As I sat on a sofa next to Ola Wihlborg, I umm-ed and ahh-ed over whether to tell him I had previously owned (and only reluctantly sold) the sofa he designed for IKEA's 2017 STOCKHOLM collection. I did, and he was chuffed, even sharing that he currently has the same sofa in his own home. And while that's a sweet story, it's not the reason I found myself sitting next to the IKEA designer in Sweden a few months back.
No, that was for an even better reason: to preview IKEA's new 2025 STOCKHOLM collection, which was officially revealed to the public today at Salone del Mobile, exactly 30 years after the brand's first Milan Design Week exhibition.
Whether you've heard about IKEA's STOCKHOLM range before or not, you've definitely seen it. Most of their best-selling pieces from the last few years came from it (a particular rattan cabinet comes straight to mind, along with my sofa), and that's largely because it's considered to be the 'best of IKEA'.
As for this latest collection (their biggest to date)? Perhaps the best yet. As someone who has seen, sat on, and spoken with the designers behind the collection, here's five reasons why I think you should get excited about this latest launch (which hits stores and online on April 10).
1. It's a More Premium Product
First released in 1985, IKEA's STOCKHOLM collection was the brand's response to customers who considered themselves to be 'levelling out' of IKEA, Karin Gustavsson, the creative lead behind the 2025 collection, explained to me.
Sitting at a slightly higher price point, the collection's designers are afforded a slightly bigger budget which allows them to really push the boundaries, all while keeping things flat pack-friendly, of course.
A strong emphasis is placed on materiality — not just in regards to species, but things like thickness, too (which screams style) — as well as what I considered to be the most game-changing detail: finding ways to conceal fittings and fixtures.
Speaking about a certain set of shelves from the new collection (which I'll link to as soon as their available), Ola explained to me that the special fitting they used is not only cleverly concealed, but also allows for open shelving without the usual back panel or cross-brace required. “It’s a bit more expensive, but you save a lot of time with assembly and it looks really nice," he says. "We’ve put a lot of effort in to finding the right fittings, both to hide them and to make the pieces really stable.”
They've also elevated these shelves by using real timber for the foundations, but wrapping it in veneer, which may seem like cost-cutting, but is actually, once again, all about the aesthetics. "Veneer always looks a bit better than solid wood," says Ola. Solid wood furniture tends to lean more rustic, showing joins and texture, whereas veneer feels more refined.
But this is just one piece from the 96-strong collection, which has all been considered with the same level of care. If you're hoping to find the next generation of viral vintage IKEA pieces, this is it.
2. They've Developed a Special Lacquer
Considering the material palette has been so carefully considered, it would be a shame to cover it up. Instead, the design team spent a considerable amount of time perfecting a new lacquer that protects the furniture while still letting the texture of the timber shine through.
"We had a lot of different trials to see how it worked, both with durability, but also the look of it and its color," Ola explains. "It's hard to match it to get the same finish on veneer surfaces and solid timber surfaces, should you want to mix the chairs and tables from the collection," he continues.
But that's also a part of the look. "You don't really need to match the same colors exactly," he says. In fact, it looks better when you mix slightly mis-matched timber tones; it's more natural.
And with stained wood on the rise this year (we've previously covered colorful stained wood cabinets on Livingetc), and especially when you're using more premium timbers, it's the best way to embrace a bit of color without covering the surface's unique grain, or as Karine so eloquently put it: its "lively expression."
3. This Red Bentwood Chair
And while majority of the collection features a more natural stained finish, there are exceptions... like this lively red bentwood chair by Nike Karlsson, who has been designing for IKEA since 1992.
When I asked him about his inspiration behind the piece, which he said was his favorite from the range, he told me he'd always wanted to make a bentwood chair. "It's such a special technique, they bow the beech and then they bend it by hand. It's like poetry. It's so hands-on. It's fun."
It's also something you don't typically see in the more mass-produced market, because it's so labor intensive to produce — but that's exactly why you'll find it in IKEA's STOCKHOLM range.
And, yes, it comes flat-packed, which is perhaps an ever bigger feat of engineering. Also available in a dark stain, Nike says he can't go past the iconic 'IKEA' red style for that perfect pop in your space. 'Unexpected red' theory anyone?
4. It's a Shortcut to a 'Curated' Collection
Tomas Jelinek, one of the original pioneers behind the STOCKHOLM collection, always intended the range to appear "as a group of functional solitaires" rather than a matching furniture suite that felt one dimensional.
It's a big interior design trend at the moment — the idea of your home being a 'curated collection' rather than a space that feels matchy-matchy, and it's a sentiment that all of the IKEA designers I spoke to continue to share when it came to developing this latest STOCKHOLM range.
"You can really make it look like a collection you have collected over time," says Ola. "It doesn't look like you've bought everything together." (But it's super convenient that you can.)
From the table, to the flatware, crockery, and vases you style on it, the chairs you place around it, the pendant you hang overhead, and the rug you lay beneath it, you can furnish an entire room all from one place, but make it look like you've spent years sourcing things for your space.
5. It's So Beautiful
While I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the ins and outs of IKEA's design process (it's honestly so interesting and I could go on about it for days), if there is just one thing you should take away from this, it's that IKEA's 2025 STOCKHOLM collection is beautiful.
In particular, the sleek sofas that started it all (there are two options in the range because they liked both designs so much they couldn't pick), are particularly special. But then there's the blown-glass decor, curved dining chairs, handwoven rugs, bouclé armchairs, timber dining tables, delicate glass pendant lights, rattan cabinets, flatware, bowls, cushions, throws, and pretty pine pieces, there's so much to love — and certainly too much to squeeze into one article.
