Gustaf Westman x IKEA Begins, as It Should, With Meatballs (EXCLUSIVE)
Forget furniture: IKEA is a meatball magnate. It sells one billion of its little vegetable, chicken, salmon, and plant spheres every year, thus situating the humble meatball as core to IKEA's practice as any desk or chair.
Quite canny, then, that Gustaf Westman is kicking off his IKEA collaboration by focusing on the Swedish meatball.
Specifically, Westman's 12-piece IKEA collection of "tableware and home objects" is heralded by a darn clever little meatball plate that deservingly pedestals the modest meat orb like royalty.
“The design is simple, lining up the meatballs so each one is visible, like they’re sitting on little thrones," Westman said. "And while it was created with meatballs in mind, it works just as well for many other dishes.”
Sure: fruits, veggies, charcuterie, and even sauces could slide neatly into Westman's meatball throne.
Use your imagination! Picture a trough of hummus surrounded by crackers. Or perhaps a river of ketchup that interrupts a field of French fries. Don't mind if I do.
The rest of Westman's IKEA designs debut on September 9 and expect the capsule to encompass the same sort of mouth-watering whimsy that's become Westman's calling card.
Pierced cups and baguette holders already play into Westman's practice so his IKEA creations only feel like an extension of his artistic identity.
Nearly a half-million Instagram followers covet Westman's cutely bulbous furnishings, which already veer towards the affordable side of designer home goods. Still, true believers who've collected enough of Westman's voluptuous plates (€55 or about $64) and perfectly named "chunky jugs" (€160 or about $186) can graduate to more advanced fare, like the €2,400 (about $2,800) curvy mirror.
It's tough to imagine a better IKEA collaborator than Westman, really. Both parties deal in approachable home goods elevated by a dash of whimsy, have mastered the art of TikTok virality (such that you can), and are, yes, Swedish. How about that.
What to expect from Westman's IKEA collection? For a hint, turn to his own oeuvre.
The IKEA meatball plate, for instance, mirrors the intentionality of Westman's hot dog plate. Different end result, similar creative intent.
"I love designing objects for a specific function," said Westman. "It brings a touch of humor and makes them instantly easy to grasp."
Quite literally, in the case of those feisty little meatballs.
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