If moving away to college involved finding a cheap apartment and filling it with even cheaper furniture, there’s a strong chance you had at least one of Ikea’s Billy bookcases filled with textbooks. The Billy has been one of Ikea’s most iconic—and cheapest—pieces for over 30 years, and it’s now getting some upgrades to help improve its quality and appearance.
Available starting this August, the upgraded Billy will include a new veneer with improved durability, scratch resistance and, and a look more closely resembling actual wood. The shelves have been reinforced, so they can easily support the heaviest of tomes, while the number of visible screw holes has been reduced. There will also be glass shelves available for those without kids at home, and rounded edges over the entire piece to improve safety for those who do.
The only thing Ikea is presumably not changing is the Billy’s $99 price tag, and of course the half-hour you’ll need to dedicate to putting it together. [Ikea]
