(no subject)

The IKEA Effect is a phenomenon where people value things they personally have helped to make more highly than things other people have made for them, even if what they have partially made is of lower quality than the alternative. Because dammit, they worked hard on that thing, basically.

I've been in the market for a new dresser for a while now and was originally going to go to IKEA for mine. I often like their style of furniture. The last few times I looked through their dresser selection, though, I didn't see anything I liked- and I kept having memories of a MALM chest of drawers I had that really didn't work out well in the end, not even a little bit. So I thought, hey, why not look into other options? I checked Craiglist, but didn't run across anything I really fancied, and then I started looking at stores selling new stuff, and I did see some nice things. I was starting to get ready to order from one place in Boston when I saw their Yelp rating and winced at some of the reviews.

Then I ran across Bostonwood, which admittedly has a name that sounds like it ought to trigger web filters. They sell locally made solid wood furniture that almost always comes completely assembled (their beds require a little bit of time with a screwdriver). It's just that they sell it unfinished, so you have to do the staining and varnishing and such yourself.

I'm thinking that a couple of hours with a tarp and a couple of sponges will be more than enough IKEA effect for me this time around. I've had about enough of hex wrenches for now.