EXCLUSIVE: Marimekko x IKEA Launch Long-Awaited Homeware Collaboration
A collection celebrating the Nordic sauna culture.
IKEA has joined forces with Finnish design brand Marimekko on a second collaborative home range.
The Swedish company first teamed up with the Helsinki-based label in June last year, revealing a co-created shower curtain signaling the beginning of a wider release in March 2023. Comprised of 26 products in total, the full collaboration dubbed “BASTUA (translated to “sauna” in Småland, a region in Southern Sweden)” celebrates well-being and self-care, taking inspiration from the Nordic sauna culture. The designs span furniture, glassware and textiles, offering a pop of color and print to any space.
Marimekko’s signature vibrant and bold aesthetic is incorporated into the iconic FRAKTA bag, in addition to robes, towels and IKEA’s first-ever sauna bucket. A “BASTUA” candle is included in the lineup with elderflower, rhubarb and sweet vanilla aromas for a warm space. In furniture, the duo has worked on a side table complemented with trays and glassware.
“Collaborating with Marimekko was a natural choice for IKEA as we are both committed to enabling a better everyday life at home, and with the BASTUA collection, it begins with focusing on wellness first,” IKEA’s Creative Leader Henrik Most speaks of the collection. “The collaboration encapsulates the sensations of endless summers and the simple and aesthetic beauty of Nordic nature in furniture and accessories for the home.”
Hypebae spoke with Marimekko’s Creative Director Rebekka Bay and IKEA’s Creative Leader Henrik Most ahead of the collection’s launch. See the full range in the gallery above and scroll down below to read more about the “BASTUA” collection.
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Can you tell us the inspirations behind the exclusive prints in this particular collection?
Rebekka Bay, Marimekko The prints in the collection are inspired by nature, wellness and the Nordic sauna. Drawing from the historic similarity between our two brands, sauna culture was discussed in the very first meetings – Marimekko created a functional sauna concept in the 1960s, and IKEA also had a sauna in their range in the 1980s. One of the focal prints of the collection, Raparperi (rhubarb) print by Maija Louekari is inspired by the large, decorative rhubarb leaves that sometimes grow next to sauna buildings in Finland whereas the Puuleikkaus (woodcarving) print by Sami Ruotsalainen references the soft, curved cuts of the carved grey log walls in a sauna cabin. You can even sense a Finnish landscape where the sky meets the lake’s surface on the pattern.
Marimekko has a strong design aesthetic. How did both teams work together to balance Marimekko’s distinctive design with IKEA’s brand philosophy?
Rebekka Bay Essentially, the “BASTUA” collection combines Marimekko’s renowned art of printmaking with IKEA’s home furnishing knowledge. Marimekko and IKEA teamed up to create a collection connected to the Nordic well-being culture, rooted in the sauna experience. By combining Marimekko’s long history of the art of printmaking and the IKEA brand’s home furnishing knowledge, we found inspiration in our common Nordic design heritage comprising a democratic and timeless approach to design. Marimekko and IKEA are both committed to enabling better everyday life at home, and with the “BASTUA” collection, we hope to bring joy to the everyday lives of many people. The collaboration encapsulates the sensations of endless summers and the simple and aesthetic beauty of Nordic nature in furniture and accessories for the home.
What were some of the biggest challenges in making this collaboration come to life?
Henrik Most, IKEA One of the initial challenges that we faced is that the entire collection had to be developed digitally during the pandemic. For previous collaborations, we were used to meeting in person which meant creating a sense of togetherness as a collaboration team. As we didn’t have the opportunity to meet due to the pandemic, we had to both create an opportunity to collaborate in a digital capacity, while also making space for creativity. What fostered our team spirit between IKEA and Marimekko was the true passion and dedication to create something great and that’s what really steered our vision as a team.
What are some trends you’ve noticed in the home interior and design space, especially with the world opening post-COVID?
Rebekka Bay During the design and development process we noticed that we were all working from home, and it became evident that we wanted to create a collection that would support well-being in any kind of environment, whether that be a sauna building by the lake or a complex urban environment. We wanted to create functional and timeless pieces that would bring a spark of Nordic joy to any chosen self-care routine. In the increasingly digitized world, we see that the home has become a space where we both work and relax and due to the versatility of the “BASTUA” products, they can as easily be enjoyed as part of everyday life but also create a joyful environment for winding down after a long day.
