IKEA’s Hidden Design Secrets
When we really think about it, IKEA has always been more than just a furniture store; it’s been part of our lives and some core memories. As kids, it was the place we’d wander, pretending those perfectly styled showrooms were one day our future homes. It was the place we’d beg for curry puffs or meatballs at the end of the trip. Somehow, IKEA became part of growing up — where daydreams of childhood bedrooms quietly transformed into adult realities of kitchens, utensils, sofas, and storage solutions (because that adult money hits differently). It has always been more than a store; it has been part of the growth in our lives.
So, when the chance came to sit down with Marcus Arvonen — Senior Designer at IKEA Sweden and the creative mind behind iconic ranges like the versatile BESTÅ storage system, the bold PS Collection, the travel-ready UPPTÄCKA series (now discontinued), and the newly launched MITTZON office range. It felt like a backstage pass to a story we’d been living all along. And they didn’t disappoint. We already thought of IKEA as smart, neat, and innovative — but what Marcus revealed was just how intentional, thoughtful, and deeply personal their design philosophy really is.
Picture Credit: @houseblend.my & Ikea Malaysia
THOUGHTFUL DESIGN, SEEN AND UNSEEN
As a Scandinavian company, IKEA stays true to its modern Scandinavian identity: clean lines, simplicity, and functionality. But behind that sleek surface lies an incredible amount of silent work that makes each product not only beautiful and practical but also increasingly sustainable.
Marcus explained that more than half of IKEA’s carbon emissions come from their materials, so much of the company’s focus is on transforming how products are made. It’s not the kind of change you necessarily see, but it makes a real difference.
A chair may look the same, but now it’s made with high-strength steel that lowers carbon emissions, recycled plastic, and plant-based glues instead of petroleum-based ones.
Picture Credit: @ikeamalaysia
These changes are often invisible to customers — and that’s the point. By simply purchasing an IKEA chair, you’re already contributing to a larger sustainability movement, even without realising it. Yet IKEA still believes in educating consumers, showing that sustainable choices don’t need to feel complicated or cost more. It’s a clear idea: doing good shouldn’t come with a higher price tag.
Marcus’s favourite designs reflect this balance beautifully. His own design, the PS MASKROS lamp (discontinued), inspired by a dandelion he once saw on a walk, is a bold, poetic statement born of pure creativity that beautifully lets the light through. The SANDSBERG chair, meanwhile, is grounded in pragmatism: affordable, stackable, durable, made of metal and plastic to meet precise functional needs.
One feels like art, the other like an everyday staple, yet both embody IKEA’s Democratic Design principles of form, function, quality, low price, and sustainability.
Picture Credit: @ikeamalaysia
BEHIND THE SCENES OF IKEA DESIGNS
Ever wondered how a product at IKEA comes about?
Marcus gave us a glimpse into the design process, which itself is pretty fascinating. It can take up to two years from idea to product in the stores, moving through detailed briefs, sketches, prototypes, supplier collaborations, rigorous testing, and even packaging adjustments to minimise waste and cost.
Sometimes the process is highly structured to meet specific needs of cost, materials, and function. Other times, it’s more creative and free-flowing, guided by inspiration from everyday life or nature.
He also pointed to products like the STRANDTORP table, made from wood that ages gracefully and designed to grow with families, a reflection of IKEA’s belief that the dining table is a place of connection and gathering. Where a table isn’t just furniture; it’s where everyday routines happen: meals, conversations, homework, laughter. In many ways, it embodies IKEA’s deeper intention of creating products that slip seamlessly into the parts of our lives.
What ties all of this together is IKEA’s commitment to Democratic Design, balancing form, function, quality, low price, and sustainability. It’s why products remain timeless yet adaptable, often refined over decades while still fitting today’s trends. Whether it’s making furniture separable for easier recycling, designing kitchens with 25-year guarantees, or ensuring tables expand to accommodate both small dinners and big celebrations, IKEA is always thinking about the long-term role their designs play in our homes.
Picture Credit: @ikeamalaysia
MORE THAN FURNITURE
When asked about the home of the future, Marcus laughed and said, “Full of IKEA products.” But in truth, he envisions homes where sustainability awareness drives choices. Homes built with awareness, where sustainability is not just a trend but a natural way of living, and where IKEA continues to make products that are even more sustainable without sacrificing affordability or design.
Walking away from our conversation, we realised IKEA isn’t just shaping furniture — it’s shaping the way we live, connect, and care for our homes and the planet. We’ve always loved IKEA, but now that love feels deeper, more personal. The heart, passion, and thoughtfulness woven into every product make it feel as though filling a house with IKEA is filling it with love, right down to the smallest details.
In the end, we left not just as customers, but as advocates of a brand that has quietly grown alongside us; shaping homes, and shaping lives.
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