Gustaf Westman unveils colourful tableware for debut IKEA collection

A bouncy spiral vase and IKEA's first chubby meatball plate feature in Swedish designer Gustaf Westman's festive tableware collection, created for the retailer to prove that "there's not one cookie-cutter way of celebrating".

The IKEA x Gustaf Westman collection, a 12-piece set of tableware, was designed for the festive season but can be used for any type of winter celebration at home, rather than just Christmas.

IKEA meatball plate — The IKEA x Gustaf Westman collection includes a dedicated meatball plate

"A Christmas collection felt quite scary for me," said Westman, who is known for his playful and colourful designs, including a glossy spiralled baguette holder.

"I don't feel like my aesthetic is very Christmassy, and it's hard for me to do something so focused on one type of holiday or one type of style," he told Dezeen.

Bouncy spiral vase by Gustaf Westman — Westman also designed a bouncy spiral vase

Revealed last month, the centrepiece of the collection is a porcelain turquoise plate created for 11 meatballs – the first of its kind to be produced by IKEA, and a nod to the beloved Swedish dish that has been sold at the retailer's food outlets for 40 years.

"It's like a throne," explained Westman. "It gives them a special place at the table."

Porcelain cup and saucer set — A porcelain cup and saucer set was informed by the designer's childhood memories

The designer said that he toyed with a handful of ideas before completing the plate, including a helter-skelter-style object that dispenses meatballs.

This idea can be seen in the spiral shape of the collection's bouncy vase, a twisted piece of pink-hued springy metal that cups a clear glass vessel.

Dining plates by Gustaf Westman — The collection also includes a duo of square dining plates

Westman also created a rounded porcelain cup and saucer set finished in green and pink. The generous saucer was designed to be oversized to accommodate biscuits, a personal touch informed by the designer's childhood memories of his grandmother's festive baking.

"The concept is that we're gathering random people and random family members," said Westman. "I wanted the collection to feel like that as well."

"It's not very well thought through, it's not a fulfilled collection," continued the designer. "It's more about the ideas that I came up with and liked."

"There's not one cookie-cutter way of celebrating," agreed Maria O'Brian, creative leader at IKEA of Sweden. "People celebrate many different holidays at this time of year."

Chunky pillar candleholders by Gustaf Westman for IKEA — Westman created a pair of chunky pillar candleholders and a candelabra-style lamp

The collection also includes a duo of square dining plates with round wells at the centre, created in the same colours as the saucer set.

Although Westman designed the plates to complement the other pieces, he explained that their minimalism was chosen to allow people to "mix and match" anything in the collection with other IKEA tableware.

"You don't need everything from this collection," considered the designer. "I think that's kind of important."

Portable pink lamp for IKEA — A portable, rechargeable pink lamp can be adjusted to suit the user's preference

"We didn't want to force anything if we didn't think it was great," added O'Brian, who explained that the team refrained from creating carbon copies of existing IKEA products to minimise waste.

"For example, IKEA has a lot of other cutlery, which can be used at the table, or people already have stuff at home," she noted.

A pair of chunky red and blue pillar candleholders features in the collection, as well as a duo of green and blue tealight holders characterised by the same square-and-round shape as the plates.

Westman also designed a red, steel-framed candelabra-style lamp with orb-like bulbs.

The final piece in the collection is a portable, rechargeable pink lamp informed by winter lanterns. A rounded bulb is encircled by two chubby rings that give the appearance of planetary orbits, which can be rotated or laid flat depending on the user's preference.

"We worked with Gustaf because we wanted to be challenged", O'Brian explained.

"Gustaf's form language is very voluptuous and bubbly and IKEA is often thought of as quite flat and efficient," she continued.

"I want someone who sees my object for the first time to understand it in one or two seconds," said Westman, considering his approachable, bold style.

Tealight holders are characterised by the same square-and-round shape as the plates

The pair also acknowledged the steady rise in home tablescaping following the pandemic and a growing trend for personalised, statement homes.

"I think that really paved the way for more mixed interior styles, and to not have such a 'matchy-matchy home' only curated for guests," said Westman.

O'Brian added that while the collection started with the idea of celebration, it "zoned in on hosting" as a key idea to capture this current mood.

"I think it's the economy, too," she reflected. "People are eating in more, and you don't want to lose out on the festive experience just because you are inviting people over more and going out a little bit less.

"But I think it has unleashed that elevated experience at home", concluded O'Brian. "You can still do that without it looking like a restaurant, but maybe by allowing yourself some extra plates."