IKEA reimagines the store as an immersive interiors experience with Smakfest
On 9 December, IKEA's Kungens Kurva store in Stockholm became a live demonstration of how retail interiors, spatial design and storytelling are increasingly shaping the future of home furnishings. For one night only, the store was transformed into Smakfest, a large-scale immersive installation centred on cooking, eating and the social rituals of the home.
© IKEA
For the first time in its 80-year history, IKEA reconfigured an entire store as a curated experience, blurring the lines between showroom, cultural venue and experiential interior. More than 1,000 IKEA Family members explored over 30 sensory installations, each designed to showcase how furniture, room sets and shared spaces can be activated beyond traditional retail formats.
Retail interiors as a stage for experience
Rather than static displays, Smakfest used furniture, room sets and architectural interventions as part of the performance. Familiar IKEA products were recontextualised through lighting, sound and choreography, from dining environments designed for eating in the dark to playful reinterpretations of classic room sets.
A standout installation was the giant Frakta bar, built in the form of IKEA's iconic blue bag, demonstrating how everyday design elements can be scaled and reimagined to create memorable spatial moments. Live music, choirs and performances were woven directly into the store layout, reinforcing the idea of the IKEA store as a flexible, multi-use interior.
Celebrating the social heart of the home
An entire floor was dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the IKEA meatball, but the focus went beyond food. Dining furniture, kitchen layouts and communal seating zones were presented as platforms for togetherness, reflecting IKEA's long-standing belief that eating spaces are central to life at home.
The installations highlighted how kitchens and dining areas are evolving into multifunctional hubs, places for hosting, working, socialising and relaxing – a theme increasingly relevant to urban living and smaller homes.
© IKEA
A signal for the future of furniture retail
Smakfest offered a clear insight into IKEA's broader strategy: using experience-led retail and immersive interiors to deepen emotional connections with customers. By transforming a familiar store into an artistic environment, IKEA demonstrated how furniture and interiors can be communicated through atmosphere, interaction and narrative, not just product.
For the interiors and KBB sector, the event underscores a growing trend: showrooms as destinations, where design, culture and lifestyle merge. Smakfest may have been temporary, but it signals a lasting shift in how global furniture brands engage consumers through space.
© IKEA
More information:
IKEA
www.ikea.com
