IKEA's New KOMPISHÄNG Collection Brings Flexible Living to Frequent Movers and Small Homes

Moving is always a strenuous task – from cramming your entire life into boxes and duffels to maneuvering clunky furniture into SUV trunks or through public transit systems. If you're lucky, it's not something you have to do often. But if you’re a college student or a young renter, moving can be a mammoth endeavor that you know all too well.

Although the act of moving house is inevitable for some, what if it didn't have to be so hard? What if the things you owned could be designed for frequent moves – without looking like it? These are the questions IKEA sought to answer with its KOMPISHÄNG collection – a range designed specifically for those who move often but don't want their homes to feel like temporary habitations.

Consisting of 11 multi-functional, easily transportable pieces, KOMPISHÄNG reshapes what we know about mobile furniture. These pieces aren't provisional, poorly-made picks. Instead, they're thoughtfully crafted with quality materials, blending high-functionality with attractive style and convenient design. KOMPISHÄNG is made to move with you, grow with you, and eventually, settle down with you – making your living space feel like a permanent home each step along the way.

KOMPISHÄNG was designed with real people in mind, not imaginary scenarios. According to the collection's Creative Leader, Ina Tidbeck Sjöblom, the team spent much time researching the needs of young movers prior to developing the collection.

'We met young people of different ages and living situations, and these meetings inspired us to create solutions that respond to their needs and frustrations,' Ina explains to me. 'What we saw repeatedly was a need for furniture that is easy to carry, durable enough to move from home to home, and able to help create a home that feels settled, not temporary.'

Thus, KOMPISHÄNG was born.

Contrary to what you might assume about move-friendly furniture, the pieces from KOMPISHÄNG aren't made with cheap, disposable materials. Instead, they're built from durable materials that can go the distance. One of which is wood.

'We wanted to create products that make your home feel personal and homely, so we worked with wood because it was appreciated by many of the young people we met during the home visits. They saw it as an honest material that brings warmth into a home,' Ina tells me. Other material choices included steel and canvas, both of which bring strength and aesthetic appeal to the collection, just as wood does.

As for the collection's look, you'll notice that it's much more pared back in color than other IKEA ranges – an intentional choice that taps into some of today's top color trends. According to Ina, the team began with a bright palette, assuming young people gravitate towards bold colors. 'But our design interns challenged us to tone down and make the collection less “in your face”, more subtle and easy to blend in with your stuff and easy to live with,' she continues. The deep greens, soft beiges, and hints of red tie into the collection's grounding and easily adaptable nature.

There's a unique juxtaposition between portability and permanence in this collection – two factors that don't usually coexist, but in this instance, they do.

'We stated very early that the products should feel like 'real' furniture, even if we added solutions that made them perfect for moving,' Ina explains. Like the desk or the side table – both of which collapse flat and have handles for easy transportation – these pieces are designed to simplify frequent moves without sacrificing the feeling of home that traditional furniture delivers.

From dorm room ideas for college students to young renters and those living transient lifestyles, the 11 pieces that make up IKEA's KOMPISHÄNG Collection are proof that even if your home address isn't permanent, your interiors can feel as such. And when it comes time to move again, your furniture can, and should, make the process as smooth as can be.

IKEA's KOMPISHÄNG Collection officially lands in stores on July 31st, and its online release is set for August 15th – just in time for college move-in or a September 1st lease start. But if you're eager to get a hold of some practical, easily-transportable pieces before then, shop my top picks from IKEA, below.

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