First Look: Ikea’s Summer Collection Came Early

It’s not even February and Ikea already has us craving a chilled glass of lemonade and spontaneous picnics by the sea. In anticipation for warmer days, the Swedish retailer recently debuted a first peek at its 2019 summer collection—and it is brimming with brightly designed beach towels and 1960s-inspired decor with a Nordic twist.

This year, Ikea is channeling understated summer moments—like having ice cream for lunch or going for an after-work swim. Graphic prints and 1960s-inspired colorways play a major role in the collection, taking the form of floral tablecloths, whimsical tea sets, and bold outdoor poufs. Products are expected to begin rolling out in stores in mid-February.

Here are three big things to expect from this summer’s debut.

Solar-Powered Outdoor Lighting, Reimagined

Eco-conscious lighting takes a playful turn with bold stripes, polka dots, and florals. The Solvinden series consists of LED solar-powered pendant globes, string lights, and floor lamps that make it easy to light up your outdoor space at night after a little help from the sun.

Nostalgic Prints

Familiar summertime motifs (think sunglasses, flowers, and popsicles) grace the surfaces of swim gear, glassware, plant pots, and more. “The ambition was to create a generous mix of patterns while keeping them concise in terms of the four prime colors: blue, yellow, red, and green. That was how we started,” states Malin Unnborn, one of the designers who collaborated with Ikea on the collection.  

Double-Duty Furniture

The ability to effortlessly make the transition from indoor to outdoor seems to have largely informed Ikea’s furniture picks for this year. Come February, customers can shop poufs that will look good in the living room or on the balcony, lanterns to place by the front door or fireplace, and a woven stool to keep by the grill or next to the bathtub.

See more Ikea news:

First Look: The Ikea x Tom Dixon Bedroom Collaboration Is Here

Ikea’s Newest Bedroom Staple Is About to Make Sleeping In So Much Easier

10 Ikea Shopping Hacks, According to an Employee