We at G@H worship at the altar of IKEA. The world’s largest furniture retailer catches flak in certain circles. Critics see it as a place college students flock for cheap, assembly-required furniture. That may be true, but do not miss the forest for the trees. IKEA provides a sanctuary of clean, modern style. Its products are unique, well-designed and affordable.

As discerning gentlemen, we shop methodically and spend shrewdly. Despite our prudence, we cannot visit IKEA without dropping major cash. Never, though, have we felt regret. We use that potato press, a lot. Try finding a better deal on a side table with built-in bowls. And, who could live without a transparent chair?

Join us and drink the lingonberry-flavored Kool-Aid. Here are G@H’s five favorite things about Sweden’s greatest export, IKEA.

5. Furniture with Interchangeable Covers

This EKTORP side chair resides in a G@H editor’s living room. It is a sturdy piece with a nifty name. We really dig its interchangeable covers. Like a mood ring, the chair can transform colors based on your whimsy. Options come in Blekinge white, Idemo red, Svanby gray, and others.

4. Badass Displays

IKEA’s showroom delivers loads of inspiration. Designers have erected model bathrooms, kitchens and even a 391 square-foot apartment. If you are an enterprising gent, try to replicate IKEA’s handiwork in your home. We at G@H know our limitations as craftsmen.

3. Build Your Own Storage

Remember those choose-your-adventure books? They were awesome. IKEA offers the same thrill but for household storage. You customize everything – doors, drawers, inserts, shelves, etc. People make entertainment centers, pantries and home libraries. We built a bar. Biggest. Surprise. Ever.

2. Kitchen Toys

If you think of IKEA exclusively as a furniture store, you are mistaken. It carries home goods of all kind. We love IKEA’s kitchen paraphernalia. It is not the fanciest available, but it is functional and economical. IKEA sells salad spinners for $3.99 for God’s sake.

1. Distinctive Lighting

Any decorator will tell you that lighting makes the difference. It sets the ambience. It extenuates choice features. It keeps you from crashing into the wall at night. IKEA understands the art of Illumination. It has a glorious lighting selection, which includes spotlights, floor lamps, track lighting and pendant lights. Pictured below is the TISDAG LED wall lamp.