A bouncy vase, the twisty lantern, and an oversized saucer. The deployment of tabletop items for their pragmatic and symbolic uses within the household is as much a part of domesticity as it is self-expression. But holiday accoutrement adds additional dimension to the perception of space and ritual when it comes time for celebration. The festive table is a simultaneous result of the host’s cultural labor and a meaningful assemblage experienced by their guests as objects, actions, behaviors, and values intersect upon it.
It is here, in the delicate balance between utility and symbolism, that IKEA’s collaboration with Stockholm-based designer Gustaf Westman finds its footing. Partnering with the iconic Swedish brand for the 2025 winter season, Westman brings his curvy, colorful, and playfully sculptural approach to the rituals of holiday dining and decor. What’s more, the resulting Holiday IKEA x Gustaf Westman collaboration – a limited-edition 12-piece collection incorporated into IKEA’s annual VINTERFINT and STRÅLA ranges – marks his first-ever product design partnership.
The range is premised on the notion that holiday tabletops, and subsequently tablewares, offer an invitation to build on tradition rather than be bound by it. As Maria O’Brian, Creative Leader at IKEA, explains, “Celebration often comes with established traditions, and we were curious to explore a more fun and inclusive take. Teaming up with Gustaf Westman felt like a natural match to help us reimagine the holidays with a twist.” The collection, therefore, becomes an opportunity to embrace merriment and connection on one’s own terms, without the constraints of formality or fixed rules.
The design language is unmistakably Westman’s. Sculptural porcelain plates balance the hard edges of their square frames with soft, circular wells, designed to be combined like pieces of a mosaic across the table. Each individual plate is statement making, yet together they build a harmonious assemblage that embodies IKEA’s ethos of tillsammans – togetherness. The introduction of a meatball plate, timed with the 40th anniversary of IKEA’s iconic dish, illustrates the way design can honor heritage while injecting humor and levity. Arranged in a neat celebratory row, the meatballs become less an everyday food and more a playful symbol of shared identity for meatball-centric cuisines.
Other objects are equally embedded in ritual. A porcelain cup and saucer, designed for serving glögg, or mulled wine, features an intentionally oversized saucer to accommodate biscuits. This detail stems from Westman’s childhood memories of his grandmother’s abundant holiday baking – a thoughtful design that allows the classic Swedish fika pairing of sweets and hot drinks to be carried together with ease. In these moments, design shifts from the abstract into the personal, evoking memories while fostering fresh ones.
The play of color is central as well. Red and green, the perennial hues of the holiday season, remain in the palette, but they are recontextualized by the inclusion of bubblegum pinks and baby blues. The effect is at once familiar and surprising: a nod to tradition softened by youthful exuberance.
Light, a cornerstone of Scandinavian winter celebrations, is further emphasized through a reinterpretation of the candelabra – a sculptural lamp inspired by the glowing windows of Swedish homes in December. Candlesticks and tealight holders leverage that chromatic duality, imbuing the festive table with both nostalgia and novelty. And a portable, rechargeable lantern with a round, layered body can be twisted and transformed from its shape at rest to an expanded, orbital object.
Another striking piece is Westman’s vase, composed of a spiraling metal frame and a glass vessel nested within. The spiral, both humorous and functional, provides structural support for flowers while introducing a sense of buoyant energy. As Westman notes, “A rounded form has no clear ending, which I think gives an object more life.” The vase embodies a design philosophy rooted in continuity, humor, and interdependence – qualities that resonate deeply with the themes of the holiday season and the designer himself.
“I got the chance to put conventional holiday aesthetics on its head, adding playfulness and boldness,” Westman says. “This is my interpretation of Christmas. It’s a new design for a new generation.”
The IKEA × Gustaf Westman collection does more than refresh holiday aesthetics. It reframes the festive table as a site where tradition, individuality, and sociability align. By challenging typical holiday design, the collaboration embraces the multiplicity of contemporary gatherings, where “family” may take many forms, and where celebration need not be tied to a single script. The festive table is about the orchestration of experience where plates, cups, and candleholders shape the feelings of togetherness, joy, and celebration that unfold around it.
Gustaf Westman
To learn more about the IKEA x Gustaf Westman collection launching October 1st (in stores) or October 3rd (online), visit ikea.com.
Photography courtesy of IKEA.
