---
layout: post
status: publish
published: true
title: Design, Innovation and Hacking in a couch
author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
author_login: jlengrand
author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
wordpress_id: 608
wordpress_url: http://www.lengrand.fr/?p=608
date: 2012-05-29 09:23:30.000000000 +02:00
categories:
- misc
tags:
- design
- ikea
- manstad
- hacking
- cool stuff
comments:
- id: 1059
  author: Rich Jones - Gun.io
  author_email: rich@gun.io
  author_url: http://gun.io
  date: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Love the post!\r\n\r\nMaaaaan, I know about the 'Lack'. I know _allllllll_
    about the 'Lack.' Great shitty table."
- id: 1061
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  content: Shitty materials perhaps, but I still have had dozens of them without even
    breaking one. If you use it as a table, it won't let you down :)
- id: 1064
  author: Edwin Martin
  author_email: edwin@bitstorm.org
  author_url: http://www.bitstorm.org/
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxMjo1NDoyMSArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "\"let’s say 10 if you have guys with a bier in the hand already sitting
    there\"\r\n\r\nBier? That's a Dutch word. You're French, writing English and use
    a Dutch word? Later is see you now live in the Netherlands. That explains :-)\r\n\r\nBy
    the way, I still use furniture from Ikea I bought when I was a student, more than
    twenty years ago. Who said Ikea furniture is low-quality?"
- id: 1065
  author: mike
  author_email: mike@cyberstalk.me
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
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  content: I live on my MÅNSTAD couch. My single complaint is the strength of the
    connection that holds the arms on. If the shorter arm/side becomes loose, the
    pullout extension's anchor fails, leading to it rolling away.
- id: 1066
  author: Eax
  author_email: eax.exe+lengrand@gmail.com
  author_url: http://eax.dk
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "My girlfriend and I have no slept on our Månstad couch for nearly a
    year, and we are absolutely not as satisfied as you are, unfortunately.\r\nAfter
    about 2 months we both had back-pains and had to add an extra 10cm mattress on
    top :(\r\n\r\nIt also collects dust like crazy."
- id: 1067
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Sorry to hear that :S. \r\nIf you read the instructions though, you'll
    specifically see written that it should not be used as an everyday bed. \r\nIkea
    (ans dozens of furniture sellers) have plenty of other solutions for that. \r\nIn
    your case, I indeed agree that the mattress is mandatory. \r\n\r\nAs for dust,
    can't say because it is covered with sheets because of the cat :)"
- id: 1068
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "My dutch is way to limited for now; I wouldn't dare writing a blog post
    in dutch ^^.\r\nBier is a dutch word? I thought an appropriate translation was
    Grolsch . . . (or is it Amstel ? :) )"
- id: 1070
  author: Per Persson
  author_email: md2perpe@gmail.com
  author_url: http://facebook.com/md2perpe
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: Do you know who this man is? http://goo.gl/9H7vL
- id: 1071
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
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  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Well, Wikipedia told it to me\r\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingvar_Kamprad\r\n\r\nAnd
    ?"
- id: 1072
  author: Philibert Perusse
  author_email: philibertperusse@hotmail.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxNDo1NDowNSArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Regarding the LACK table, I must point out that there is not actual
    wood on its exterior. If you look carefully, you will find that the finishing
    is made with a very thin piece of paper/film printed with the pattern/color (Birch,
    Red, Brown-Black). It can be seen more easily on the legs of the table where you
    can see the seem where the film wraps over on on of the four edges of the leg.\r\n\r\nWhich
    is one of the many reason it is so cheap (I actually own two of them + a few EXPEDIT
    items which are made with a similar technique). Tough, the finishing is less though
    than actual wood and cannot be repaired if scratched or if film peels-off.\r\n\r\nWhile
    on the interior, not only is it paper (or more accurately I think a kind of thin
    MDF substrate). But it is made in a honeycomb-like pattern. Which makes the pieces
    very stiff while having a lot of empty space inside, thus lighter, saving both
    on material and shipping. And the pieces do not bend like wood could."
- id: 1073
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxNToxMTowMSArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Thanks Philibert. \r\n\r\nI did not extend on the LACK table because
    it was not the point point of the article, but you did it for me :)\r\n\r\nApparently,
    I am not the only one to have tore down a LACK table :)"
- id: 1074
  author: Per Persson
  author_email: md2perpe@gmail.com
  author_url: http://facebook.com/md2perpe
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxNToxMToyNiArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxNDoxMToyNiArMDIwMA==
  content: ! "Thank him for IKEA! He's the founder.\r\n\r\nIKEA is an acronym standing
    for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd, where the last to names are the place where
    he grew up."
- id: 1075
  author: Sameer Alibhai
  author_email: abdullah.adam@gmail.com
  author_url: http://www.agilechai.com
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxNToxNzo1NyArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "I dont know why but I really enjoy having real wood.  Something about
    it feels good.\r\nEven if it costs more."
- id: 1076
  author: Joe
  author_email: josgraha@gmail.com
  author_url: ''
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxNToyNToxOSArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: That's one _uncomfortable_ couch. (just sayin)
- id: 1077
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxNToyNzo0NyArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "In some years, I guess I'll want too :).\r\nI was a bit tired after
    having spent two months eating on the floor ;)"
- id: 1078
  author: Julien Lengrand-Lambert
  author_email: julien@lengrand.fr
  author_url: http://www.lengrand.fr
  date: !binary |-
    MjAxMi0wNS0yOSAxNToyODozMyArMDIwMA==
  date_gmt: !binary |-
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  content: ! "Cool Stuff, actually I learnt a lot by reading the article :). \r\n\r\nThanks
    !"
---
As a 'starter in life', I have always been grateful to <a title="ikea" href="http://www.ikea.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Ikea</strong> </a>for providing classy, cozy and functional furnitures at low prices.

I am a <strong>huge</strong> fan, at a point that most of the times I need anything I turn myself towards Ikea even before checking what else there can be out there.
<div>Dropping <a title="about me" href="http://www.lengrand.fr/welcome-in-my-world/" target="_blank">out of school</a> in late 2010, I had only a few days to find a flat and get furnitures in Nantes before starting working at Advansee.</div>
<div>I went to Ikea, rented a small truck and ten hours later I had a <strong>full Ikea house</strong> (from the very fork and spoon to the bed/matress). As fool as it may sound, I had spared money for the three last years in order to have a 'proper' house when starting in life. The main reason is that I am kind of a 'home' guy, but this is another story. . .</div>
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div>In the middle of the huge list of items, there was <strong><a title="manstad" href="http://www.ikea.com/ca/fr/catalog/products/90198978/?query=manstad" target="_blank">this corner couch</a>.</strong></div>
<div>

<img title="Manstad Couch" src="http://www.ikea.com/ca/fr/images/products/manstad-canape-lit-dangle-avec-rangement__75652_PE194140_S4.jpg" alt="the perfect ikea couch" width="500" height="500" />

</div>
<div></div>
<div>Even though the price is 100 $ cheaper in France; it can sound quite expensive for a couch, especially for a freshly graduated student.</div>
<div></div>
<div>But look a bit closer, and be amazed:</div>
<div>
<ul>
	<li><strong>The chaise contains a huge trunk</strong>, where I can fit all my bed sheets, duvet and pillows and even my bath towels (and occasionally some Christmas presents).</li>
	<li>The couch itself can be transformed into a<strong> 2 people (160x200) bed</strong> in less than 5 seconds (let's say 10 if you have guys with a bier in the hand already sitting there).</li>
	<li>It ships into 3 packages, each <strong>exactly fitting into a 4 people (french) car</strong>. No need to be delivered if you are a bit patient and agree to do it in three rows.</li>
</ul>
</div>

My ikea couch in a normal state
<div>

<a href="{{ site.url }}/images/posts/2012/05/2012-05-28-21.00.31.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-609" title="My Manstad " src="{{ site.url }}/images/posts/2012/05/2012-05-28-21.00.31.jpg" alt="my ikea couch" width="640" height="480" /></a>

</div>

Same Ikea couch, ready to receive!
<div>

<a href="{{ site.url }}/images/posts/2012/05/2012-05-28-21.01.17.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-610" title="Ikea couch, deployed" src="{{ site.url }}/images/posts/2012/05/2012-05-28-21.01.17.jpg" alt="Ikea couch deployed" width="640" height="480" /></a>

</div>
<div>The couch is really smooth, the trunk really huge and the bed awesome (no "ouch my back hurts like hell!" when getting up in the morning). I even had my 70 year old grand-parents and then slept like babies.</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>So when summarizing, for the price of a couch I get a couch, a guest bed and a chest.</strong> Who still says it is expensive ?</div>
<div><strong>But the story does not end there !</strong></div>
<div></div>
<div>After one year and a half  in France, my girlfriend and me<a title="job space" href="http://www.lengrand.fr/job-space/" target="_blank"> decided to leave the country </a>(working abroad gets really addictive once you tried it :) ) So we found a job in <a title="my linkedin" href="http://nl.linkedin.com/pub/julien-lengrand-lambert/14/660/551/en" target="_blank">the Netherlands</a>. We left in such a rush due to several reason I had to sell all my furnitures in one month. . . and even my lovely couch. It was by far the item I loved most in my flat (even before my computer).</div>
<div>Several months later, finally both having a job and settled in a proper flat; we could think about getting new furniture. I was decided to look<em> everywhere but Ikea</em> for my new stuff this time (never good to always stick to the same habits). So I searched on the web and in stores for several weeks, but still having my old lovely couch in mind. . . I finally went to the Ikea's website . . . to learn that <strong>the price of my couch had dropped by 130 $ !</strong></div>
<div>When looking closer, I realized that there was some differences :</div>
<div>Where in the first version of the couch you had to choose where you want your chaise, everything is now symmetrical, and you choose where to place it <strong>as you build the furniture</strong>.</div>
<div>

<center><a href="{{ site.url }}/images/posts/2012/05/symetrical.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-611" title="Ikea Manstad is now symmetrical" src="{{ site.url }}/images/posts/2012/05/symetrical.png" alt="picture of the couch manual" width="537" height="755" /></a></center>

</div>
<div><strong> What does it mean for Ikea ?</strong></div>
<div>
<ul>
	<li>Ikea now has<strong> only one product to store instead of 2</strong>. Storage space is saved, and  I guess several errors from customers avoided.</li>
	<li>Ikea obviously saves money by <strong>reducing the number of elements to manufacture</strong>. Instead of two sets of couches, it is now only one with twice the production volume. I expect the manufacturing costs to drop dramatically.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div><strong>What does it mean for me? </strong></div>
<div>
<ul>
	<li>I saved 100 Euro.</li>
	<li>If I change flat (or mood), I can also change my couch's layout</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>Well, they got me there I must say. There was only one thing left to do :<strong> buy the couch (and change color this time :)). </strong></div>
<div>Ikea always impressed me by the cleverness they use to reduce their prices (like creating the <a title="lack table Ikea" href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40104270/" target="_blank">cheapest table ever</a>. The table is in fact <strong>filled with paper</strong> and wood is used only for the external part); but what amazes is that <strong>they actually echo these price cuts to their customers</strong> !</div>
<div><strong>Ikea, you have all my respect (and my love).</strong></div>
<div></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>Special kudos for <a title="julien" href=" http://www.linkedin.com/pub/julien-deparday/18/5aa/948" target="_blank">Julien </a>and <a title="Gaelle" href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ga%C3%ABlle-le-texier/22/423/209" target="_blank">Gaelle </a>for helping out so much with the couch.</em></div>
