1. 212 million copies of this year’s Ikea catalogue have been printed, in 29 different languages, making it twice as widely distributed as the Bible (there are an estimated 100 million bibles either sold or given out each year). 2. The first item of Ikea flatpack furniture was the LOVET, a leaf-shaped side table, which first appeared in the 1956 catalogue. 3. Ikea’s first shop was set up in Almhult, southern Sweden, and was 6,700 square metres. The average Ikea is now about 32,000 square meters. 4. Ikea employs 150,000 people, or “co-workers”, as they are called. 5. Ikea is named after the initials of its founder, Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd, the farm on which grew up and Agunnaryd, the nearby village. 6. Ingvar Kamprad, the founder, first started selling matchboxes as a child, before selling fountain pens, cigarette lighters and nylon stockings. The company was incorporated in 1943. 7. Between September 1 2012, and October 25 2012, it sold 503,441 Billy bookcases around the world.

It is its most popular product 8. Its upholstered furniture is usually named after Swedish place names, its chairs after Swedish men's names, its garden furniture after Swedish islands, its curtains after Swedish women's names. ‘Dick’, ‘Prick’ and ‘Bugga’ are all names that nearly made it into production. 9. When it first entered the USA market, Ikea could not understand why its small flower vases were selling so well. It turned out they were being used as big tumblers. 10. 85 per cent of all of its products are common to all of its stores around the world. 11. Last year it distributed 2.5 billion little wooden dowels, which hold its furniture together, and 50 million Allen keys 12. Ikea has 287 stores in 26 countries. It has none in South America or Africa but is planning one in Cairo, Egypt, soon. 13. Kamprad first opened a restaurant in an Ikea shop in 1960, after he realised too many people visited the shop, but left without buying because they were hungry.

Ikea estimates it has sold 11.6 billion Swedish meatballs and 1.2 billion hotdogs to its British customers since it opened in the UK in 1987. 14. Ikea made €1.2 billion turnover from selling food at its restaurants in 2011. 15. Ikea’s total turnover was €24.7 billion in 2011, up by 7 per cent on the year before. 16. Ikea sources 20 per cent of its raw materials from China. It was one of the first companies to source from China, when Kamprad bought 20km of cut-price denim, which was used for sofa upholstery. 17. 60 per cent of its products ultimately derive from the forest 18. The first Ikea store in the UK was opened in 1987 in Warrington. 19. Ikea originally wanted to open near London, but chose this location because the Warrington and Runcorn Development corporation invited the retailer to be part of its regeneration plans for the area. 20. Ikea’s next UK shop is planned for Reading 21. UK customers have bought 12.8 million mattresses from Ikea since 1987, nearly one for every two households in the UK.

An estimated one in five children in Britain have been conceived in an Ikea bed. 22. Its highest selling product line in the MALM, a range of bedroom chest of drawers and beds 23. Ikea furniture and products uses between 800 to 1,000 different types of screw 24. Last year 60 million hinges were distributed by Ikea 25. Pre-tax profits increased from £3.27bn to £3.76bn in the year to August 2011.With more and more folks opting to live in cozier urban quarters, murphy beds have been increasing in popularity as a way to fit all of the necessities of life into a studio apartment. chair floor mat ikeaWhether they flip down from the wall or out from behind bookshelves, these double-duty furniture pieces come in a bevy of different styles, finishes and configurations. pool lounge chairs with cushions

Read on for some of our favorite wall bed picks, from sophisticated top-of-the-line models to affordable DIY versions! The Ulisse bed is perfect for offices that double as guest bedrooms – or if you’re a workaholic that just can’t seem to tear yourself away from your desk. The multi-use piece serves as a 5-foot desk during the day and folds down into a queen-size bed. The best part is that opening the bed doesn’t disturb your work, so you can pick up right where you left off the next morning.bean bag chairs health effects If you’re looking for a custom solution, the Closet Factory can design a wall bed that is specifically outfitted to your requirements. egg swing chair whiteWhether you want additional storage or an uncommon width, they can come up with something that is perfectly tailored to your needs.best chairs to put around a firepit

But not all fold-out beds need to transform into flat walls. If you’re looking for a way to maximize seating as well as sleeping space, these sofa murphy beds from Montana Murphy Beds get both jobs done and even feature extra built-in storage on the sides. It’s true that some wall beds can be cost-prohibitive, but check out this version built by the folks over at Your Modern Family for under just $150. It took them about four hours using materials you can find readily available at the hardware store like 2X4s, plywood and door hinges.bean bag chair for nursery We all know how versatile IKEA’s Billy bookcases are, and here is yet another cool use for them. chair leg caps indiaSubmitted to IKEA Hackers by Frondon of Germany, this clever bed remains hidden behind two bookshelves until it’s time to go to sleep.cheap electric reclining chairs