Ikea Catalogue: Furniture as Models

In these days of the new IKEA catalog is delivered. Where and how it was produced? A look behind Swedish curtains.

It's the same every year. And it is almost as exciting as in the theater. First, the IKEA-directorship a master plan. Then think of the directors of the subject areas living room, kitchen and bedroom own productions. Then the stage hands to build the scenes for catalog shoot. Then light the photographers from all. In the end, be dismantled.

Hollywood in Sweden this year 300 people were also ready to year-round in the photo studio of furniture firm IKEA in the south of Sweden in action to the 388 pages thick furniture catalog. While the new is now delivered, they are already working on 2012er catalog.

The two COURIER reporters were allowed exclusive look behind the scenes: that hides the dream factory of the world group calculated in a backwater called Älmhult a good hour by train behind Malmö has charm: All around forests, ice, snow, winter fog by the end never. In the meantime, a heated studio Kreativtrupp the morning mood magic in the kitchen of a potential middle-class California family.

Another striking feature is the creative chaos: There are around shopping carts, are photographic equipment in addition to drills, unpacked Billy-shelf parts in addition to their descriptions, photographs pinned next to production plans. In drawing up the 60th Catalog has a much logic.

Theater, yes - Art in the traditional sense, no. IKEA's creative professionals are team players, not soloists. Have a clear goal to sell sell sell.

In the picture: If the catalog is made, it Älmhult in bitter cold. And it must come across the kitchen, in which Jessica now handled, so, as if they had been photographed in sunny Florida. It is found that is again only in the U.S. catalog.