IKEA's Lunar New Year Hits Both Traditional and Trend, and Would Work on Your Reunion Dinner Table for Years to Come
While some pieces hero the Year of the Horse specifically, plenty capture the timeless aesthetic of the traditional holiday
With the Lunar New Year just over a month away, IKEA’s new FÖSSTA collection is everything you could want if you’re planning to host a reunion dinner. Not only does the range offer a fun twist on the traditional imagery and colors associated with the festival, but it also combines style with function to produce items you would be proud to show off to your guests.
From plates and bowls to utensils and glassware, the collection is packed with festive dining and homeware items that serve a purpose. The items, although all unique, can be mixed and matched to create your ideal table setting ideas for a Lunar New Year feast. But IKEA didn’t just focus on the table — there are items for all rooms of your home, including cushions, door mats, and more traditional decorations.
The FÖSSTA collection aims to bring good luck, togetherness, and prosperity to homes while blending the "contemporary with the traditional." Centered around classic red, black, and white, several of the items honor the Year of the Horse, this year’s zodiac animal, while fish are another motif echoed throughout the collection, regarded to be symbols of wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture. Here's what I'd shop.
Add some fun to your home and embrace the year of the horse with this playful cushion cover. Its vibrant color and minimalist design make it the perfect addition to your sofa or chairs, and the tactile element of the hair adds a touch of whimsy.
These sauce dishes can be used at your festive table or for everyday family dinners and can hold everything from soy sauce and vinegar to nuts and sweets. Dishwasher and microwave-safe, the embossed dishes would pair nicely with a vibrant tablecloth or bold decor.
These decorative glasses are inspired by traditional Chinese art and goldfish imagery, and would be the perfect addition to a festive dinner table. They are suitable for both cold and hot drinks, and offer a chic take on the motif while still embracing the spirit of the celebration.
Make a statement by welcoming guests into your home with this horse door mat, which symbolizes ‘speed and strength’ while still embracing playfulness. The mat, which will be kept firmly in place by the backing, will be the first thing your guests see, setting the scene for a day or evening of Lunar New Year celebrations.
Protect your table and tie all your decor together this Lunar New Year with this pretty place mat. The pale pink background adds a pop of color and complements the red and black shades of the fish motif, which you can match with chopsticks, glassware, or napkins in similar hues.
The size of this dish is perfect for dumplings or rice, but it could also be used to present pasta, risotto, or even crisps. Highlight the orange-red of the goldfish design by pairing it with a bold tablecloth or combining it with the matching dishes of different shapes and sizes in IKEA’s FÖSSTA collection.
Other Chinese New Year Decorations
This hand-crafted fish tumbler, designed by Alessandra Baldereschi, perfectly encapsulates the novelty glassware trend, which is making waves right now. The small fish figurine appears suspended within the glass, offering your guests a fun surprise with every sip they take.
Easily a piece you'll pull out all throughout the year, these bright red linen napkins are sure to impress your guests (is there anything fancier than linen napkins?) and will look perfect layered in with anything from IKEA's collection.
Continue the fish theme with this candle holder from Oliver Bonas, which could be placed on a sideboard or be used as a unique centerpiece for your table. Opt for a white candle for a pared-down look, or choose a colorful one to tie into the traditional bold colors of the New Year celebrations.
What's Lunar New Year without a pendant lantern or two? This style, which is available in a range of sizes, is even classic enough to be left up year-round, but for the big day, why not get it in a few sizes and make a real theatrical display with them?
Enjoy your Lunar New Year feast with this set of four reusable bamboo chopsticks. Made from natural bamboo, these utensils come with colorful handles that add a splash of color and can be paired nicely with any of the items from IKEA’s FÖSSTA collection.
It’s the year of the horse, so why not embrace it with this ceramic horse-themed candle? With top notes of bergamot, lemon, and sea salt, and heart notes of cotton blossom, water lily, and rosewood, this candle would add a beautiful scent to any room of the house.
Don’t forget that another celebration is coming up in February: Valentine’s Day. While we can surely expect to see red hearts everywhere, you don’t have to opt for cheesy decor — there is plenty of good-looking Valentine's Day dinner party decor to shop.
