IKEA Is Declaring "Scandinavian Folklore" as One of 2024's Biggest Trends

Blair Donovan
·3 min read
Ikea Scandi folklore decor ideas.
Credit: IKEA Credit: IKEA

IKEA catalogs may sadly be a thing of the past (although you can browse their archive online), but the brand just launched the next best thing to curb design-lovers’ enthusiasm: The company’s first-ever U.S. Style Guide.

Instead of just displaying new arrivals online, this 22-page booklet actually provides context for some of the brand’s current products and upcoming launches, by identifying four major interior design movements poised to take 2024 by storm: warm minimalism, Swedish roots, modern playfulness, and Scandinavian folklore. These distinct styles have been curated with comfort, function, and longevity in mind, encouraging thoughtful decorating. For each category, you’ll also find corresponding IKEA items, compatible color palette ideas, designer tips, and relevant survey statistics from the IKEA Life at Home Report.

Seana Strawn, IKEA U.S. country home furnishing & retail design manager, writes in the foreword that “the 2024 IKEA Style Guide is intended to show how design and everyday living are intertwined and how, together, they can create a beautiful, more comfortable life.” She goes on to add that the choice is yours “whether you fall head over heels in love with one style, or decide to experiment and mix them up.” Either way, the digital report centers around picking practical-yet-contemporary pieces that make you feel your happiest at home.

Ikea Swedish roots decor ideas.
Credit: IKEA Credit: IKEA

Luckily, there’s plenty of inspiration for that, regardless of your design preferences. If you love color and pattern, take a cue from the nature-inspired Swedish roots trend (pictured above). Described as “modern, playful, and suited to people’s everyday needs,” this style is all about mixing light wood finishes and primary hues, like IKEA’s birch BURVIK side table and the quirky green ÄRTBUSKE vase/watering can. The brand’s modern playfulness aesthetic, shown below, also celebrates bold, expressive designs, as seen via shopping ideas like the popular donut-shaped VARMBLIXT LED lamp and turquoise transparent TOBIAS chair.

Or, if you can relate to the 51% of survey respondents who consider home their favorite place to be, channel the Scandinavian folklore look for a hygge-inspired take on cozy cottage style (think: saturated tones, natural materials, and embroidered textiles that read “down-to-earth, warm, and welcoming,” per the Style Guide). IKEA recommends pieces like the pretty red-hued PINNTORP chair and versatile VÄXTHUS basket to embody this allure, pictured at the very top of the post. And, of course, these all mingle well with furniture and decor attached to the other design trends, too.

Ikea Modern playfulness decor ideas.
Credit: IKEA Credit: IKEA

Decluttering is also a key theme throughout the style index: IKEA discovered that 45% of people surveyed consider organization to be overwhelming. The warm minimalism trend specifically comes to the clutter-free rescue via collections of bookshelves, sleek storage furniture, and lidded containers and bins. 

Overall, whether you’re looking to home in on a curated decorating theme or just make your space feel more design-forward and functional, count on this definitive IKEA Style Guide to double as your 2024 design mood board. Check out the full digital report online, and you can even print it out and hang up favorite pages for inspo.