Photo: thekellyscope / Flickr

‘Not too much, not too little.’ That’s how Pilar Viladas, design editor of T: The New York Times Style Magazine, describes Swedish design in her coffee-table book Domesticities. Ikea is the embodiment of this principle, and in the 23 years since the Swedish lifestyle giant opened its first shop in the UK, it has woven itself into British culture in a way that (the relatively pricey) Habitat never could.

One size fits all

The essence of Ikea is that one size fits all – and that this is not a bad thing. Swedish design is rooted in socialist ideals, which places equality above all else. In this mindset, there is no shame in having the same dining room table as everyone else on the block. Ikea is beautiful form meets function for the masses.

Why Swedish design works

Naomi Cleaver of ‘Grand Design’s: Trade Secrets’ and ‘Honey, I Ruined the House’ fame is well known for helping the nation with its design dilemmas. She is an unabashed fan of Swedish design because ‘it allows for practical solutions, but real warmth and beauty, as well.’ In this video she offers tips on how to incorporate Swedish design into the family home.

She suggests approaching the design of a living room, for example, with a view to the room’s function first. ‘Think about how you want to use that space,’ she says, and once you have solved the practicalities, ‘think about style, finish, texture and lighting.’

We love Ikea!

We love Ikea because it’s good looking and affordable. According to The Sunday Times, 45 million customers visited a British Ikea in 2008. That’s more people than churchgoers, and those who went to watch live football matches. The numbers speak for themselves. Almost a million Brits in Ikea a week? It’s clear we want accessible, functional design in our homes.

Tags: interior design