These are the 12 Ikea products the company's design chief personally owns

At a glance:

• Johan Ejdemo, Ikea’s design chief, showcases 12 items he keeps in his home, ranging from kitchenware to vintage PS pieces.
• The list includes both current‑stock items like the Koncis roasting pan and discontinued pieces such as the 1995 PS clock.
• Prices span $5‑$500, and several items have become collector’s pieces worth thousands on the secondary market.

What Ejdemo owns

Johan Ejdemo sat down with WIRED at Ikea’s headquarters in Älmhult to walk through the dozen objects that have earned a permanent spot in his house. He began his career at 15 as a cabinetmaker and now leads a 20‑person in‑house design team plus a network of freelancers that produce 1,500‑2,000 new products each year. His personal collection reflects the same “playful functionality” ethos that underpins the brand’s PS 2026 collection, which launched last month with 44 items priced between $5 and $500.

The 12 pieces, item by item

• Silversida recycled ceramic tableware – blue‑dotted bowls and plates designed by in‑house designer Henrik Preutz; each piece is hand‑painted, and Ejdemo deliberately chose a bowl with a missed spot for its unique imperfection.
• Koncis roasting pans – metal trays the design chief uses for everyday cooking; he prefers them over professional‑grade pans despite his daughter’s culinary expertise.
• Customized Faktum (now Metod) kitchen system – a kitchen he installed 20 years ago, later modified with a self‑built island, sanded and hand‑painted doors, and an added frame of open compartments.
• Norbo folding table – a discontinued but beloved small table that fits neatly at the end of his kitchen island for holiday gatherings.
• Bekväm step stool – the original oversized version, now slightly shrunken and covered in paint spots, still used for reaching high shelves.
• PS 1999 white metal cabinet – his “absolute favorite” Ikea piece; dozens are scattered around his home, some over 20 years old, still serving as storage in the dining area, hallway, and home office.
• PS 1995 clock – an original vintage clock bought at a street sale; the MDF‑lacquered front differs from today’s pressed‑metal version and sports the historic PS red hue.
• PS Svarva floor lamp – a wooden‑turned, twistable lamp from the 2009 PS collection, created in collaboration with the Front design group and manufactured in Hungary.
• PS Sinka cabinet – a drawer unit with a dovetail‑style wooden base; its compact stacking design includes a hidden compartment for miscellaneous items.
• PS Jonsberg vase set – four ceramic vases by Hella Jongerius, each using a different technique; the terracotta piece broke, but the remaining three are repurposed for everyday use.
• Pax wardrobes – several wardrobe units that Ejdemo has sanded and hand‑painted to match his home’s aesthetic, occasionally refreshed with new paint.
• Spraka pepper mills – tall metal mills for white and black pepper, originally part of a PS collection designed with Marcus Arvonen; they show chips from two decades of use.

Why the personal collection matters

Ejdemo’s choices illustrate how Ikea’s design language transcends the showroom. Items like the Silversida tableware demonstrate the brand’s commitment to circularity, turning what would be landfill waste into functional home goods. Meanwhile, vintage PS pieces such as the 1995 clock and 1999 cabinet highlight Ikea’s growing secondary‑market value, with full sets now fetching up to $1,700.

A glimpse into Ikea’s design philosophy

The design chief’s anecdotes reinforce Ikea’s focus on durability and adaptability. He notes that even a single loose hinge on his Faktum kitchen has been easy to fix, underscoring the company’s emphasis on repairability. The story of the Svarva lamp’s serendipitous production—metal tubes from a lamp factory paired with wooden beads from a neighboring plant—captures Ikea’s collaborative, “make‑it‑possible” mindset.

What readers can take away

For consumers, Ejdemo’s list serves as a curated guide to pieces that have stood the test of time, both functionally and aesthetically. For designers, it’s a reminder that imperfections—like a missed paint spot on a bowl—can become a celebrated feature rather than a flaw. And for investors, the enduring popularity of vintage Ikea items signals a brand whose products retain cultural relevance and resale value long after their initial launch.