IKEA Enlists Sabine Marcelis for new "VARMBLIXT" Collection
The 20-piece range includes lamps, rugs, and furniture.
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has teamed up with Rotterdam-based designer Sabine Marcelis to create a brand new collection named “VARMBLIXT”. Collectively, the range explores the effects of light on space through the use of materials and transparencies and brings together small accessories, lighting, and large furniture pieces.
Unveiled today in Paris, the VARMBLIXT collection marks the first full-scale collaboration between Marcelis and IKEA. Stylistically, it is unmistakably her work and features signature motifs and shapes, such as the doughnut, which she has reimagined in a glass bowl available in amber and mint green.
For IKEA, the collection is intended to show the importance of light within the home, and how something as simple as a small lamp can have a transformative effect on a room. Conceptually, the effect of light provided a starting point, too – specifically its impact on our well-being and the body’s circadian rhythm.
“This collection is about creating products that inject a sense of warmth and positivity into the home,” Marcelis says. “I love that light can activate things and bring a dynamic quality to static objects. You shouldn’t bring anything into your house that does not make you happy or trigger some sort of emotional response.”
Titia Hahne
Titia Hahne
Titia Hahne
From the 20 limited-edition pieces, five sculptural lights will be adopted into the permanent collection. Among them are a circular wall lamp, which appears as a simple sculpture when turned off but emits a warm light from its back when switched on; and an LED pendant lamp which features curved pipe-shaped sections made in frosted glass.
Marcelis’ well-earned reputation as a master of color and material is evident throughout, as is her keen eye for sculptural minimalism. The translation of this through to a collection for IKEA enables high-street products to feel distinctly high-end. For instance, the glassware set – consisting of a carafe, champagne coupe, tumbler, tray with metal panels, and drinks stirrers – is undeniably elegant, while the gradient pattern on the wool rug feels luxuriously crafted.
“Our vision was to continue building off the idea of blending design with sculptural objects in the creation of VARMBLIXT. It’s a collaboration connected to the functional aesthetics of our space while inspiring people to add purposeful and versatile objects to the home”, says Henrik Most, Creative Leader at IKEA.
The VARMBLIXT collection will be launched on all IKEA markets in February 2023. Take a look through the pieces above, and for more design – check out this new Nordic gallery set to open in London.
