I’m a fan of Design Within Reach’s Cubitec shelving, as you know. I’ve used it in my daughter’s bedroom…
…twice, in fact…
…and I’ve recommended it for clients’ offices, family rooms, and TV rooms.
But here’s the thing. It’s not dirt cheap. Not if you want more than six boxes, which is what constitutes one kit.
One Cubitec kit is $245 or $265, depending on the depth. So double or triple that if you want significant shelving space.
Enter Ikea’s Expedit. It’s enormous. And it’s $199 for aaalllll those little boxes.
(You can go a little smaller – and even less expensive – but I’m trying to make a point here.)
Clients recently used the white Expedit in their daughter’s bedroom,
And a bossy basic client knocked my socks off with the Expedit in her living room
and children’s bedroom.
One of the reasons the Expedit looks so amazing in her house is that the shelves are EXTREMELY TIDY. My client wisely knows that with open shelving, everything’s on display, all the time. So it better look nice.
Look. I still think Cubitec is decent value – it’s certainly less expensive than wooden bookcases or built-ins – and has lots to recommend it. But if you’re looking for a SUPER inexpensive, stylish alternative, Ikea’s Expedit may be the way to go.
Annie Elliott – aka bossy color – is an interior decorator and design blogger in Washington, D.C. She has been quoted in publications from The Washington Post to Real Simple and is considered an expert on color, residential space planning, and telling people what to do in the nicest way possible.
