This New IKEA Collection Takes Inspiration from Swedish Folklore Heritage; It's Character-Rich Decor for the Minimalist

Bridging the past with modern interiors, this just-launched collection is full of color, whimsy, and familiar motifs

Three rotating images of Ikea's new folklore range. There is home decor like candle holders, cookware, pillows, and vases. Everything has a blue, pink, and orange color palette
(Image credit: IKEA)

Want to add a bit more color to your home, but aren't necessarily the maximalist type? The new IKEA OMMJÄNGE collection offers a character-rich alternative to minimalism. It's a modern folklore, as they say. And like many of the best IKEA products often do, this release is all about bringing good ideas from the past into the modern world. Intrigued? This collection is worth paying attention to.

If IKEA's MÄVINN collection taught me anything, it's that the iconic furniture brand has more character and charm up its sleeve than just the reliably standardized pieces we've come to know and love. Now, we are seeing that same artisan, heritage-rich ethos being reinvented for a modern take on Scandinavian folklore. Just in time for cozy season, if you ask me.

From candle holders to cookware, the pieces in the IKEA OMMJÄNGE collection are designed to spark joy, conversation, and a new appreciation for the beauty of what came before. "It’s an invitation to rethink what traditional really means. And to slow down just enough to realise, sometimes, the best way forward is to borrow a page from history," says Maria Vinka, the designer behind the collection.

IKEA reveals that this collection originated from a deep dive into rural Sweden in the 1800s — "a time when life was lived in compact cabins, resources were scarce, and every item had to serve both function and aesthetic," says Maria Vinka. Small spaces were common, as sleeping, eating, socializing, and working typically all took place in one room.

Space-conscious design is central to the collection. OMMJÄNGE is meant to celebrate simplicity, while proving that folk art is not old-fashioned, and "can be just as exciting, relevant, and expressive today," says Maria.

With interior design trends heading full steam into personalized decor and nostalgic nods, IKEA's newest release considers how the modern home interacts with tradition. You can expect to see everything from woven rugs and embroidered throw pillows to pink storage pieces and pendant lights.

Not unnoticed is another amber glass spotting amongst new homeware (see H&M's amber glass vase collection for reference), but there is plenty to catch your eye in OMMJÄNGE. I've curated a few favorites below.


Maybe storied pieces and inspiration from folklore are what our homes are missing in order to feel more personal and comforting.

You can even translate this to your upcoming seasonal decor ideas. Ready to get decorating with a little more folklore this fall? Anthropologie's Catherine Martin Halloween collection immediately comes to mind.

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Olivia Wolfe
Design Writer

Olivia Wolfe is a Design Writer at Livingetc. She recently graduated from University of the Arts London, London College of Communication with a Masters Degree in Arts and Lifestyle Journalism. In her previous experience, she has worked with multiple multimedia publications in both London and the United States covering a range of culture-related topics, with an expertise in art and design. At the weekends she can be found working on her oil paintings, reading, or antique shopping at one of London's many vintage markets.