IKEA the Book: Designers, Products and Other Stuff (Green Cover)

''Not for the rich but for the smart'' - a perfect motto for IKEA, the company that has spent half a century democratizing good design. This monumental, lavishly illustrated book - almost 500 full-color pages as full of beauty, bright ideas and cool surprises as a visit to IKEA itself - is the first complete presentation ever of the phenomenon that is the world's most successful furniture enterprise. It's an incredible resource for anyone interested in contemporary design and consumer culture.

From Swedish publisher Arvinius, this book tells IKEA's story from its origins as a mail-order company. It details breakthroughs like the invention of the hex wrench and the flat pack, which let the cutting-edge retail giant serve almost 600 million customers in 25 countries in 2009. Chapters showcase the hit parade of the most popular pieces over the decades (the Billy bookshelf has sold millions), and interviews with some of the chain's top designers reveal their surprising passion for the store and its visionary founder, Ingvar Kamprad.

This first-edition book itself is destined to be a collector's edition: impeccably printed in Europe, it is published with three different cover colors (pink, green and brown, each with its own ISBN). After a year or so, IKEA will offer its own mass-produced version in a smaller trim size and lower print quality. Like the vintage IKEA catalogs now selling on eBay, get this while you can.