Go Glam-Goth With Bea Kerlund's New Collection For IKEA

The beloved Scandinavian home-goods store is kicking it up a notch with a new alternative collection.

Fashion stylist Bea Åkerlund collaborated with IKEA for a new collection that’s straight out of Hollywood. It’s a little glam, a little goth, and definitely a step outside the norm for the brand.

Featuring bold black-and-white stripes, and lusty reds, the OMEDELBAR collection includes edgy metallic racks to display your clothes, sultry-eyed pillow covers, lip-shaped cushions, top-hat glass vases reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, and more. The collection even includes IKEA’s first ever mass-produced 3D-printed object: a mesh-inspired hand to display jewelry.

Bea has worked as a fashion stylist for some of the world’s greatest divas, including Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and even Madonna. And although OMEDELBAR is charged with glitz and glamour, the designer says the collection is really “for the people.”

“I wanted it to be fun, relatable and accessible to everyone,” she says of OMEDELBAR. Her mantra, “B. WHO YOU ARE” is about embracing individuality and fearlessness, and the collection follows suit. “It’s about individuality and creativity – two important cornerstones of OMEDELBAR,” says Bea.

Bea was brought on to collaborate with IKEA when the creative leader for the collection heard her speak on the Swedish radio. Although she was known for her background in fashion, Bea said: “Style is style, so if you’re interested in fashion, chances are you’ll be interested in interior design.” To her, the two creative fields were interlinked and complementary.

After bringing her on board, apparently IKEA’s creative team loved working with her, too. “Working with Bea was great fun! She has such a different perspective, a true artist in every sense. Always full of ideas and creative energy,” says Karin Gustavsson, creative leader for the collection.

Even though the pieces are a bit out of the norm for what you’d expect to find at IKEA, one thing remains the same: the price point. Staying true to IKEA’s egalitarian mission, the collection is actually accessible for most. And, creatively speaking, Bea said the limited-edition collection still reflects her aesthetics.

“Looking at OMEDELBAR I feel like we’ve really accomplished that, as it contains items that I love and have been looking for myself. I’ve always had a clear vision of what this collection should be, from start to finish. And with it, I hope to inspire people to think outside the box, get them to take a risk and have fun… simply put—get people to live a little!” she says.

The OMEDELBAR collection will be available in IKEA U.S. stores (in-store only) starting February 2018.

About the author

Amber C. Snider

Home & Design Editor

Amber was born in Washington, D.C. and relocated to NYC in 2007. She received an M.A. degree in Liberal Studies: Women's Studies, Gender, and Sexuality from CUNY's Graduate Center and University, and an honors B.A. in English from The City College of New York. Before coming to Culture Trip, she was the executive editor for Metropolitan Magazine, a boutique luxury lifestyle and arts publication, as well as the editor for ResidencyNY Magazine. In 2015, she also started her own company, ACS Media Services, and has over 8+ years experience as a writer/editor in the NYC area. As one of the original employees in Culture Trip’s New York City office, Amber focuses on three verticals: Design, Architecture, and Home and Interiors, exploring how creativity and design influences our contemporary social landscape. She lives in Brooklyn with her typewriter.