The furniture giant IKEA has just launched this month the OBEGRÄNSAD collection, created in collaboration with the electronic music supergroup Swedish House Mafia, the mega band formed by Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso. Of course, IKEA is one of the best brands when it comes to collaborations, which is very interesting coming from a brand founded in 1943 and that has managed to survive ages. We have already seen their collaborative projects with global brands such as LEGO or Adidas, or with designers such as Virgil Abloh, so the collection with Swedish House Mafia, rest assured, will be a gread success.
OBEGRÄNSAD translates from Swedish as “unlimited” and, while it may seem like an unsurprising idea, it started from one particular place, which is the creativity of music producers and artists to adapt the non-expensive IKEA furniture to their needs in home recording studios. “Since we were kids, we have valued IKEA’s approach of making things affordable and available for a lot of people. We used to find a creative way to make IKEA furniture to accommodate our teenage lives as creatives, so the collaboration’s purpose was formed around our own personal journey in life,” the band said.
Have a seat and create your next number one
The collection has several elements, but one of my favorites was the turntable: it is designed for music enthusiasts by real experts. Its sober, minimalistic and stable design offers a calm to the eye that is rarely seen on electronic devices. The high point is its diamond needle with a conical tip, which does not damage the vinyls. In addition, it has RCA and USB connection to connect it to audio interfaces or computers. It can be completed with the ENEBY speaker, but it is not included.
Your turntable can be placed on top of the beautiful OBEGRÄNSAD shelf, which has eight compartments for long-playing vinyls, and is based on the famous KALLAX series. But, here’s a little something: some users have commented that the matte black color is easy to scratch, so you have to be careful on that.
The chair in this IKEA line is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen: it reminds me of those historic Bauhaus, like the Cantilever chair or the Marcel Breuer folding chair. It is a light armchair in black color, with simple lines and made with a very resistant fabric. Not only by sitting on it, but also just by looking at it will make you feel rested.
The desktop will be the best non-expensive addition to your home recording studio because, if you have a studio, you know specialized furniture may be really pricey. For only $109 you will have a sturdy table with an extendable lower shelf to place keyboard and mouse. On the top, two movable shelves (which you can also buy separately for less than $10) are designed to place your studio speakers, so you will have the speakers at the right height.
Recording, mixing or listening to music at home requires, in addition to all the electronic gear, one of the most important artifacts: a pair of slippers. That’s why IKEA and Swedish House Mafia included some in their collection, as well as a beautiful round rug (which comes in two different sizes) and a pillow cover. Everything for those wine and vinyl evenings with friends, or for your next Billboard number one to be produced in a comfortable place.
The IKEA OBEGRÄNSAD collection is completed with other functional elements of beautiful design such as an LED desk lamp, a vinyl bag, laptop and tablet stands, additional shelves and tote bags.