IKEA's Colorful Spectacle at Edinburgh's Fringe Festival: A Blitz of Banana Prints, Broccoli Designs, and Dazzling Maximalism
The Magical Patterns exhibition, currently on display at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh, offers a vibrant journey through the world of IKEA textiles. This touring exhibit, IKEA Museum's first, showcases pattern-rich fabrics that have become synonymous with the brand's playful and accessible approach to Scandinavian design.
At the exhibit's entrance, visitors are greeted by the ANNIKEN fabric, a broccoli-clad pink, white, and green design created by Ida Petterssen Preutz, an IKEA designer. The curator, Anna Sandberg Falk, describes the exhibit as redefining thoughts on Scandinavian design and reminding viewers of the playful mindset that has sometimes been lost in the pursuit of 'perfect' interiors.
The exhibition spans 60 years of textile work and features the works of Swedish designers such as Inez Svensson, Göta Trädgårdh, and Sven Fristedt, reflecting IKEA’s long history of supporting creative and experimental textile artists since the 1960s. It also showcases modern, celebrated collaborations, including Zandra Rhodes and Marimekko.
The exhibit highlights collaborations with influential textile designers like Bitten Højmark, Inger Nilsson, and the Swedish design collective 10-gruppen. Visitors can expect to find a textile for almost every fanciful taste, from the iconic RANDIG BANAN stripey pattern to the bold, colorful ANNIKEN broccoli motif.
The Magical Patterns exhibition features a variety of functional homewares adorned with these bold patterns. The STOCKHOLM 2025 Table Lamp, part of IKEA's newest collection, boasts a verdant print that fits well in a biophilic home. The LYCKSELE LÖVÅS Chair-bed, a transformable furniture piece, comes in a bright blue and green pattern, while the STRANDFLOKA Place Mat introduces colorful decor while serving a function.
For those seeking a more subdued yet stylish addition to their home, the IKEA NYTILLVERKAD collection offers a retro-sleek tubular metal chair with a stripey design, and the BUSENKEL Rug features a harlequin pattern and comes in various sizes. The JÄTTEBJÖRN lidded box, a 45 X 35 cm storage solution for a playroom, brightens the space with its vibrant design.
Lastly, the BANJANTRÄD shower curtain adds a fun element to even the most laid-back shower rooms. IKEA offers patterned homewares for purchase, including the RINNIG tea towels in a multicolor stripe pattern.
Ida Petterssen Preutz emphasizes that fun textiles and crazy patterns are at the heart of IKEA's designs and will continue to be a part of the brand's future. The Magical Patterns exhibition will be on display until January 17th, 2026, before it moves on.
- The ANNIKEN fabric, a playful broccoli-clad design by IKEA designer Ida Petterssen Preutz, welcomes visitors at the entrance of the Magical Patterns exhibition.
- The exhibition, redefining thoughts on Scandinavian design, features works from Swedish designers like Inez Svensson, Göta Trädgårdh, and Sven Fristedt, as well as modern collaborations with Zandra Rhodes and Marimekko.
- The Magical Patterns exhibition showcases a variety of functional homewares, such as the STOCKHOLM 2025 Table Lamp and the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS Chair-bed, both adorned with bold patterns.
- For those preferring a more subdued fashion, IKEA offers retro-sleek items like the NYTILLVERKAD collection's stripey tube metal chair and the BUSENKEL rug with a harlequin pattern.
- In a playroom, the JÄTTEBJÖRN lidded box brightens the space with its vibrant design, while the BANJANTRÄD shower curtain adds a fun element to even the most simple bathroom décor.
