This amazing new collection is coming to Ikea in May (and we’ve had a sneak peak)

Trine Jensen-Burke

Just in time for summer.

If you are looking to give your outdoor space an upgrade for spring, maybe just hold off for another few weeks. Why? Well, because in may, Ikea are set to launch their brand new Överallt collection – where the Swedish furnitur giant have teamed up with top African designers – and the results are pretty darn stunning, if you ask us. And perfect for our terrace/garden/outdoor space.

The project is the result of a partnership with Design Indaba, which had the task of picking which designers should be involved. IKEA hopes the project will show the world that there is an explosion of creativity coming out of Africa right now.

The results? A limited-edition collection that is all about building bridges and not walls, ultimately creating room for better habits together. The Överallt collection includes larger pieces of furniture, tableware, textiles, and a fashionably sustainable tote bag – amongst others.

Ikea, of course, regularly teams with big-name creatives on projects, with recent collaborators including Virgil Abloh, Teenage Engineering and Ilse Crawford. As for this latest partnership, the Swedish design giant describes the collection as “African rituals meet Scandi”.

“The Överallt collection has a number of fantastic pieces inspired by African and Scandi design to create a modern look for urban living. For example, the Överallt chair, in natural, untreated plywood is the perfect blank canvas – its sleek architectural design looks great by itself, but encourages you to put your own touch on it. To personalise the chair, use African inspired prints from the textiles to add a pop of colour,” explains Clotilde Passalacqua, Interior Design Leader from Ikea UK and Ireland.

“The beautiful basket, with a design originally inspired by hair braiding, is also a fantastic piece to incorporate into any room as it is not only a classic design made with natural fibres, but is functional too.”

What can you expect from the collection? Think textiles that reference African landscapes, rugs made from recycled crisp packets and a bench designed to encourage socialising – and lots more.