This summer, a vibrant celebration of Swedish textile design arrives in Scotland as the IKEA Museum's Magical Patterns exhibition opens at Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh. Running from 18 July 2025 to 17 January 2026, the exhibition forms part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh Art Festival, and will be the first international touring show from the IKEA Museum in Älmhult, Sweden.
Featuring 180 iconic fabrics, Magical Patterns captures 60 years of design innovation at IKEA, showcasing the company's commitment to bold, expressive textiles and its support of experimental creators throughout the decades. With works from design pioneers such as Inez Svensson, Göta Trädgårdh, Sven Fristedt, and global icons including Zandra Rhodes and Marimekko, the exhibition offers a colourful window into the playful and provocative spirit that defines IKEA's visual identity.
'We're thrilled to share this exhibition with more people by bringing it to Edinburgh's esteemed Dovecot Studios. Magical Patterns is a joyful and nostalgic journey emphasising the strong IKEA identity, which the textiles department contributed to,' said Anna Sandberg Falk, Curator at IKEA Museum.
Visitors will discover vivid designs such as RANDIG BANAN by Svensson – a stripy banana pattern from 1985 that "was initially hidden away under a table at the stores' textile departments" before enjoying cult popularity after its 2013 reissue. Similarly, ANNIKEN by Ida Pettersson Preutz, with its bright green broccoli on neon pink stripes, epitomises the exuberance and cheeky creativity that permeates the exhibition.
The show also offers the first-ever UK exhibition of 10-gruppen, the revolutionary collective of ten Swedish designers who broke away from traditional floral textiles in 1971 to champion bold graphics and colour. Their legacy, along with the work of creatives like Nina Jobs, Cilla Ramnek, and Synnöve Mork, reinforces IKEA's impact on contemporary textile design.
Rooted in a rich history, the exhibition traces back to the 1960s, when IKEA first hired Danish textile artist Bitten Højmark and colour innovator Inger Nilsson, who championed the Natural Colour System. This marked the start of what textile fans now call IKEA's "golden age" – a period led by bold female designers and fearless innovation.
'We are delighted to showcase Magical Patterns, the IKEA Museum's first-ever touring exhibition at Dovecot,' said Celia Joicey, Director of Dovecot Studios. "This exhibition highlights the important role pattern and textile play in shaping the spaces we live in."
Location:
Dovecot Studios, 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LT
(10-minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley Station)
More information:
Dovecot Studios
www.dovecotstudios.com
Social Media: @DovecotStudios
IKEA
www.ikea.com