At Edinburgh's Fringe Festival, IKEA's Exhibition Unleashes a Riot of Color — Banana Prints, Broccoli Motifs, and Maximalist Magic

"Happy, inspirational, and overwhelming (in the best way)." This is how IKEA Museum's curator Anna Sandberg Falk describes the brand's Magical Patterns exhibit at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh. And having recently had a chance to preview this whimsical pavilion of fabrics by the plenty, ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, I can't help but wholeheartedly agree.

I journeyed to the Scottish capital in anticipation of the adventurous patterns to come and was greeted by 180 textiles drifting from the ceilings and draped over the walls at this famed tapestry gallery. IKEA's textiles are often overlooked in lists of the best IKEA products, but the one thing I concluded at first glance is that they shouldn't be.

It redefined my thoughts on Scandinavian design, leaving me with a new love for pattern-drenched interiors, and most importantly, reminded me of the playful mindset that has somehow slipped away in the pursuit of 'perfect' on-paper interiors.

Magical Patterns on Tour

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Magical Patterns is IKEA Museum's first-ever touring exhibit and spans 60 years of textile work. While the showcase displays the works of blast from the past Swedish designers such as Inez Svensson, Göta Trädgårdh, and Sven Fristedt that lend the pavilion a sense of nostalgia, it also shines a spotlight on modern, celebrated collaborations, including Zandra Rhodes and Marimekko.

As I weaved my way through the fabrics on display, I realized that for some time now, I've mislabeled Scandinavian design in my mind as elegance in muted colors and minimalist patterns. That is, despite exploring IKEA's bold patterns repeatedly. So when wondering which aesthetic takes the helm, Anna puts the question to rest, saying: "Well, why can't it be both?"

"On one hand, I think the Scandinavian style is really simple. But, as this colorful exhibition shows, you can maybe have a fusion of the two. For example, take the classically iconic IKEA KLIPPAN sofa. In its shape, it's super minimalistic and sleek," she observes.

"But then you have the exciting sofa covers and fabrics you can add on top. And there you have a combination with balance through an interesting, simplistic base and something really strong, bold, and vibrant to go with it."

And when curating this travelling exhibit, Anna tells me that she wanted to let people in on this contrast in form and fabric coming together to reinforce IKEA's long-standing design identity over the years and through to the future.

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Over here, there's a textile for almost every fanciful taste. And one of the first patterns I found following me around on the way to Dovecot Studios was ANNIKEN. Imagined and materially manifested by IKEA designer Ida Petterssen Preutz, this broccoli-clad pink, white, and green fabric was inked on napkins and posters throughout.

And, believe it or not, in speaking to Ida about this playful print, I begin to understand the importance of creative liberties and its firm place behind the scenes at IKEA. "ANNIKEN is very meaningful to me, because it was my first product ever to be released outside of school, and also my first design for IKEA. I wanted to pay an ode to the famous RANDIG BANAN by Inez Svensson of the 10-Gruppen Collective, while also giving it my own twist," she says.

"Fun textiles and crazy patterns are at the heart of IKEA's designs and always will be. That's something you can expect even as time goes on. And new young designers experimenting with color and motifs will help us keep the brand's spirit alive in this wonderful way."

So if you've had Älmhult's IKEA Museum on your visit list for some time now, you're already planning to wander the Edinburgh Festival Fringe or the Edinburgh Art Festival, or you're simply a design enthusiast interested in stepping into the chirpy (and slightly eccentric) archives of the Swedish brand, you have until the January 17th 2026 before the exhibit packs up and moves on. And as for what you can expect? Bold and buoyant patterns, a peek into the brand's journey over time, and an air of excitement over indulging in colorful textiles once again.

And if you can't make it to the exhibition, but you're keen on pattern-sprinkling with IKEA, here are some of my favorite colorful homewares.

IKEA Patterned Products to Shop

FAQs

When Is Edinburgh Fringe?

Edinburgh Fringe Festival typically takes place over three weeks filled with creative exhibits. And this year, this nearly month-long celebration of art and culture is on from the 1^st to the 25^th of August.

Now that we've discussed the Scandi-brand's textile history, we can move on to exploring vintage IKEA furniture designs that are pattern-free, but somehow just as interesting.