Every once in a while, Ikea introduces a piece that goes on to become a hard-to-find, oft-sleuthed-for collector’s item. This week they released a whole bunch.
Stockholm 2025, released to mark 40 years of the Stockholm line, features all-new offerings—from sofas to rugs to glassware—designed by a team of three Swedish designers—Nike Karlsson, Ola Wihlborg, and Paulin Machado—helmed by Karin Gustavsson, creative leader at Ikea. The through line? Thoughtfully conceived products made from quality, natural materials at an achievable price—or, to put it in Karin’s words, a “no-compromise kind of collection.” There’s rattan, mouth-blown glass, elegant glass-fronted cabinets, patterned lampshades, and wool rugs that reference the Swedish forest.
To celebrate the launch—officially out today—we chatted with Karin and Ola about the collection and their approach to democratic design. Read on for our Q&A—and a look at the products our editors are coveting.
Remodelista: How did this collection come about?
Karin Gustavsson: In previous versions of Stockholm, we focused more on cohesive themes, often working with similar materials and tones. But with Stockholm 2025, we wanted a collection with a wider range of materials and styles that still work beautifully together. To do this, it was important to bring in people who “spoke” different form languages.
We chose three incredible Swedish designers who each bring something unique to the project. The team together worked under a shared vision, but each designer lent their own expertise and experience to create a collection that is cohesive but really shows unique, standalone pieces full of personality.
RM: Tell us more about what each of these designers brought to the collection.
KG: Ola and Nike have been part of the Stockholm collection before, but textile designer Paulin Machado was new to the project. She has a fantastic ability to understand how colors, tones, and patterns interact with each other, and was the one who set the color scheme in the collection, drawing from Swedish nature and the four seasons.
Ola is a refined Scandinavian designer who loves to experiment with combining different materials, and Nike actually started as a designer with a carpenter studio, so is incredibly detail-oriented and has a deep passion for handcrafted work. And my job, as the creative leader, is to make sure all these ideas come together into a cohesive collection—and also challenge the team to step out of their comfort zone. You can see that with Nike, who struggled with the task of designing a chandelier—proposing one in wood first! But then designed such a beautiful, retro-feeling glass chandelier. And Paulin, who did her first work with mouth-blown glass, which you can see in the stunning turquoise bowl and vases.
RM: I like your quote, that this is a “no-compromise” collection: that craftsmanship and quality materials can also be attainable. How did you achieve this with this collection while keeping prices low?
KG: In order to achieve high quality at a low price, you really need to think through the design from the very beginning. With Stockholm, we placed a strong focus on materials, pairing solid woods with tactile surfaces and natural fibers, linen, and leather, along with mouth-blown glass and ceramics to create durable pieces. We focused on creating constructions that make the most of the materials, avoiding unnecessary parts or fittings. By using materials efficiently, we reduce waste and costs.
Optimizing transportation and packaging is also key. Designing products that can be flat-packed into the smallest packaging possible reduces shipping costs, and of course, producing at scale allows us to maintain high quality while keeping prices affordable.
RM: Are any of the pieces riffs or references to previous Ikea designs?
Ola Wihlborg: The sofa I designed for the 2017 Stockholm collection in velvet was one of our biggest sellers. I still have it at home, with my kids and dog always lounging on it and its many pillows. The problem I faced was that I constantly had to fluff the pillows after anyone got up, and that frustration led me to think about how I, for this collection, could create a sleek sofa without many details that would hold its shape, even after you stand up. I have designed many sofas in the past and know what I’m looking for in comfort, and after about 30 prototypes, we got it just right, creating a modular sofa with cold-molded foam that not only looks great but also maintains its shape and comfort over time. It’s versatile too, and allows you to start with a loveseat and extend it to suit different spaces as it grows.
RM: Designer Nike Karlsson says: “People often think of pine as a budget material, but when you go for the best and apply smart, efficient design techniques, its beauty is undeniable.” Are there other materials that you wanted to intentionally rethink or elevate through the collection?
KG: Yes! Nike, being a carpenter, initially wanted to design the chandelier using wood, but I was really drawn to the idea of a classic chandelier, inspired by Murano. So Nike went back to the drawing board and came up with a beautiful solution using glass tubes that look like test tubes from a lab. One of the keys was that we could also make a chandelier that was flat-packable. Making our products fit in flat-packs is part of our DNA and something we kept in mind from the start, even for a chandelier.
We wanted to create an affordable chandelier, and the light sources and arms of traditional chandeliers are key factors in driving up the cost. So, we decided to go with a single light source in the center, and used the glass tubes to create an optical effect that reflects the light. It’s a simple yet effective design that keeps costs lower, while still achieving that elegant feel.
RM: What pieces do you think will become new Ikea icons?
KG: The blue sofa! I think people will find the blue to be beautiful but might be too afraid for such a statement piece, so will lean towards the white, caramel, or dark brown. So the people who dare to be bold with the blue, I believe, will have an icon on their hands.
For a look at the full collection, head to Ikea.
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