In 1995, IKEA introduced the world to the concept of 'Democratic Design'—a philosophy built on five core principles: form, function, quality, sustainability and competitive pricing. Standing the test of time through material innovation, craftsmanship and attention to detail, the Swedish brand celebrates the evolution of that very idea, through the STOCKHOLM 2025 collection, marking four decades since its debut, presenting its largest offering to date. With 96 thoughtfully crafted design pieces, the collection celebrates timeless Scandinavian aesthetics with high-quality materials, staying true to the brand's vision of turning well-made design into accessible and collectable objects while echoing the ensemble's ethos: A collection today. Collectables tomorrow.

"The STOCKHOLM collection, launched 40 years ago, rested on three cornerstones: design, quality and craftsmanship. Since IKEA has always been committed to sustainability, the products in the new collection are responsibly sourced and manufactured. Timelessness comes in when we can build a strong sense of functionality with a clean and simple style," affirms Adosh Sharma, country commercial manager, IKEA.

Led by creative leader Karin Gustavsson and conceived by three Swedish designers with distinct but complementary approaches—Paulin Machado, Nike Karlsson and Ola Wihlborg—the STOCKHOLM 2025 collection by IKEA looks to the myriad contrasts and nuances of the city of Stockholm, where urban life meets natural landscapes. A bold and diverse material palette ensures that the pieces, from statement sofa designs to handwoven wool rugs and sleek cabinets, age gracefully. The materials are carefully selected for both beauty and longevity, ranging from solid wood, natural fibres, wool, leather, linen, rattan, ceramic and mouth-blown glass forming the assemblage’s foundation.

"In India, we love to keep furniture pieces for a lifetime and preserve them as heirlooms,” says Jasmeet Sood, country home furnishing and retail design manager, IKEA. "This collection, with its rich materials and quality, is built for timelessness,” she adds.

Forming the centrepieces and guiding the whole collection are the two distinct sofas conceived by Wihlborg and Karlsson, which balance tactile richness with everyday functionality. Wihlborg’s wide modular sofa responds to his frustration with the design of couches that need constant fluffing, while Karlsson’s composition of pinewood and white cushions explores design without foam. Rattan, a focal point of the earlier STOCKHOLM 2017 collection, appears in a sliding-door cabinet and the backrest of one of the dining chairs in the new one. In tandem, the theme of a forest underscores Machado’s textile designs for the collection, including the lampshades, wool rugs, wool blankets and pillowcases.

The collection's attention to craftsmanship extends into the dining space with its offerings in ceramic and porcelain tableware, glazed stone plates and a series of glassware designed for daily use. Even the chandeliers and lighting designs are a nod to the delicate nature of their materials, replete with white gloves for their careful assembly.

References to nature further fortify the collection's connection to its namesake, Sweden's bustling capital, where the metropolitan is interspersed with forests and lush islands. Each object is meticulously contrived to adapt to modern living while its subtle nuances in textures and colours pay homage to the culture and varied rhythms of Stockholm: The chocolate browns, rich greens, blacks and whites are reminiscent of rainy autumn days and snow-clad winter, while the blues and yellows speak of the city's bright spring and summer days.

This collection, with its rich materials and quality, is built for timelessness. – Jasmeet Sood, country home furnishing and retail design manager, IKEA

At the recent iteration of Milan Design Week in April 2025, IKEA returned to the design fair with a powerful message and this striking new collection at the iconic Tenoha in Milan, Italy. Its exhibition space at the design festival welcomed design lovers, music enthusiasts, foodies and curious passersby into a dynamic, all-day experience that placed, at its heart, the STOCKHOLM 2025 collection.

Since IKEA has always been committed to sustainability, the products in the new collection are responsibly sourced and manufactured. – Adosh Sharma, country commercial manager, IKEA

Beyond the product design showcase, the immersive exhibition celebrated creativity, community and an ongoing commitment to sustainability: One of the key areas within the venue was titled Do Something. Change Everything., encouraging visitors to explore how small actions can lead to meaningful change through its offerings.

Hej Holm!

Following its successful presentation at the Milanese design fair, STOCKHOLM 2025 was unveiled with aplomb at the STIR Gallery in New Delhi, India, in a curated setting responding to the collection’s evolving spirit. In collaboration with STIR, the global brand hosted a spirited gathering dubbed Hej Holm!, where lighting, furniture design and accessories from the STOCKHOLM 2025 collection became protagonists of profound, communal and experiential narratives.

Five designers. Five narratives. Five installations. Picking one product from the extensive 96-piece collection and placing it under the spotlight, five Indian architects and designers were invited to contrive their interpretations of the STOCKHOLM 2025 collection. Each design served as a bridge between the viewer, the creative expressions and the brand's intent, characterised by a mix of distorted perceptions, the joy of reciprocity and a balance of order and disorder, as delineated in the curatorial note by Samta Nadeem, curatorial director, STIR.

The collection appeared to shapeshift from one experience to another, expelling new ideas and framing diverse stories and perspectives. This dynamic setting was further enhanced by tailored gastronomical interventions by a chef-architect, Uzair Siddiqui, garnishing the five installations and contributing to the vibrancy of the evening.

In the seemingly restless setup by Kohelika Kohli, कौनserve I कौनsume, piles of STOCKHOLM 2025 crockery spoke of a wasteful culture driven by consumerism. Amrita Guha and Joya Nandurdikar’s Information vis-à-vis Knowledge expressed a different perspective on chaos illuminated by the STOCKHOLM 2025 pendant; while one side of the table symbolised order, the other end staged an unruly bunch of chairs emblematic of disorder.

Dining solitary, together by Martand Khosla and Dastarkhwan: A spread to share by Iram Sultan laid bare the ideas of togetherness and solitude through contrasting lenses. The former, with vibrant green STOCKHOLM 2025 cabinets and diners with their backs to each other, humorously commented on the isolation that haunts the modern world. The latter wove a warm setting of sharing and exchanging with rug designs from the new IKEA collection. Tushant Bansal used the STOCKHOLM 2025 mirrors to break and rearrange the perceptions of space in his setting dubbed the Time-Space-Perception.

The STOCKHOLM 2025 collection stands as a testament to an enduring belief central to IKEA and its philosophy: high-quality design should be for the many, not the few. With this latest and most expansive iteration, the brand reaffirms its commitment to craftsmanship, longevity and emotional value, offering pieces that are not only functional and beautiful but designed to age gracefully and stay relevant over time.

The attention to detail and the blend of traditional techniques with contemporary forms underline a larger ambition: to create products that foster a lasting connection between people and their homes. STOCKHOLM 2025 aims to transcend just furniture and decor—it is a vision of how design can elevate everyday life; or in the words of IKEA—a collection today, collectables tomorrow.