Everybody loves to make fun of IKEA building furniture out of glorified cardboard. But IKEA’s future in building furniture out of hardwood is more solid than you’d think.
Behold the Skogsta collection. This new line of incredibly affordable kitchen and dining room pieces is made of solid acacia, a fast-growing tree that grows in warm regions all over the world. Mature acacia trees also feature a handsome two-toned appearance.
“We use both the sapwood and the core of the acacia,” IKEA explained in its release. “The mix of darker and lighter wood becomes part of the design, giving character to the different pieces. This offers a unique look and whilst optimizing the use of the material.”
This is not IKEA’s first foray into solid wood furniture. The company has always offered a few solid wood items, but in the past year, customer demand has compelled IKEA to double down on sturdier solid wood designs. It’s even been buying up forests all over the world in order to supply the right lumber. Then, back in January, IKEA released the Nornäs collection, a gorgeous Scandinavian-inspired series of pieces made of solid pine. The untreated wood can be painted or stained, so it can be customized to your heart’s content.
The new Skogsta line actually features a wax finish. Softer to the touch and more water resistant, the smaller pieces can take a beating and will ostensibly only get better with age. With butcher blocks starting at just $6, one of the most expensive items is a $50 bench. (That’s about half the price of the comparable solid wood bench in the Nornäs collection.) At these prices, you’d think the stuff really was made out of cardboard. But it’s wood!
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Check out a sampling of pieces in the new Skogsta pieces below. The entire collection is now available in stores across the U.S.
Skogsta Dining Table – $350
Skogsta Bench – $50
Skogsta Chair – $40
Skogsta Shelf – $35
Skogsta Platter with Stand – $20
Skogsta Box with Handle – $10
[IKEA]
All images via IKEA.
Contact the author at adam@gizmodo.com.
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