Picture this: all-black furniture, a vinyl player, and home accessories designed by the people who brought to us hits such as ‘Don’t You Worry Child’ and ‘Moth To A Flame’. How is this not the epitome of cool? Well, wait till you see what EDM powerhouse Swedish House Mafia has come up with for IKEA.
Swedish furniture brand IKEA has teamed up with the electronic dance music trio for the limited-edition OBEGRÄNSAD collection, made for music makers and music lovers alike, or, those who “produce, perform, play, or listen to music”.
With a name that means “unlimited” in Swedish, the collection builds upon the idea of musical democracy, as it caters to creatives who want to build the perfect home studio at an affordable price — that is, music producers, DJs and other creators with limited means but unlimited creativity.
[20 OCT UPDATE: The collection is slated to launch in IKEA Singapore stores on 27 October 2022, with more than 20 smart home furnishing solutions in total. See the full collection of items below.]
“Since we were kids, we have valued IKEA’s approach of making things affordable and available for a lot of people. We used to find a creative way to make IKEA furniture to accommodate our teenage lives as creatives, so the collaboration’s purpose was formed around our own personal journey in life”, said Swedish House Mafia about their collaboration.
In a recent virtual press conference, the group further elaborated on how they’d often “hack” IKEA furniture for their own studio set-up, and how they desire to reach out to “people who aspire to be home music producers, who can’t afford expensive furniture”.
highlights of the OBEGRÄNSAD collection — a record player, armchair and desk
The highlights of the OBEGRÄNSAD collection include a stunning record player, minimalist armchair, and a sleek desk with speaker stands and a pull-out shelf — announced during Milan Design Week 2022 in June.
Having a record player as the pièce de résistance of the collection makes sense for a bunch of musicians, who shared how vinyl is “one of the best ways to listen to music”. No doubts there. During the Milan Design Week presentation, IKEA designer Friso Wiersma also described the record player having a “solid, chunky design”, in order to make its presence known in the room, rather than opting for one that blends in.
The OBEGRÄNSAD armchair is similarly a study in form and function. The elegant design, while minimalist, is fitted with adjustable straps that allow one to finetune their comfort level. Its presence within the series is to create “a relaxing environment to enjoy your music experience in the home”.
why the colour black?
If you’re wondering why the colour black permeates every part of their collection, we’ve got answers too. For a collection that talks about celebrating the joy and love of music, you might find the all-black colour choice rather sombre. Not for these creatives though.
“It feels bold and strong,” said Swedish House Mafia of the unifying shade. “Aesthetically, it’s very pleasing. And there are many similarities [between the colour and us]: it’s a strong but keeps things simple, bold and courageous but not over-the-top. Black does that in a nice way.”
the full collection
IKEA will also be unveiling a full collection of more than 20 smart home furnishing solutions in total. This includes LED work, wall and floor lamps, a clock; laptop, tablet, speaker and record stands; a rug and sleepers, a throw and a cushion cover; and a trio of FRAKTA bags.
An OBEGRÄNSAD shelving unit is said to be a remake of the KALLAX, now higher and designed with extra space for amplifiers and vinyl records, while a mix of lighting options, ambient light from a clock, and soft furnishings are just as important to get one into a creative flow.
the frakta bags
All black and all functional, we’ll be getting three versions of the iconic FRAKTA bag as well. There’s a padded shoulder bag that fits a laptop, an accessory bag with compartments to keep cables, cords and accessories, and a large bag with a perfectly square shape to hold vinyl records.
“FRAKTA is one of those IKEA classics that everyone has. We wanted to do our take on it from a music creation perspective depending on what type of gear you carry with you on the go,” said Swedish House Mafia.
Designed for music on-the-go, both IKEA and Swedish House Mafia imagine this reinterpretation of the FRAKTA in scenarios that include a DJ going from their home studio to a gig, or music lovers coming home from a record store, or sharing some of their favourite records. The bags are made of the same sturdy material as their predecessor, though with a thicker weave on the ribbon handle “like a car seatbelt”, for a more sturdy construction.
Here are all the OBEGRÄNSAD collection items available in Singapore:
[click on the images below to expand, and for more info.]
The IKEA OBEGRÄNSAD collection, designed in collaboration with Swedish House Mafia, will launch in IKEA Singapore stores 27 October 2022.
Note: the launch will not be available online, while the OBEGRÄNSAD Record Player is unfortunately not available in Southeast Asia markets.
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