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The end result is affordable style with a real solid edge

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By Helen Carson
Wednesday Dec 12 2007

This time of year Press invites are pretty thick on the ground - but the dream ticket for me was the preview of Ikea Belfast.

Having missed all the previous outings to Ikeas in London and Glasgow, this was a brand new experience for me.

The flagship store awaited, 29,000 sq metres of shopping paradise, a yellow and blue mecca of heavenly homeware.

But the Swedish superstore is beyond the 'shop 'til you drop' idea - at Ikea there are rituals to be observed.

This begins with a traditional Swedish breakfast - and don't expect a bowl of Special K here.

Choose from platters of salami, ham and other cold meats, sliced boiled egg served with prawns on Swedish crispbread or herring among other things.

I listened politely to store manager Paul Reid talk about his "excitement" at the store opening. Hey, tell me about it?

Having fuelled up on some cold meats, orange juice and coffee, various press parties escorted by yellow-shirted co-workers got the Ikea Belfast tour.

But the good stuff was just about to begin. My credit card flexed and ready for action, and with trolley braced, I entered the hallowed aisles.

For the uninitiated Ikea Belfast has more than 50 showrooms and an entire house furnished in a specific manner.

There are the basic design styles - Young Swede, Modern and Scandanavian - which are fragmented again into real living situations, such as living with baby, toddler and a new category 'teen/tween'.

The room set-ups cover all the bases of particular living arrangements, including couples just living together and those who have been hitched for some time.

Entire rooms are also set up by budget, 'buy everything here for £500' etc. You can even get the floor here.

At Ikea the price is the starting point rather than the bottom line.

The result is affordable style with a designer edge and there is no cutting on corners.

You are encouraged to sit on sofas, open and close kitchen cabinet doors.

A separate department houses accessories which range from lighting, soft furnishings, duvets, bedding, pots and pans, cutlery and pictures right down to arty reusable bags.

I found the store easy to negotiate with co-workers helpful and well-informed - but this was a preview and lacked the crowds which will undoubtedly turn up on Thursday.

So what about the booty? My modest haul included a large runner for my hall, two stainless steel lights for my dining room, a glass lamp for my bedroom, a black and white framed 3D print, a glass cookie jar and dish drainer - the whole lot cost the princely sum of just over £49.

With its customer service ethos, designer-inspired homeware, quality guarantees and huge choice, I now understand why Ikea has become the global name associated with great home furnishings.

The superbrand with more

> Ikea is a flagship store so everything is available here without having to order

> Every customer gets a yellow measuring tape, pencil and pad on arrival so they can measure items to make sure it fits their home

> More than 50 room sets enable even the most 'style-challenged' consumer to put together a look

> The colour campaign Be Brave, Not Beige aims to bring vibrant colour into Ulster homes with a range of bold textiles

> Ikea's signature cutting edge design ethos at entry level prices. The only store to fuse fashion with functionality at affordable prices.

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