I’ve become even more intrigued by Beijing’s IKEA after learning from Yimei that the one she visits in Shanghai is quite different (i.e. much more orderly and conventional). I guess these scenes are perhaps truly unique to this city.

Hopefully the following snapshots give some idea of how Swedish marketing genius and Beijinger attitude have mixed to turn a multi-storey shopping complex into something that feels far more like a community centre/social hotspot/family lounge. It really is a fascinating, if somewhat overwhelming, place.

Allow me to take you on a short guided tour…

Here’s the common room for recreation:

Well, this works as a common room too:

Here’s a transit lounge/waiting area:

An awkward dinner party:

A romantic getaway for two:

A patio social:

A corner for a good old heart-to-heart (all it’s missing is tea or coffee):

A cozy book-filled corner for a kid to have a daydream or two:

An office space if you’ve some urgent paperwork to catch up on, like these two apparently do:

Some nicely furnished family nooks:

Plenty of spots for general chilling (/furniture fatigue recovery):

Easily accessible napping areas:

And lastly, quite a few people find a time and place for some thoughtfulness or detachment from it all: