RISATORP Basket with Compartments (White, 33x24x23 cm)

Another stunner in the Risatorp basket world. This is a large basket with an inner bamboo divider and handle. It's made of the same materials as the rest of the line (white mesh and bamboo) in the wonderful  Skandy style that I love. 

 

This basket is quite heavy, but it can be easy transported by the handle. The divider is great to keep different things separate. Like other Risatorp baskets I own, it's versatile. I've used it as bathroom toiletries container; one side for hair products, the other for cosmetics. I've used it as art desk organiser; I kept it on the floor with some basic painting tools and a water bottle. I've also used it to store socks and stockings, one on each compartmen. Ditto for my workdays bras & panties, to have them at hand when I dress for work in the morning. I think this is perfect for a picnic or to carry small items of food and drinks to a foodie get-together. 

The inner wooden pieces have to be assembled. I found the positioning and screwing of them a bit tricky, but nothing really difficult.

 

DESIGNER Wiebke Braasch.

 

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TROTTEN Storage Unit on Castors (White, 35x47 cm)

I have two of these and I was going to buy another two when the product was discontinued in Australia (still available in other countries' Ikea). 

The versatility of the product, how easy is to tuck it away and the many rooms I can use it in, make it a perfect storage solution for my home. I can use it as office storage, which is what was designed for. I can also use this unit as a sofa coffee table in my living room to keep a water bottle, mugs, glasses, napkins and other coffee/tea tools easily tucket away. I can use it as bedside table to store my pyjamas, sleepers/ugg boots, and a light throw). I currently use it as an office storage box with materials that I don't use often, and I've put an Eket cube with door on it, and they look fabulous together.  

 

The Skandi style is minimalist but eye-catching. The bamboo lid is excellent quality, very thick, sturdy and good looking. The shell is metallic, coated in an elegant matte antique-white epoxy. It's easy to carry around by hand if I don't put much stuff inside; otherwise, the castors do the job. Despite it's apparently wobbliness, this unit can securely hold tons of stuff inside and on top of it. The castors are also excellent, and roll smoothly.

 

The main downside of this unit was the tricky assembly. The instructions leaflet is good. You have to click in the different panels together, align them properly, and then insert the castors' screws perfectly as these are the only thing that hold the structure together. Getting all perfectly aligned without the structure falling apart was difficult. The unit looks less sturdy than it is. 

 

DESIGNER Francis Cayouette

ASSEMBLY LEAFLET

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