recently changed your city ordinance to allow retailers to have signs 32 feet high,” she said. “In the spirit of good will, I hope you’ll consider a shorter sign [for IKEA].”

According to city planner Andrew Firestine, destination retailers like IKEA are allowed to have 100-foot signs. Large format retailers and retailers near the highway only are allowed 32-foot signs.

“This is the one and only piece of property identified and permitted to have a 100-foot tall sign,” Firestine said.

Two other Centennial residents, Becky Bowles and Jim Leevy want the traffic to be studied to eliminate issues on County Line and Chester roads.

The city will continue to study the issues while development takes place.

The new store will be next to Interstate 25 between Dry Creek and County Line Road.

[Via www.centennialcolorado.com by Holly Cook]

Store Openings IKEA Centennial, IKEA Denver, IKEA Grand Opening, IKEA Store Opening, ikea usa

Affordable dreams in tough economic times call for IKEA!
-by Kelly

Why do people love IKEA? Not everyone, of course, but certainly a great number of people all over the world do truly LOVE IKEA.

I can tell you what IKEA does for me…

It’s about accessibility of dreams. I’m a person who has lots of little plans and dreams about my surroundings from clothes to gardens, and like lots of people I’m influenced by television and magazines on what those things can look like. I want to be individual within a cultural context and to express myself through the physical attributes of my surroundings.

Like nearly everyone, my money and my mind are not in synch. I want more than I can afford or have. My eyes are bigger than my wallet. At times, I live firmly in an unbalanced state of desire. I have Plans without Wherewithal.

And then, there is IKEA. There are interesting, even beautiful things at IKEA- lots of them- that are within the realm of my financial possibility. These things are geared toward people who live in small spaces, who need places to put things away, who need a new bed or couch or kitchen or desk, but who cannot or don’t choose to spend a lot of money, but have a desire to purposefully choose the things they live with rather than take things others are done with.

I lived for too long with other people’s hand me downs, and I suspect that these were hand me downs prior to that. Who actually chose these things? Who desired them? In what home did they make sense, and where were they part of an integrated whole? I am not talking about heirlooms, I am talking about a round dining table when you need square, a light wood when everything else is dark, where nothing really matches or is the right size for the space you inhabit. It is always making do.

So, for me, IKEA is about the freedom to pick things I want to live with.

Why do you like IKEA?
Image by Zeuss via IKEAFANS.com Galleries

Announcements, Opinions affordable dreams, budget, economy, IKEA furniture, IKEA love

IKEA Swedish Meatballs are YUM!

From IKEA’s Real Swedish Book referenced in the post: IKEA Meatballs, Why Are They So Good? from way back in November 2005.  Gotta love a Swedish Meatball.

Ingredients:

• 250gm minced beef
• 250gm minced pork
• 1 egg
• 200-300ml cream and water (or milk and water)
• 2.5 tbsp. finely-chopped onion
• 50ml unsweetened rusk flour
• 2 cold boiled potatoes
• 4-5 tbsps butter, margarine or oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the onion till golden in a couple of tablespoons of lightly browned butter.
2. Mash the potatoes and moisten the rusk flour in a little water.
3. Mix all the ingredients until there is consistency and flavour generously with salt, white pepper and (optional) a little finely crushed allspice.
4. Use a pair of spoons to shape the mixture into relatively large, round balls and transfer to a floured chopping board.
5. Fry them slowly in plenty of butter.

How to make the cream sauce:

Ingredients:

• 100ml cream
• 200ml beef stock
• Chinese soya sauce
• 1 tbsp white flour
• Salt, white pepper

Instructions:

1. Swirl the boiling water or beef stock in a pan.
2. Add cream and thicken with white flour if preferred.
3. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Serve the meatballs with the sauce, freshly boiled potatoes, uncooked lingonberry jam and salad.

There you have the perfect Swedish meal! Yum!

From IKEA-friends

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According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) – a government safety commission in the US, IKEA has issued a voluntary recall of about 670,000 Iris and Alvine roman blinds after a 1-year-old child from Greenwich, Connecticut became entangled in the cord and was strangled.

This recall involves all sizes of IRIS and ALVINE Roman Blinds in white. The blinds have a sewn-in label at the top edge of the blind with the IKEA logotype, article name (IRIS or ALVINE), 5-digit supplier number 19799 or 21369, four digit date stamp (YYWW) and the words “Made in India”. On the bottom edge of the blind there is a sewn-in orange/white safety warning label. The blinds are made from 100% cotton. IKEA stores nationwide from July 2005 through June 2008 for between $7 and $30.

Consumers should stop using the blinds and return them to any IKEA store for a full refund. For additional information, contact IKEA at 888-966-4532 or visit www.ikea-usa.com.

See the full CPSC recall here: Strangulation Death of a Child Prompts Recall of Roman Blinds; Sold Exclusively at IKEA

IKEA Product Recalls, Product Updates ALVINE, CPSC, IKEA Recalls, IKEA US, IRIS