Ikea has revolutionized interior design. Ikea separates its products from other stories in a variety of ways.  Additionally, there is a consistency of the brand that ensures customers that the Ikea brand can be depended upon for style and ease of use.  Read more on How Ikea has revolutionized Interior Design...

Ikea has revolutionized interior design. Ikea separates its products from other stories in a variety of ways.  Additionally, there is a consistency of the brand that ensures customers that the Ikea brand can be depended upon for style and ease of use. 

Ikea was the first truly global lifestyle brand for interior design.  It began as a “one-stop-shop” offering such diverse items as bedroom furniture, kitchen cabinets, and saucepans. Unlike, Wal-Mart or Target, Ikea offers products that shoppers cannot find elsewhere, its brand products are exclusive to its stores.

The style of Ikea’s interior design items also serves to separate it from the competition. The design is always simple, with straight, clean lines. The theory behind this approach to interior design stems from the Scandinavia theory that daylight and space are at a premium.  The interior designs therefore are created to brighten up interiors and make the best possible use of available space.

The simplicity, overall feeling, and immediate availability of Ikea’s products all contribute to Ikea’s competitive advantage in the marketplace and its revolution of the interior design industry. The simplicity of Ikea’s furniture lends itself to combination. The ability to freely combine items from Ikea’s various lines, makes interior design easier for customers. The overall feeling that shopping at Ikea gives customers the impression that interior design is easy.  Customers feel like they can get all the interior design items that they need in one place, which saves time and energy.  Lastly, the warehouse mentality feeds to the North American taste of wanting things immediately.  Customers can walk right out of the store with their items, without having to wait for shipping, special ordering, or customizing.  These characteristics are some of the strategies that enabled Ikea to revolutionize the interior design market.

There are several keys to Ikea’s success. One key to Ikea’s success is the duality of its single-minded vision coupled with its innovation execution. Ikea continues to introduce new products while remaining consistent with its overall design.  A second key is Ikea’s success is its dedication to ensuring its customers pay the lowest possible price. Every decision that Ikea makes takes into consideration the importance of keeping prices down.  For example, Ikea sold one line of picture frames that were fashioned out of rubber cuts from a Volvo factory and a sofa made of a particleboard base. These decisions continue to place Ikea at the top and have revolutionized the interior design industry.

However, there are contradictions in Ikea’s strategy.  For example, it is interesting that Ikea juxtaposes its customers with an illusion of choice of mixing and matching while in reality presenting a homogenous product.  Another interesting contradiction is Ikea’s ability to be perceived as a “green” company when in reality, it created the concept of disposable furniture. Its furniture is not made to last or to be past down to later generations.  However, this works out very nicely for Ikea by ensuring future customers. These differences have not stopped Ikea from changing the interior design industry.

The simple look of Ikea furniture, its modest price and immediate availability have revolutionized the interior design industry.