Billy has a major birthday this year. The iconic (or basic, depending on your point of view) bookcase from Swedish flat-box retailer Ikea has reached a milestone in its life. This year, Billy turns the big 3-0. Designed by Gillis Lundgren, who was Ikea’s fourth employee and also developed the flat-package concept, the bookcase was introduced in 1979. Today, more than 41 million Billys have been sold worldwide, and they continue to be made non-stop in the village of Kättilstorp, Sweden, where, each night, more than 6,000 flatpacks go out the door.

To celebrate Billy’s big day, Ikea has introduced several new colors to the line. Now, in addition to black, white, and a couple wood tones, you can get a Billy in red, blue, and silver, along with three limited-edition patterns. But how do you class-up a bookcase that costs as little as $59.99? Keep reading for our five tips. [Ikea Fans]

Ikea, watch out. H&M is set to take over your entire world.

H&M gave shoppers all over a thrill just a few weeks ago when the store announced that Internet shopping would finally be available in the coming months. But they’re not stopping with that. Now, they’re ready to get into the home goods arena, so not only your wardrobe can be filled with H&M, but your home can be decked out as well. So far the site features bed linens and bathroom towels, but there’s also a section for organic cotton and rugs, so really it’s only a matter of time before it’s a full blown Ikea competitor. Let the cheap yet stylish Swedish homewares war begin! Ironically, the first area that H&M has begun to cater their sheets and pillows to is Sweden.

Capital punishment meets modern design, predictably at a low cost and with a name you can’t pronounce. Once you manage to assemble Ikea’s sleek SOKKOMB guillotine, you’ll be able to carry out justice by ridding the world of traitors, those who commit crimes against liberty, and any remaining relatives of Louis XVI. With its natural wood finish, the SOKKOMB line can also compliment pieces from the GRUNDTAL and VÄRDE series. [Facebook via Graphism.fr]

You probably won’t find Michelle and Barry O. making eyes over a plate of Swedish meatballs in the cafe any time soon (though you never do know!), but The New York Times is claiming more and more of us are heading to the Scandinavian superstore for a few romantic moments alone. Ahh, love amongst the Lack storage solutions! And parents are taking full advantage of the child care centers called “Smaland,” dumping the little rugrats off for up to an hour and a half of supervised playtime in the ball pit, and heading to the couch section to read the paper together in silence. (Actually, Ikea estimates that “Smaland” attendance has jumped roughly 20 percent so far this year in its stores in major American cities.)

I bet it makes for a tab that you’ll both be fighting to pay. Don’t worry, sweetums, it’s my treat this time! [NY Times]

Designer babies may be the new thing for couples that have extra bucks in the bank and can afford to have the perfect child. But what about those younger, poorer pairs who want offspring? Like those of us who don’t have the funds to afford fancy furniture and instead purchase cheap, assemble-it-yourself starter stuff, these wannabe-parents will make a trip to Ikea. BÅB is a newborn baby that comes in a flat box to cut down on costs. Genius!

Actually, BÅB isn’t real. If you were hoping for the baby equivalent of the BILLY bookshelf, sorry. BÅB was a joke created by a mathematician with a sense of humor. It’s a good thing BÅB doesn’t really exist, because upwardly mobile couples might get rid of their starter babies in exchange for designer babies when the economy bounces back. [The Daily Beast]

We picked a few things from Ikea’s new summer collection to help you with your first warm-weather party. Just add mojitos.