The most fashionable of flatpack furniture (Ikea Expedit Bookcase)

Member Name: jamesontheroad

Product:	Ikea Expedit Bookcase
Date:	21/01/09 (930 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Clever design means coherent storage for books, files and stuff; larger units work as room dividers

Disadvantages: The usual flat pack words of caution: if you're not confident about them get someone to build 'em

If you know Ikea, you'll know Billy, the Swedish store's most successful and versatile bookshelf system. Billy comes in dozens of possible configurations, with different colours, heights and widths for rooms of every shape and size. However, if you want something a little different, and dare I say it, something a little more aesthetically pleasing for keeping books and files in, why not consider Ikea's lesser known range of storage units called Expedit?

Expedit is, admittedly, less versatile than Billy. Units come in just three melamine finishes: black-brown, birch and plain white, and there are fewer basic shapes and sizes. But what's clever about Expedit is its simple design principle: a bookcase formed with a thicker outer frame (approx 5cm thick) and thinner inner shelves and dividers (approx 1.5cm thick) that form square storage spaces approximately 33cm wide and tall.

Expedit come in the following sizes:

- Two squares wide by two squares tall (approx £39, Width: 79 cm, Depth: 39 cm, Height: 79 cm, Max load/shelf: 13 kg)
- Five squares by one square (approx £39, Width: 44 cm, Depth: 39 cm, Height: 185 cm, Max load/shelf: 13 kg)
- Four squares by two (approx £29, Width: 79 cm, Depth: 39 cm, Height: 149 cm, Max load/shelf: 13 kg)
- Four squares by four (approx £69, Width: 149 cm, Depth: 39 cm, Height: 149 cm, Max load/shelf: 13 kg)
- Five squares by five (approx £109, Width: 185 cm, Depth: 39 cm, Height: 185 cm, Max load/shelf: 13 kg).

While two Expedit shelves can't be attached into one, if you have a tall Victorian room like us, you can stack the larger square units on top of each other. Wall fixings are provided and strongly recommended for the larger shelves; they also allow the narrow shelves to be placed vertically up against the wall. Various Ikea legs are also available, and our most successful purchase was a five squares wide by one square tall unit which we mounted on legs and use as a long, low focus bookcase.

The clever squares design ties different units in the same room together, and also provides a clever way of organising your disparate books, files, magazine racks or objects. A variety of doors and snug fitted storage boxes are also available in store, so that you can fill your Expedit with a mix of books, files, toys, materials etc and it all looks neat and tidy.

My description may not have done Expedit justice, so check out www.ikea.co.uk/expedit for dimensions, images and prices. Look out for specially designed accessories in the Market Place zone of the store; various boxes and doors can easily be added to personalise you shelves. All Expedit shelves are flat pack, and the solid chipboard frames aren't light. Two people are needed to lift them from the warehouse to your trolley and car; the longest dimension of the assembled shelf will give you an idea of whether you can fit them in your vehicle. Assembly is easy enough, but a soft mallet (and maybe a thick towel or cushion) will help you gently tap the larger pieces together.

Summary: Classy, timeless modern design, and very reasonably priced.