A playful and bold explosion for the festive season: Gustaf Westman x IKEA
The collaboration between the iconic Swedish giant and designer Gustaf Westman takes a bold step in shaping festive table traditions. Moving away from conventional holiday aesthetics, it introduces a fresh visual language defined by soft pastel shades, playful silhouettes, and unexpected geometric twists.
How would you picture Christmas tableware? In red and gold, with shiny details and sparkling little elements? The crackle of a fire, the glow of Christmas trees, the warmth and coziness of tweeds and plaids? Well, add a bit of whimsy to what you know about holidays, and get ready to embrace IKEA’s new collaboration with Swedish designer Gustaf Westman: a playful addition of twelve pieces to the classic collection VINTERFINT, that expand on seasonal rituals while twisting them into something new. Known for his bold, Memphis-inspired, postmodern, colorful, and pop style, the Stockholm-based designer brings an unmistakably personal perspective to contemporary Scandinavian design.
Since founding his studio in 2020, he has developed a recognizable language of curved lines, bright colors, and playful forms that translate into both furniture and everyday objects. His work, influenced by fashion and continuous shapes, combines simplicity with a strong identity, resulting in pieces that feel accessible while maintaining a distinct character, and being able to carry it into IKEA’s holiday offering: instead of adhering to conventional tableware aesthetics, Westman introduces his sculptural sensibility and subtle irony, adding a different layer to familiar seasonal rituals.
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“This collaboration was the perfect chance to overturn the traditional holiday aesthetic and bring in a sense of boldness and joy. This is how I picture the festive season: a new design, made for a new generation,” says Gustaf Westman. So this Christmas, you can host dinners and parties with a fresh perspective. Think pastel tones combined with rounded, soft silhouettes, geometric details, spirals, concentric circles, and squares. Expect contrasts too – a glimpse of contemporary design thinking embedded in ordinary objects.
The collection consists of twelve distinct pieces, each with its own identity, pushing beyond the norms of holiday decor while still working harmoniously together. It begins with glossy cups in forest green and pink, paired with deliberately oversized saucers that remind the glögg set, inspired by Westman’s childhood memories of his grandmother preparing an abundance of sweets during the holidays. It then extends to plates – including a special “meatball plate” designed to reinterpret a convivial Swedish tradition, also known for being a classic IKEA specialty.
“For many Swedes, Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without meatballs,” Westman explains. The collection further includes lighting elements like candleholders (an essential for Christmas tables) and lamps, as well as a vase with a playful pink coil, adding an ironic twist to such a classic object. Each piece reflects both Westman’s vision and IKEA’s ability to create not just objects, but stories and atmospheres.
“Festivities often follow well-worn traditions, but we wanted to explore a more playful, inclusive approach. Collaborating with Gustaf Westman was a natural choice – it allowed us to reinterpret the season with originality and freshness. His bold use of color and form reflects IKEA’s style, while at the same time pushing boundaries with strong expressiveness. We’re thrilled to make his work accessible to a wider audience,” says Maria O’Brian, Range Identity Leader at IKEA.
What stands out most is this playful spirit. With every collaboration, IKEA manages to strike a fine balance between its philosophy of accessible, democratic design and the unique perspective of designers who usually operate outside the mainstream. Design is for everyone, but that doesn’t mean shapes should be flattened out or individuality sacrificed.
Westman’s collaboration embodies exactly this tension: sitting at the intersection of popular appeal and personal expression. His distinctive voice is preserved, layered, and unapologetically present – meeting a broader audience without losing authenticity. It’s an experiment in openness, play, and the unexpected.
About the author
Ludovica Proietti, journalist, design historian and curator, teaches in universities and curates events, always exploring projects with fresh, unconventional perspectives.
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