It’s a match made by the Nordic gods: Swedish furniture brand Ikea and Finnish fashion label Marimekko are collaborating on a collection of home goods in joyful colors.
The 26-piece collection is called Bastua—a term used to describe the sauna in Småland, a region in southern Sweden where IKEA was founded. And it includes pieces that will help ease people back into the busyness of post-pandemic life, including a kimono, shower curtains, trays, floor cushions, and water bottles, all in the bright prints that Marimekko is known for.
The idea for the collection was born during the pandemic, when people were stuck at home and experiencing high levels of stress. Many were forced to develop new self-care rituals to cope. In Scandinavia, that often meant spending more time in the warm, dark, quiet spaces of the wooden sauna room, which leave people feeling mellow and calm. As the pandemic recedes, new stresses are emerging, points out Henrik Nielsen, Ikea’s product and design manager. “We’re jumping back into work and life,” he says. “It makes sense to not lose the relaxation tools we acquired during the pandemic.”
The collection, priced between $4.99 and $89.99, is inspired by saunas, which are part of everyday Nordic culture. “In Finland, there are as many saunas as there are families,” says Rebekka Bay, Marimekko’s creative director. “Some people use it every day. But baths are sacred in many cultures, including Japan and the United States. We want to make it easier for people to incorporate these little pleasures into everyday life.” All of the pieces they’ve created are designed to work in other contexts, too, like baths and outdoor picnics.
Since its founding in 1951, Marimekko has amassed an archive of hundreds of prints that have become iconic. But rather than tapping into its existing library, the two brands chose to create entirely new prints for this collection, although they’re firmly grounded in Marimekko’s design language, which involves graphic, nature-inspired patterns and bold colors. Bay says they wanted to create a fresh new look that speaks to the optimism of the post-pandemic era.
One of the most distinctive patterns in this collection is a large green leaf with pink veins, inspired by the large, decorative rhubarb leaf that grows close to saunas. Another is a stripe pattern reminiscent of the wooden slats on a sauna bench.
Nielsen says that this collection is meant to encourage people to spend a bit more time outside, in their gardens, decks, or nearby parks. It’s also designed for people to spend that time together, with pieces like floor cushions, blanket-size bath sheets, and battery-operated lanterns that can be used to entertain. “I think the pandemic taught us that being with other people is important for our mental health,” says Bay.
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