In my bedroom I have: a bed, a desk, a chair, a bookcase, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a bedside table. And even just by taking a quick look around the room, I can guarantee that every single furniture piece came from one company. IKEA has revolutionised the way we buy our furniture through its policy of ‘Democratic Design’ and has allowed for everyone to affordably furnish their homes.
Everything IKEA sells has been specifically designed to cut down on costs. Before a new item has even been developed, the price it will be sold at has already been set so designers are able to work with manufacturers and suppliers towards that specific figure. IKEA’s defining feature is that everything is flat-pack, saving money on both transportation and labour. Additionally, the majority of their products are constructed by laying laminate or wood veneer over honeycomb core structures, rather than using solid materials. One of their products, the LISABO table has recently been awarded the Red Dot Design Award. It has the appearance of solid ash and its slanted edges make it look handcrafted, but it has been manufactured in the same way as any other IKEA product. Because of this, it costs just £80, whereas a solid wood table would traditionally set customers back a few hundred. Another way to keep costs down is to make every product in bulk. The effect of this is that you can enter many different homes and find the exact same IKEA furniture pieces throughout, with the MALM drawers and HEMNES beds being especially ubiquitous.
IKEA’S concept of ‘Democratic Design’ comes from French Designer Phillipe Stark as ‘design that provides quality pieces at accessible prices’. A quote from IKEA’s own website states: ‘Good design combines form, function, quality, sustainability at a low price. We call it “Democratic Design” because we believe good home furnishing is for everyone’. Before IKEA came along, furniture could be a very expensive investment, and homes could become a mishmash of cheap finds, worn-out inherited pieces and modern purchases. And although IKEA is affordable, its products don’t feel cheap or tacky, maintaining the dignity of those who can’t afford to expensively furnish their homes. Because it is so accessible, IKEA has changed the way we purchase our furniture. A student may start off with some cheap IKEA buys in their flat, to later slowly phase them out as they enter the workforce, purchase a home and earn more money.
There are down-sides to having furniture becoming more disposable, namely on the environment, however, IKEA does work to use as much recycled materials as possible. And when it has succeeded in bringing sustainable Scandinavian designs to the masses and for the stylish personalisation of homes that would otherwise be littered with old hand-me-downs, it’s certainly accurate to say that IKEA’s idea of Democratic Design has allowed everyone access to good design, regardless of income.
Morven
References:
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/this-is-ikea/democratic-design-en-gb/
https://theconversation.com/how-ikea-used-affordable-and-innovative-design-to-transform-the-homes-of-everyday-consumers-86069
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