Say Goodbye To Plain Wood Cabinets: IKEA Has A New Handwoven Design

Freestanding wooden cabinets have been central components of living and dining rooms for ages, and in many ways, their design hasn't changed much over the years. They're practical because they offer lots of storage space, but they can look a bit flat and uninteresting if they have plain doors and handles. The IKEA PS 2026 cabinet aims to shake things up visually for the modern era, and turn this staple furnishing into an eye-catching focal point. The main distinguishing element of this cabinet is its unique handwoven pine veneer doors. They have a one-of-a-kind, textured look that's meant to give the cabinet and the room it's in more character. They're somewhat reminiscent of a woven basket, but on a much larger scale. Like many of the Swedish retailer's products, the cabinet can complement all sorts of interior design styles.

The IKEA PS 2026 cabinet measures 55 inches tall and has three adjustable shelves, so it could be handy for storing just about anything. In the living room, you could use it for blankets, books, or board games. In the dining room, it could become an elegant china cabinet. It might not be a bad aesthetic addition to the end of a hallway, either. However, the cabinet is currently retailing for approximately $500, so it's not necessarily the cheapest product of its kind. Though its visual qualities will certainly appeal to some, many might look elsewhere when they're on the hunt for a new cabinet, especially if their goal is to buy furniture online without spending a fortune.

The PS 2026 cabinet is a part of IKEA's larger PS 2026 collection, which features a creative mix of bright colors, simplified wood textures, and blocky shapes. This cabinet, along with the PS 2026 nightstand and a couple tables under the PS header, provide a neutral base for some of the smaller, more decorative elements of the collection, which feature dramatic reds, pastel blues, and bold greens. The overall effect of the PS 2026 collection is distinctly modern. However, when you look at the woven-wood cabinet in isolation, it becomes a bit more flexible in terms of its style. The pine wood is natural and grounding, and you could easily paint it or stain it to give it a more finished look that matches the rest of the room it's in. Doing so could also help you avoid an interior design aesthetic that's quietly becoming outdated.

Despite its unique design, the IKEA PS 2026 cabinet hasn't garnered much praise from those who have tried it out. It's currently sitting at 3.2 stars out of five on IKEA's website — though with only nine total reviews so far. Many of the customers who were more critical were frustrated with the product's high price tag. Others note that there were some difficulties with getting the doors to align properly during assembly. If you're in the market for this sort of cabinet but you're not sold on IKEA's offerings, you may instead want to shop at the best places to buy furniture, per Consumer Reports.