Earlier this month, in celebration of the launch of their 2009 catalogue, Ikea opened an exclusive showroom for the first time ever in downtown Toronto. For four days only, Torontonians were given the opportunity to see some of the new Ikea products for 2009. Being the Ikea enthusiast that I am, I was eager to see the new products and to see how well a showroom would translate in a location outside of the traditional big box Ikea warehouse space.

The downtown showroom was set up in a moderate sized loft space with high ceilings and plenty of open space, which was perfect for showcasing the new collection. Condo and small space dwellers were the target consumers as each of the displays, or elements of each display, could easily be transferred to a small living space.

The main floor featured a grand living room/kitchen/open concept space with lacquered exposed wood grain cabinetry, a leather sofa, contemporary styled light fixtures and furnishings, beautiful wall hangings, a faux animal skin rug, and a sleek modern kitchen unit.

Upstairs, the loft space showcased a smaller secondary exposed wood grain kitchen unit, a smaller living room space, and an elegant bedroom set.

















































    

In tune with the modern design color palette, rich chocolate browns and neutral tones of beige, white, and black functioned to open up the space and accentuate the bold and vibrant splashes of color that were introduced into the space via interesting accessories and yellow and orange cabinetry. I loved the green leaf-wrapped vase centrepiece and I thought that the use of the upside down lime green bins was a clever way to introduce color into the room. Patterned pillows, rugs, and wall hangings provided contrast and texture to the modern aesthetic of the primary furniture pieces.

My overall impressions of the new looks for Ikea 2009, based upon the products showcased in this showroom, are: the use of exposed wood grain in shelving and cabinetry, boldly patterned and textured pillows, rugs, and wall hangings, and the ample use of dark and rich tones of brown in furniture, lighting fixtures, and accessories. The showroom imbued practicality and functionality without being excessive and this minimal design approach encouraged visitors to pick up a copy of the 2009 catalogue (which was inconspicuously incorporated into the design of the displays) to see more of the new collection.