3/15/2025

SOLHETTA LED Buln GU10 (345 lumen, dimmable)

I've been using this with my Sambord lamp. Nothing fancy about it. You plug it, rotate it a bit till clicks, and voila. This Solhetta warm light is perfect to create a relaxing atmosphere and for bedroom settings not as much for office settings. I realised I had ordered a warm white and not a cool white after receiving the order. I prefer cool white lighting for the office as this bulb doesn't light to a distance, or, said differently, is perfect for reading, if you are close to the lamp, but not as much to light half of the room or a good portion of it or help me at my computer. Also, I think the watts are too small for my room. My lamp is not dimmable, but this bulb is, so I can use it with a dimmable lamp I have. The expected life for this bulb is 25K hours and its power is like a 50W traditional bulb.
 
DESIGNER IKEA of Sweden

 

SMARRA Box with Lid (Natural, 30x30x23 cm)

I was delaying the purchase of this basket due to the price but, after having this in my wish list for over two years, I thought it was time to take the plunge.  
 
The basket is made of woven bamboo (a product I  love) coated in translucent lacquer. It looks organic, beautiful and elegant. I was able to put all my sewing materials inside, with plenty of space still left. It's also perfect to store phone charges, cables and small electric items inside, and any sort of crafty materials.

After having this at home, there are several things that I'd like to mention before you purchase this basket:
  1. The colour in the photos and the one you get is different, as the former is a bit more caramel-ish. It's lighter than other bamboo products I've purchased from Ikea. 
  2. This box is really large, so its volume might overwhelm the decor of a small room. It looks great inside cube furniture or on large shelves, though. 
  3. Despite its size and good looks, this isn't a solid basket. It woven loosely and has no internal reinforcements. I reinforced the bottom and the lid with some drawer mat leftovers,which are rigid by light. I wouldn't be storing anything heavy inside for this very reason. Volume doesn't always equal strength. 
  4. The lid doesn't lock securely, so it easily goes off if you stumble upon the basket. 
Overall, this is a lovely good-looking large decorative basket that you can use to store light stuff and hide clutter from view. However, it isn't sturdy. I find this product overpriced due to everything I've said.

DESIGNER IKEA of Sweden
 

SAMBORD Floor Reading Lamp (Black & White)

This Sambord floor and reading lamp is replacing my old studio/office lamp. I wanted something that occupies minimal space, doesn't have much cable out and with and adjustable head. This lamp fits the bill at a terrific price. The head is made of plastic and the rest is made of metal coated in powder paint.
 
The base is really heavy and holds the lamp tube firmly. The upper curved part of the lamp is made of flexible silicone, so you can bend it and adjust the head position, from totally upright to bend to suit my needs. This flexible part blends with the metallic tube beautifully. The cable goes inside the tube. The switch button is on top of the lamp head. 
 
This lamps with a two-point plug LED lamp that you need to purchase separately. Yet, it costs little.  
 
The assembly leaflet is super easy to follow and requires just your fingers and a wrench. 
 
For the price, you cannot expect the best lamp out there, but this is a terrific well-designed product that works well, is functional, looks well and costs little. 
 
DESIGNER Jens Fager
 

DAIDAI Plant Pot (Brass colour, 9 cm)

This is a small metallic plant pot covered in a matt brass coat. It has a vintage look but, due to being matte, it doesn't look tacky or cheap. I use it as holder for different office tools on my desk (scissors, cutting pens, fountain pens, hand cream and what's not). It goes well with the Scandy style of my home studio. Great price. 
DESIGNER Unknown

3/12/2025

YYXR Women Black Elastic Trimmer Belt

I bought this belt for work out of desperation. I wasn't sure whether the sizing would be true or the quality good for the price or would look good on me. I was positively surprised because sizing was correct (perfect), and the belt looks neat, polished and professional. The buckle is quite flat, so it doesn't add bulk to my waist. This sort of belt is really flattering as it helps create a narrow waist; besides, it perfectly tidies up skirts with a loose waist. The minimalist design is perfect as it's almost invisible. For the rest, it's very comfortable to wear all day long despite sitting for many hours.

The only downside is the elastic material appearance, which looks a bit unpolished and cheap from a closer look. Yet, nothing that most people would notice from a close distance. 

Excellent value for money.

3/10/2025

Pledge Gentle Wood Floor Cleaner 500 ml

I bought this brand because the one I normally use was not available. I use this cleaner as per the instructions. Unlike other floorboard cleaners, this one has the texture of honey or thick oil.

Two cups of the product in half or three-quarters of the bucket water are enough to get a lot of lather. This product spreads beautifully but the lather doesn't stay on the floor. The water spreads differently on the floor when I use this product even though I use the same mop as with the other brands. This cleaner leaves my floorboards really clean and shiny.

The scent is OK; not a chemical odour, but still noticeable and odd.

I use a self-polishing from another brand when this is dry, and they go together beautifully.

Good value for money.

VARIERA Drawer Mat (150 cm)

This is a large roll of thick good quality rugged plastic that can be used to protect kitchen drawers, cupboard shelves,  kitchen tops,  shelves in general, and even as floor mat on which to place small items of furniture. It can be cut easily. I placed part of it on top of my washing machine to protect it from the metal baskets I have on to of it, and it's great. It also limits the movement of the baskets when the washing machine is spinning. Great price and quality., and so many uses I can give it to it.