Potter Barn's Cozy Throw Blanket Might Be On Sale, But IKEA Has An Even Cheaper Dupe

In the never-ending quest to decorate on the cheap, savvy homemakers often forgo shopping their favorite brands, opting instead to buy a knock-off from some generic vendor in a side-street shop. But what happens when two big brands, like Pottery Barn and IKEA, have the same cozy cotton fringe throw blanket go on sale? Well, smart shoppers still shop on the cheap, and in the battle of brands, this cozy IKEA essential wins on price.

In all fairness, the throw isn't the same brand. IKEA's throw is from the IKEA VALLKRASSING line. Pottery Barn's is comes to use via the brand's Open Box Outlet Deals. It's not until you look at Pottery Barn's sale price tag — just under $35 — and IKEA's price tag — just under $20 — that you see what a big difference there is. Under most circumstances, given Pottery Barn's normal prices, this would be a jump-on-it kinda thing for Pottery Barn shoppers, especially for those who just love snuggling under the brand's luxe linens and bedding. 

This Pottery Barn deal will go away eventually — before Black Friday rolls around. It was on sale because it was an item that was bought, opened, and returned, making it a Pottery Barn Outlet deal. The IKEA deal? Well, it seems it's always $20. Buying the item for full retail at Pottery Barn means parting with nearly $50 if you're buying for brand alone, and there isn't nothing wrong with wanting a PB blanket. However, if budget plays a big role in your decorating purchases, it pays to shop IKEA this time around.

The dimensions on the Pottery Barn piece are slightly smaller than the IKEA blanket, 47 inches by 60 inches versus 59 inches by 79 inches, respectively. The Pottery Barn version of the Turkish cotton blanket is available in Coral Blush. IKEA offers its cotton throw in off-white, gray-green, light blue-gray, and light gray-brown. However, given that each throw features a fringed bottom and a waffle-y kind of pattern throughout and both are made of cotton, they look pretty much the same.

Both are machine washable, though the PB version needs to go into the delicate cycle. IKEA suggests washing its blanket on warm with no bleach. The PB outlet deal also comes with a bit of disclaimer. Because some of the brand's returned items can best be described as "gently used," there is a chance that you'll end up with a blanket that shows signs of wear-and-tear. Same goes for the packaging. 

All of those reasons aside, it's reasonable to think that some shoppers may be looking at more than just a price tag for a purchase like this. The Pottery Barn throw blanket is made of Turkish cotton, which is only slightly less snugly than luxury Egyptian cotton. You can thank Turkish cotton's long fibers for its smooth softness. For those shoppers who want a chance at owning something made of Turkish cotton, this sale might be the chance to make that happen. For that, paying the extra cash might be the Pottery Barn hack you've been waiting for.