The BLÅVINGAD collection is designed to inspire interest in life under the ocean's surface – home to thousands of creatures. From inspirational soft toys of kids' favourite marine animals, aquatic textiles, submarine and fishing games, and dreamy lighting, this collection will spark play and curiosity about the ocean across two age groups, from ages 3-7 years old and 8+. Much like the ocean, a child's imagination is an immersive place of wonder. With BLÅVINGAD, IKEA is taking inspiration from the ocean's vibrant atmosphere in the development of a long-term range of items that are both expressive and playful.
"Play is at the heart of Children's IKEA, and we are inspired to create products that encourage more opportunities to play for both children and families," says Jorge Omar Santoyo Henaine, Product Design Developer at IKEA. "Through the creative process, we learned how important it was to continue to create a range that supports play but also meets functional home furnishing needs of home," he adds.
The idea behind the range is based on the IKEA Kids Advisory Panel findings. IKEA learned that children are concerned about the ocean, and specifically the animals that call it home. As a result, IKEA based the design vision around marine life while also consciously taking small steps to include more sustainable materials such as 100% recycled polyester, which is found in select items, including the soft toys. Through the work with the Kids Advisory Panel, we learned which ocean creatures children from different countries like the most, resulting in the creation of the characters you see the most in BLÅVINGAD, which are the dolphin, orca, blue whale, turtle, and octopus.
Read the behind the scenes story about how an expert panel of children helped develop the collection – and how their concerns for the ocean were woven into its very fabric.
IKEA Kids Advisory Panel
The IKEA Kids Advisory Panel is our international digital panel where IKEA globally gets feedback from 40 children ages 8-14 from all over the world. The advisory panel shares feedback which shapes product development and design ideas. It's facilitated through an online panel with children from various parts of the world. Through the creation of BLÅVINGAD, we learned about children's curiosity about the ocean, which inspired the range.
About IKEA
IKEA offers well-designed, functional and affordable, high-quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment. There are several companies with different owners, working under the IKEA Brand, all sharing the same vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943.
About the IKEA franchise system
The IKEA retail business is operated through a franchise system with franchisees that are authorised to market and sell the IKEA product range within specified geographical territories. Inter IKEA Systems B.V. is the owner of the IKEA Concept and worldwide IKEA franchisor, who also assigns different IKEA companies to develop the product range, supply products and deliver communication solutions. Today, 12 different groups of companies have the right to own and operate IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
About Inter IKEA Group
Inter IKEA Group includes Inter IKEA Systems B.V., IKEA of Sweden AB, IKEA Supply AG and IKEA Industry AB related businesses. Inter IKEA Holding B.V. is the holding company for the Inter IKEA Group.
