Since opening his eponymous studio in 2020, homeware designer Gustaf Westman has amassed a cult following for his delightfully chunky objects, his knack for color, and his playful eye for reimagining everyday items. His sought-after designs have always come with a higher-end price tag—but now Westman is partnering with Ikea to make his work accessible to the masses.
The new collection, which debuts September 9 on Ikea’s website, is part of the company’s annual winter launch. It includes items like plates, candleholders, and a vase, all designed under the premise of reimagining the winter holidays for a younger generation. While a plate from Westman’s brand retails for around $65 and a bowl is close to $330, the Ikea collection ranges from just $7 to $25.
“My stuff is very niche, and it’s not so affordable for people,” Westman says. “A very fun part of [this collaboration] is that I can reach a much bigger audience, and so many more people will be able to buy the stuff and take it home.”
A holiday collection for a new generation
This is Westman’s first time ever working with another company—and as someone from Sweden, he says, partnering with Ikea is a “dream collaboration.”
Westman embraced the opportunity to design objects for a less traditional, more playful approach to the holidays. That’s perhaps most embodied by the “Vinterfint serving plate”: a long, tubular platter designed to hold Swedish meatballs.
After the plate debuted as a teaser item, Westman says, some commenters were baffled by its form factor—he assures Fast Company that it can be used to serve other items, like sushi or pralines.
More unexpected pieces in the collection include a spiraling pink vase and a series of candleholders with a funky four-pronged base. Other products take more direct inspiration from Westman’s own Christmas memories.
“For example, we did this cup that has a big saucer,” Westman says. “The idea behind that cup is that my grandma always made a lot of different cookies, and it was basically a logistical problem, like, ‘How am I gonna take these cookies?’ This cup is solving that problem.”
Striking the right balance
According to Maria O’Brian, the creative leader at Ikea of Sweden who tapped Westman to join the project, the main challenge in bringing the designer’s vision to life was the fact that his preference for chunky, bulbous shapes stands somewhat in opposition with Ikea’s reputation for efficient flat-packing.
“There’s something so joyful about his form language and use of color, and I think it’s also quite far from the Ikea form language in terms of flat-packing,” O’Brian says. “The playfulness that Gustaf brings is so bold, and we saw that it could challenge us in a positive direction by stretching what we do with shapes and expressions.”
Westman’s personal favorite piece, the “Vinterfint plate,” is one of the items that embodies this push and pull. The plate features a squared edge with a raised circle in the center, and its low profile makes it easy to stack and store.
“The plate is very much a dream thing for me to do—a very simple product for Ikea, but I make it special,” Westman says. “How I think about the plate is that it’s basically a flat square, and someone has dragged up the edges to create the plate. I remember sitting around doing that on paper by squeezing it up.”
The collection may be geared toward the holidays, but both Westman and O’Brian say they didn’t want it to scream “Christmas.” To strike a balance between the festive season and everyday use, they selected a color palette that includes the traditional forest green and bright red alongside a pastel pink and baby blue.
Ultimately, the final product is a collection that balances Westman’s unconventional approach to homeware with Ikea’s penchant for utilitarian design. Westman says he’s enjoyed the experience.
“Since I’ve only been working alone, it’s like going back to school,” he says. “Meeting all these people, going on trips, going to Älmhult, the little Ikea town—that’s been probably the most rewarding.”