Upscale: How Swede It Is

(Courtesy Ikea)

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Thursday, May 31, 2007

Ikea, the Swedish company that brought high European style at low prices to American living rooms, is going upscale. But don't worry if you're addicted to buys like $11.99 Orgel lamps and $4.99 Forby stools. They're not going anywhere.

The new Stockholm collection is limited to 82 pieces. The upgrades: Some upholstery is mohair, cowhide or velvet, and fewer steps are needed for assembly. The idea was hatched from the feedback of loyalists who shopped at Ikea in the 1970s and 1980s for their student apartments and are now ready for an upgrade.

"Market surveys said some of our customers felt they had perhaps outgrown some of the Ikea products," says Peter Klinkert, Stockholm's project manager. "We wanted to still be cost-conscious but offer another layer of products with great design and additional features." Ten designers were chosen to create living room pieces, including round aluminum coffee tables ($199) and leaf-print lined curtain panels ($59.99 a pair).

Klinkert says his favorite is the espresso leather Stockholm sofa, which he still calls a bargain at $1,999. "It's great quality and the design is a little retro Danish from the 1960s," he says. "I couldn't resist buying one for my own home."

Jura Koncius