IKEA’s Democratic Design Day recently revealed an array of innovative projects and collaborations. We’ve rounded up the initiatives we’re most excited about.

Image: IKEA

IKEA has announced exciting creative collaborations with world-renowned fashion, music, and tech designers from around the world at its annual Democratic Design Day held very recently. These announcements come alongside several sustainable initiatives to contribute to its journey to becoming a ‘circular’ business by 2030, such as products created with ocean plastic, as well as new projects that explore completely new ways of living, with an emphasis on community living.

The annual media event celebrates all that is unique about the IKEA Democratic Design process, which is based on five pillars: Form, Function, Quality, Sustainability and Affordability. Every product designed by IKEA is created with these five crucial pillars in mind.

Read on for our favourite projects you should look out for in the near future.

SONOS

Image: IKEA

With the SYMFONISK speaker range, created in collaboration with Sonos, being added to the Home Smart range this August, IKEA announced the next steps in smart home innovation: updates to the TRÅDFRI app and the addition of a SYMFONISK sound remote.

The TRÅDFRI app will allow customers to design their own lighting system. It will also group IKEA products together – so that users can set it so that, for example, when your lights go on, the blinds go up and music starts playing.

When not wanting to pick up their phone, customers can use the SYMFONISK sound remote which will allow them to play/pause, skip a song, go to the previous track, and adjust the volume. The remote is designed to be placed anywhere, so it blends seamlessly in to the home.

ROGNAN: Robotic furniture for small spaces

Image: IKEA

IKEA is collaborating with Ori, an American start-up that has developed robotic furniture for modern living to challenge the limitations we face as our living spaces get smaller.

With ROGNAN as a robotic furniture solution for small space living, people will be able to turn small spaces into smart spaces that have all the comfort and convenience of a home. Launching in 2020.

Byredo

Image: IKEA

IKEA has partnered with Ben Gorham, founder of leading fragrance company Byredo, to explore new ways of adding fragrances to your home. Together with the Swedish fragrance company, IKEA is exploring what scent in the home means to us, developing a concept of 13 scents divided into three bases – floral, woody and fresh.

With such a wide selection on offer, the collection aims to offer a scent for everyone. Launching in 2020.

RAVAROR: Urban life collection

Image: IKEA

RÅVAROR is a new collection designed for the realities of urban life; a collection of items that quickly turns small spaces into smart spaces with the convenience and comfort of home.

The collection will include 20 products, such as daybeds and sofas, tables, mini kitchens, open storage solutions on castors, storage boxes, and textiles and lighting. All items are designed with optimisation of space in mind: where flexibility and the ability to easily move are key features. Launching in 2020.

Solange Kowles’ Saint Heron

Image: IKEA

The collaboration between IKEA and Saint Heron, the cultural hub founded by contemporary artist Solange Knowles, will feature architectural and interior design objects with multifunctional use.

The collection will explore a fusion of design, art and music and how they can be expressed in mindful and long-lasting home furnishing accessories. Launching in 2021.

Adidas

Image: IKEA

The IKEA and adidas partnership is a joint design research project developing new products to enable healthy habits at home, taking into account that the gym is not always an option for everyone due to time, financial, or other lifestyle factors.

Working together, adidas and IKEA will focus on finding solutions to the frustrations people experience, such as how to exercise with limited space at home and how to avoid disturbing neighbours and family members. Launching in 2021.

Tom Dixon

Image: IKEA

In a new collaboration first announced in November last year, IKEA and Tom Dixon aim to produce a series of smart solutions for home growing.

The ambition is to make a difference in everything from reducing food waste to healthier food habits, as well as boosting a stronger interest for cultivation and create curiosity among people about where the food we eat comes from. Launching in 2021.

Sustainable initiatives

Image: IKEA

In addition to its disruptive creative collaborations with industry-leading designers and innovators, IKEA announced a range of forward-thinking initiatives designed to create more eco-friendly living. To accelerate this movement and inspire people to lead better lives within the limits of the planet, IKEA is creating ingenious solutions for sustainable living for the many.

By 2030, IKEA has the aim that all products will be circular, meaning they will use renewable or recycled materials and designed to be repurposed, repaired, reused, resold, or recycled. New product ranges are also in development that enable customers to be more self-sufficient, generating renewable energy, consuming less water and cut waste.

Ikea Art Event 2019

Image: Craig Green rug, Art Event 2019, £165, IKEA

Since 2015, IKEA ART EVENT has worked with contemporary creatives from around the world to create art that is accessible to everyone.

The next IKEA Art Event aims to explore the sweet spot between art and functional objects by offering a range of products that fuse art and design, and that people can relate to and feel emotionally attached to. IKEA will be collaborating with six contemporary artists with different backgrounds for the next collection; Sabine Marcelis, Daniel Arsham, Humans Since 1982, Stefan Marx, Maroussia Rebecq and Gelchop. Launching in 2021.

For the fifth series of IKEA Art Event, IKEA invited eight contemporary artists, including Virgil Abloh, Craig Green and Supakitch, to design a rug. The unique rugs are handmade in wool and natural materials and have been designed to be statement pieces in the home, whether they are hung on the wall or laid on the floor.

 

Which collaboration are you most excited about seeing? Tweet us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page.

 

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