IKEA’s 2013 limited edition collection, TRENDIG, is just now becoming available in the US, but we have another one to look forward to* soon: BRÅKIG. And ohhhh, it’s good. Lots of pale wood and bright colors and geometric patterns.
*UPDATE: Actually, if you’re in North America, you have nothing to look forward to, because BRÅKIG will not be sold here. Heavy sigh…
Designed by Danish art collective ArtRebels, BRÅKIG includes modified versions of existing IKEA pieces (the FROSTA stool and my favorite LERBERG trestles—that’s them above, re-imagined in COPPER [!!!] with a thin plywood top), as well as entirely new works.
I’m in love with that wood rack/stand thingy, right down to the copper hooks. I have absolutely no idea what I’d use it for, but I feel like I need it in my life anyway. If I had a need to hang 20 dish towels and some mugs in one spot, I’d be all over it. (OK, I’m sure there’s an obvious, practical use for it that’s just not occurring to me. Blankets? But then what are the hooks for?) Anyway, it’s pretty. Those ice cream-colored FROSTA stools are pretty, too, though I think I’d only want the pink one. (Remember my FROSTA makeover? The FROSTA has been discontinued here for so long.)
Cups! Saucers! Trays! A whole line of textiles! These triangle patterns remind me of IKEA’s own 2008 textile collections (I still have mine squirreled away), Eugen Trost’s Zebra ceramics, and of course Sven Markelius’s classic Ljungbergs Pythagoras pattern—not to mention more recent designs by House of Rym and Ferm Living. These elongated triangles have become a staple of Scandinavian design over the past half century, and I love seeing the theme continue through so many new designers’ works.
The multicolored knobs on the BRÅKIG dresser are great. I’m surprised by how much I like this, though I can’t imagine having it in my house. Maybe it’s because the knobs remind me of the SNODD cabinet knobs I used in my old, old apartment kitchen—they were really nice, so of course IKEA discontinued them immediately. I hope whoever lives in that apartment now appreciates them.
And THE CHAIR! It comes in a couple of pastel shades, too, but I think the unpainted (birch?) version is nicest. I like that the back is cut from a single piece of wood. I kind of want to paint black “socks” on it, though, just to break up all the wood a little.
These art prints aren’t available from IKEA, but I thought it would be fun to include them anyway. ArtRebels have put together a whole selection of artwork inspired by the BRÅKIG collection, and yes, they ship to the US. My favorites (clockwise) are these by Camillia Konradsen, Sara Gade, Kristina Green Bonne, and WAAITT. Hooray for discovering new artists and designers!
You can read more about the BRÅKIG collection and see pictures of some of the other stuff in the line on ArtRebel’s blog. The full collection contains 36 pieces, so there’s a lot more to come! IKEA doesn’t have anything on their site yet, but the products are due to roll out in Europe beginning in February. No word yet on when we’ll see BRÅKIG in the US, but hopefully soon—there are a few pieces I know I’m going to want to bring home with me. UPDATE: Unfortunately, the BRÅKIG collection will not be sold in North America.
And here’s the BRÅKIG line as it progressed, as presented in a fun video by ArtRebels…
49 Comments
Love those knobs on the BRAKIG! I feel like I have such a love/hate relationship with IKEA…mostly me hating how much I love their furniture, despite the fact that I have to spend hours putting it together.
I am also waiting eagerly for February to buy some of the things, however I fear that the copper isn’t actual copper, just spraypaint or so (like with their new “industrial” ranarp lamps which don’t really have anything brass). But if it really is copper, it’s nice.
Even if it’s just copper-colored, I think it looks great! Better than that weird grayish silver finish they were so fond of for years.
Oh, I totally need that rack as a display for mugs, necklaces, etc. for my someday craft-show booth (still haven’t done an outdoor show). I don’t know what you’d use it for in the home though.
Yeah, I was thinking it would be perfect for a textile artist’s studio, but you’re so right about the craft show display usage!
Yep – had that same thought, perfect for a textile designer’s studio! Now what can I clear out of my current studio to make room…
Yeah… I need that chair in mint. 😀
My boyfriend made something like the rack above for my booth at the Renegade Craft Fair, except it is more of an A-frame and can stand on it’s own and doesn’t need to be laid against a wall. Now when I’m not using it for craft fairs I sit it next to my closet and use it to hang my jeans/pants and bandanas on it. Sometimes hanging denim jackets and dresses off the sides. I use stainless steel meat hooks to hang bags and stuff of the dowels too. I LOVE IT!!
Excited! That rack is perfect for me – I have a quilt that I would love to display and that would be PERFECT.
I’m a quilter and that rack would be a nice way to display quilts. I’d also like to get my hands on some of that fabric to make curtains.
I’m in love with those desk legs. I was going to settle on the others, and possibly spray them (and I still might if I can’t wait until Feb 2014). And those fabrics!
Scratch that. I just realized I’ll be near my nearest IKEA in a couple weeks (it’s 5 hours away). YAY!
That dowel rack would be so nice in a bathroom or sauna cottage for holding towels, clothes and supplies.
I think I’m so used to living in a house without a lot of wall space that I’m having trouble coming up with uses! You’re right, a bathroom would be perfect.
I miss those FROSTA stools. I hope they come back to the US soon because I could really use one in our baby room.
Wow I cannot WAIT for this.
Oooohh. I love the cups and saucers. I bet they’ll get shit for being too like the Swedish 1950’s “Zebra” coffeecups, which are hugely popular and crazy expensive.
I would use the hanging rack in the bedroom, for the clothes that are not clean enough to put back in the wardrobe, but need to air for another use. In Sweden that is a popular organization question in blogs- what to do with the worn but not dirty clothes? Maybe this is finally a better answer than a big messy heap of clothes slumped over a chair. At least in theory, but my clothes aren’t up to par…
LISA!!! Thank you SO much for mentioning the Zebra cups!!! I was going crazy last night when I was writing this post trying to remember the name and just couldn’t. I must say, though, that given the fact that both Ferm and House of Rym have also recently done collections that were obvious homages to the Zebra cups, it would be a bit unfair for IKEA to be criticized!
For anyone else reading this who’s curious about the Zebra ceramics, they were designed by Eugen Trost for Upsala-Ekeby in the ’50s. Here’s a beautiful example of the set.
Funny about the clothes thing, it would never occur to me to separate worn clothes from unworn. If something doesn’t need to go in the laundry yet, I just put it back in the closet or drawer! I never even gave it a second thought, but now I feel like maybe that’s horribly disgusting, hahahah. I wonder if it’s an American thing? Or if separating them is a Swedish thing??
Haha, glad I could help, without knowing it:-).
Zebra has been widely copied, sometimes not even altered at all, so this is not at all bad in comparison .
I love Upsala Ekeby, and its sibling Gefle porcelainfactory, they made lots of gorgeous things.
I’m guessing you’d like the Negro series by Ingrid Atterberg. I’ll link to retro blog Porslinan. This post is from her visit to Grödinge Antik, and it’s all Upsala Ekeby goodies. Negro is in the fourth ceramics picture.
You probably know your Ekeby already, but some other reader might have an epiphany:-)
http://porslinan.blogspot.com/2012/08/antligen-besokt-grodinge-antik-design.html
Maybe the clothes airing is a Swedish thing. I don’t think it’s disgusting to put clothes back in the wardrobe. I’ts more the thing of t-shirts and things like that being fine for a couple of wears, but not more. Other things I’d usually air, then put back in the wardrobe.
Hi! I just discovered this new line this morning and I’m SO excited! I want just about everything, but esp the pink stools, the rack (I sew, so this rack would be great for all my fabric), the tray table, pillow and blankets. Oh, and the cups and pastel bowls look so pretty. And the Zebra ceramics looks amazing. I was wondering if anyone would compare the IKEA cups and saucers with the ones from House of Rym and had no idea this design was so prevalent in Scandinavia. Thanks for posting this!
You’re right, Muoi, I’m going to add the link to the Zebra design to the post!
(And thanks again, Lisa!)
I think the wooden rack thingy would be great to hang some framed artwork on! And maybe display a fun printed tea towel from Anthropologie or some such. It’s definitely versatile!
Jorgensen/Sabrina/whatever your name is now, if you think you have some kind of secret information to share, just share it. There is no deception going on here. What exactly is it that you think is going on?
EXPOSE ME AND ALL OF MY LIES! Please! Go right on ahead!
Ugh, thanks a lot Anna. Now I have to take another trip to Ikea after I promised myself I wouldn’t go back because it turns me into a lunatic. I absolutely do not need all those dishes and mugs, but I definitely neeeeeeed them. P.S. Love your blog.
The rack will be nice for a mud room/entry/landing strip setup too. 😉
I also don’t mix worn & unworn clothes. Anything that are worn but not ready to wash goes on a hanger behind the bedroom door.
OK, now I’m starting to question everything I’ve ever done with my clothes! Do you mind if I ask what country you’re from?
Singapore 🙂
I don’t understand how you do it – you always find the treasures i never knew i needed and now can’t survive without.
I love this post! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I will be obsessively checking my nearest Ikea come February. My store never seems to have anything in stock!
I need that Frosta in pink, and that chair… I really don’t have room for any more stools/chairs but they look so good and you can never have too many, right?
Excited to see what else is in the collection.
Okay well don’t worry Anna, you’re definitely not the only one who doesn’t separate worn clothing. I hang mine right back up if it’s not going in the hamper. Guess i’m disgusting too haha
Alright, I’m glad at least one other person out there is as filthy as I am!!
I’ve seen racks like those at like, outpost-type stores in Up North Minnesota. At those places they would drape blankets mostly (Probably Pendleton, obvs). In any case, it’s pretty much right up your street.
I’m getting a really strong sense of Ferm influence in these, and I’m perfectly okay with that!
Anna, is the Trendig collection available in the US now? I followed your link to UK ikea and I loved so many of the things, but when I went to the US site, I could only find one item…
It depends on the store, Randie! The IKEA site isn’t very helpful when it comes to special collections, unfortunately. I’d call your local IKEA to ask.
Just want to thank you for this great post! Here at the ArtRebels office in Copenhagen we really appraciate reading all these posts and comments from around the world :). And if you like our ArtRebels community you might also appraciate some of our other projects like: http://www.trailerparkfestival.com & http://www.rebelacademy.org.
All the best to all of you in the US – stay connected and have fun with the BRÅKIG!
I want it aaaaall! Well, specifically that rack, and the table legs, and the teacups. The dresser would also be adorable in my son’s room.
I was just lusting over the Brakig collection again and noticed that you updated to say it won’t be sold in North America?! Do you know if it will be available later or is it only being released in Europe? Any chance I could find a list of what international stores it will be available in? So sad 🙁
Hi Megan, no, sadly it won’t be coming to North America at all. 🙁 I don’t have a list of which stores will be carrying the range, but you could contact IKEA and ask.
Bummer, I wish I had seen the update before I went to IKEA during my work lunch to ask when the new line was coming out. But, I did get a cute new succulent plant for my cube, so it wasn’t completely wasted =)
I lamented the lack of BRAKIG in the U.S. on artrebels’ IG account and was informed to “stay tuned”. Hoping for news of a launch here soon!
I’m so crazy about those FROSTA stools that I’ve made special trips to certain cities in Italy just to buy them… However this is be more difficult for larger items, like that BRAKIG table….hmmm
I had an email from artrebels to so they would be releasing in in the US, they just didn’t have a date. Ikea was not so helpful, Anna who did you get your info from? In the meantime if you have the $$$$ Artek, on which the FROSTA is ripped is releasing some gorgeous colors of the Aalto Stool 60 for the 80th anniversary
http://design-milk.com/artek-celebrates-stool-60s-80th-anniversary/
Hi Lucy, the information came directly from IKEA’s US product marketing specialist. She contacted me after seeing the post and asked me to update it accordingly. According to her, the BRAKIG collection will NOT be seeing a release in North America. That’s all I can tell you, sorry! I will definitely update the post if IKEA changes their plans for BRAKIG in the US.
Oh, and just FYI, there were a number of special edition Aalto stools released by Artek for their 80th anniversary last year—Mike Meire’s were just the first. There were a bunch of others, too, including a Moomim edition (I wrote about them a while back). Check ’em out! 🙂
http://www.artek.fi/news/377
Ikea US really needs to realise there is a big market here for these items…bring back the FROSTA and give us the BRAKIG! Or is it an issue of materials and shipping?
thanks for the beautiful site Anna
I hope you had a great stay in Stockholm!
I also love the BRÅKIG collection, especially the chair. Maybe because it reminds me of the Tallåsen chair, designed about 1960, of which I luckily own two.
(SIGH!) I got so excited looking through the pictures. Then I read your post and saw it wasn’t available in the US. it would do so well here! What are they thinking?
I think it’s probably because the run is limited-edition to begin with, so the logistics of transporting the products to the US for distribution might not make a lot of sense financially.
Why do we not have LIMITED IKEA COLLECTION: BRÅKIG 2014 in the USA?
Is it available anywhere in stores? Brooklyn? Paramus?
This seems like a gross oversight on the part of Ikea.
Hi Kats, no, the BRAKIG collection is not available in any IKEA stores in the US or Canada.