IKEA has created KOMPISHÄNG, a collection of furniture and accessories for young adults who frequently move home. Entering adulthood brings new relationships, changing circumstances and the chance to make a space of one’s own, but a limited budget can make starting again with every move difficult. The collection’s multifunctional pieces are designed to be carried from one home to the next.
Research in young Londoners’ homes
The collection grew out of conversations with people aged 20–28 living in central London. Designers visited their homes to understand what they needed from small spaces and frequent changes of address. These experiences informed durable, affordable products intended to help people feel at home wherever they live.
‘Even if you move frequently, you don’t want your home to feel temporary. We wanted the products in this collection to be easy to move without looking like a stopgap,’ says product developer Dora Ding.
A mattress carried on the back
Packing a life into a few boxes is rarely easy. KOMPISHÄNG focuses on the things people take with them: objects that provide everyday comfort and a sense of home. Each piece is designed to be easy to move, adapt to a new space and use for years to come.
A mattress with adjustable straps can be carried on the back, leaving both hands free for other belongings. After the move, it serves as a comfortable guest bed, then folds into its cover to become an extra seat. A hanging storage unit offers similar flexibility. It organises clothes and quickly converts into a backpack when it is time to move, keeping garments in order and ready to wear on arrival. A roomy wheeled bag can be used for shopping, travelling or everyday journeys, with a fold-down upper section that adjusts its capacity.
Furniture for rooms with several uses
Small homes call for resourceful furniture. In a first flat, one room may serve as a place to work or study in the morning, eat in the afternoon and relax in the evening. A desk that requires no assembly is ready for work, study or time with friends. Its wooden top and green metal frame give it a timeless appearance, while a handle beneath the top makes it easy to carry.
Stools provide comfortable everyday seating and combine to create storage. A folding table can be flattened almost completely, making it easier to store and move. ‘This table isn’t just a temporary solution. It was designed to stay with us through different stages of life, working equally well in a first flat, a family home or even wherever we move in old age,’ says IKEA designer David Wahl.
Making room for personal belongings
Practicality matters, but small personal things often shape the atmosphere of a home. Photographs of loved ones, postcards from distant journeys and favourite books help an unfamiliar flat feel like one’s own. Mirrors with slots for personal mementoes allow these objects to be displayed without drilling into walls, which is particularly useful in rented homes.
A red metal bookend with a handle keeps books together and makes them easy to carry between rooms. A triangular back cushion turns a bed into a cosy sofa for reading. Its handle allows it to be moved wherever someone wants to settle down.
Designed with a younger generation
IKEA also invited Lukas Albrektsson and Constance Thiessoz, participants in its paid internship programme for design graduates, to help develop KOMPISHÄNG. At the start of their own careers, they contributed the perspective of people furnishing their first homes. Working alongside the design team, they helped create the products and gave the collection a restrained, timeless character suited to almost any interior.
‘It was wonderful to be involved in this project from the very beginning. We could influence its direction by interpreting the needs of the target audience, which was essentially us,’ recalls Albrektsson.
‘We knew the difficulties faced by the people we were designing for. It’s easy to forget that perspective once you can afford to buy a house or flat,’ adds Thiessoz.
KOMPISHÄNG is intended for people whose lives keep changing. Its pieces make everyday tasks easier and work in small spaces, allowing a sense of home to travel with their owners even when their address changes every few months.
First homes and frequent moves call for durable furniture that is easy to carry and suited to small spaces. A specialist can help plan a similar home. Find architects, interior designers and interior photographers in the PLNDesign directory.
See also:
- IKEA adds hot-dog ornaments and geometric patterns to Christmas 2026
- IKEA takes inspiration from Himalayan wildlife for ALPTALL
