IKEA's New 'Rocking Bench' Is the Playful Accent That's a Conversation Starter — It's a Grown-Up Take on a Childhood Classic That's Sure to Spark Joy
Part of IKEA's iconic PS Collection, this wooden rocking bench gives your favorite childhood activity a grown-up makeover
For every PS Collection IKEA has released, the designers were given a specific theme to work around, a starting point to jump off and land at their own unique conclusion. And this year, for the tenth iteration of the initiative, the theme was playful functionality.
Not a far cry from the brand's typical style, with the 2026 IKEA PS collection, the goal was to push this concept to its limits, diving into the space where functionality intersects with fun — and the designers did not hold back. From inflatable chairs to flexible lamps, the collection showed the broad scope of what playfulness can look like and how personal it can be. Each design revealed something about its creator and how they experience the joy of the everyday.
I was lucky enough to experience the collection firsthand, ahead of its launch, and while the range is full of delights, I was particularly taken by the joyous creation that was the rocking bench by Marta Krupinska. Crafted from solid pine, with a simple, minimalist look, this bench invites you to bring a little more joy into your everyday.
The Bench That Rocks
Inviting you to step back in time, to a simpler, more joyful time, this rocking bench evokes memories of childhood play — a grown-up take on a playground classic. With its gentle rocking motion, this design is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.
Engineered entirely from solid pine, it has a unique cross-grain system to ensure maximum durability and strength. Instead of additional metal supports, planks were cut in half and glued back together with the grain reversed on itself, creating a genius system of reinforcement with minimal materials.
The simple finish would look as appropriate in a Scandi living room as in a stylish playroom, and it's guaranteed to be the favorite seat for adults and kids alike. The tactile nature of the design brings a sense of movement to your room and a weightlessness that lifts the entire space.
Inspired by the communal seating at Oktoberfest, this design encourages connection and interaction between the sitters.
Despite how simple the design appears in its final form, the journey to get to this was anything but. In fact, it was one of the trickiest products to get right in the whole collection.
The concept came to Marta almost immediately, though not quite as it looks today. "It all started from the brief, which at the time was an optimistic future," explains Marta. This idea, Marta says, reminded her of a TED talk she'd listened to in the past, exploring the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness, the speaker argues, is the culmination of many joyous moments, a build-up of the small things, to make up a whole. What Marta wanted to create in her design was something that could offer this moment of joy every day.
In its initial form, this looked like a bright red rocking bench, complete with a full backrest and a metal backing supporting the joints. The red, Marta explains, was a major sore spot in the production process. The team at IKEA pushed for a simplified version of this model, and after several attempts, Marta landed on a design that satisfied them all.
Swapping the metal backing for a clever interlocked wood-grain system, Marta developed a design that was lighter, more transportable, and even more durable than its initial iteration. Working in solid pine, this design fits in with the quintessential Scandi design style IKEA is so well known for, with a crisp, light minimalism that the bright red version was missing.
The exact mechanics of the rocking system were also laboriously pored over. Marta had a vision for how this bench should feel — the rocking should be subtle, not like a see-saw. It had to offer a comfortable experience, not just a novelty one.
Together, Marta and Fredrik spent months researching the physics, the engineering, and the mechanics needed to bring their concept to life. A product of passion, love, and tireless work, this bench is every bit as joyful as Marta first envisioned it to be.
Alternative Styles
Or, for a mid-century living room, opt for this lovely white boucle rocking chair from Cox and Cox. With its plush chair and rocking mechanism, this would make for the perfect reading nook chair.
This is not your grandma's rocking chair - this wood and leather design feels uber-chic and grown-up, a bachelor pad-worthy design. It has something of an Eames Chair quality to it too, albeit in a more playful, rocking form.
There's something particularly appropriate about a rocking seat in the great outdoors, and as romantic as a traditional swing seat can be, this woven, metal design feels far more fitting for a modern garden design.
This is the finishing touch your cozy living room needs. The super plush chenille armchair offers a discreet, modern take on the classic rocking chair, and we can't get enough.
An upgrade on the classic garden swing seat, this design combines comfort with style, for a chair worthy of the best outdoor living room.
Pleasingly simple, this lovely wooden garden bench has a chic minimalism that could work in any setting, though the petite model is particularly good for small gardens.
If you love the joyful aspect of this design, I have a feeling you're going to be a fan of the playfulism decor trend. And for more design ideas and inspo, subscribe to our newsletter.
