Prepare to be blown away by Ikea's 2017 Catalog [1], especially for its new dining/kitchen items. The Scandinavian furniture makers are proving form is as important as function, as these six pieces aim to help make your life easier and your home tidier all while enhancing the aesthetic of your dwelling.
See the full catalog here: Ikea's 2017 Catalog [2]
The Woe: Bad Countertops
The solution: Old countertops can look dingy even if wiped clean. Everyone knows how impossible it is to keep grout sparkling white! If you've ever wanted wooden kitchen countertops, but couldn't justify the price, consider Ikea's new Barkaboda Countertop [4] ($229), which features walnut over particleboard.
The Woe: Eating and Drinking (Without Spilling) in Your Living Room
The solution: Whether you enjoy eating meals in front of the TV or like to snuggle up on the couch with coffee or tea at hand, this Gladom Tray Table [5] ($30) makes it easy to do. The top is a removeable tray so you can place all your items on top of it, then transfer it to the table stand in one quick, spill-free trip.
The Woe: Reducing Wasted Food and Water
The solution: The Grundvattnet Series [6] is intended for your kitchen sink, making it even easier to prep veggies and clean dishes, wasting as little food and water as possible. It includes the box ($4), chopping boards ($6-$13), colander ($5), mat ($4), and rinsing tub ($9), which all stack neatly on top of one another to be stored next to (or under) the sink.
The Woe: Cooking With Your Computer (and Not Spilling On It)
The solution: The Knotten Standing Desk [7] ($149), while an obvious choice for an office, makes for a practical piece of furniture near the kitchen. You can store notepads and paper for shopping lists, cookbooks, and a laptop (for a safe, secure place to read any recipe).
The Woe: Living in an Apartment With No Kitchen
The solution: Ikea thinks of everything, including an easy way to create a micro kitchen in studio apartments or other small living spaces. Sunnersta Utility Cart [8] ($30) is a bar cart, it can double as extra kitchen storage space for pots and pans, pantry goods, and more.