Good quality, stylish and affordable (Ikea Billy Bookcases)

Member Name: Nichelette

Product:	Ikea Billy Bookcases
Date:	11/03/09 (471 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very sturdy

Disadvantages: There aren't really any major disadvantages

The second I first set foot in an IKEA store I became, like many others, a huge fan. IKEA have hit the nail right on the head when it comes to providing good quality, modern stylish furniture at affordable prices. I'd say at least half of the furniture in my home is from IKEA and I've been very impressed with all of it, not least their Billy bookcases.

Currently ranging from prices as low as £20 right up to £240, there is a Billy bookcase to suit all budgets. Although they are very reasonably priced they are of very good quality. This is the thing which has kept me coming back to IKEA. I have a couple of these bookcases, both of which are predominantly full of very thick, heavy hardback books. In the past I've often experienced bookcases with shelves which start to bow under the weight of these books, but that simply isn't the case with the Billy bookcase which seem ready to tackle anything.

Of course coming from IKEA the bookcase is supplied to you flat packed, but they do come with easy (yes, that does say easy!) to follow instructions, so (dependent on size) you could be marvelling at your new bookcase in as little as half an hour.

Once you have assembled the basic carcass of the bookcase the other great thing is that you are free to position the shelves wherever you like as there are plenty of pre-drilled holes for you to choose from. This is an advantage over most regular bookcases if you own a lot of large books. Even better, if you want more shelves these can also be purchased separately for a reasonable price from the store.

I own masses of books, and recently when I realised that the top of my wardrobe was bowing due to the weight from my books I realised that it was time to invest in another of these bookcases. That's the great thing about the Billy range, they come in lots of different shapes and sizes, but these all fit together really well. Another advantage to these bookcases is that if you have more than one of them (of the same height) it is possible to attach them to each other using a small bit of metal at the top of the unit. This is very useful as it does make them more stable and prevent them from moving apart.

The other great thing about this range is that IKEA also sell an affordable extension to the bookcase which is simply attached to the top. This is a great option if your bookcase is full to bursting but you don't have room for a whole other bookcase. More recently they have also started selling a book/magazine rail to complement the range.

Although I've never personally used them, it is also possible to buy matching glass and wood finish doors for these bookcases should you wish to hide your literature away.

Currently there are four colour choices for this particular bookcase: birch veneer, medium brown, oak veneer and white. Obviously this isn't made of solid wood, but at this price you wouldn't expect it to be.

All in all this is an excellent sturdy, affordable modular unit which can be built to your own particular needs, and in my opinion is a great buy.

Summary: A great buy