Customizing IKEA

While ikeahacker has been around for a few years, offering IKEA fans a platform to share their home-made hacks to the Swedish giant’s products, not every consumer wants to go the DIY route. A new Swedish company calculated that out of IKEA’s millions of customers, more than a few are willing to plunk down some cash to order smart, ready-made additions to their flat-pack furniture. Parts of Sweden currently offers add-ons to six of IKEA’s most popular product lines, from various doors for Expedit units to wine racks for Ivar shelving. (Both shown above.) Two years ago, we featured a similar company—Bemz, which is still going strong—that sells removable, washable slipcovers for IKEA’s sofas and armchairs. What we remarked about Bemz also applies to Parts of Sweden: while mass class products definitely have their advantages, most customers are eager to add a personal touch to their living quarters. There’s money to be made by feeding, and feeding off of, behemoths like IKEA. Spotted by: Frida Berglund