3 picks from IKEA's new PS 2026 collection

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 1 of 13, SS26 * Subscribe free *

Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2026 season of guy with an eye! Over the next thirteen weeks, we'll continue our micro-decorating journey together. Get ready for new and surprising insights about how to make yourself at home in the smallest of spaces.

Let's kick off our launch with a global debut that happened just last week. I was fortunate to get on the invitation list for a special preview of IKEA's new PS collection, one day before it became available to the world. I'd seen plenty of images of three pieces that launched at the recent Milan Furniture Fair – an inflatable chair, a twistable floor lamp, and a rocking bench – and the spirited mood of these items had me hungry for more.

The reception area for the event at IKEA Etobicoke had banners cueing us to the breadth of the collection:

There were lunch bites constructed so artfully it seemed assured that brilliant furniture would follow:

Sure enough, when the black curtain was drawn aside and we entered the private display area, the first piece that wowed me had a food reference, a tiered trolley inspired by a wedding cake:

As a restless arranger of objects, I get excited by fresh horizontal surfaces for things, so the fact that this has four makes it a winner. It's on castors, so the piece itself is primed for quick repositioning. The periwinkle blue extends across every element, making the cart reminiscent of a fountain with water cascading from level to level.

A clock in vibrant red also had me pausing in admiration:

We learned that the perky shape is a periscope reference, though in my mind I keep picturing this as a snazzy cousin of the Loch Ness Monster. Even though the piece announces itself boldly, the clock mechanism is silent, so there's a pleasing balance between impertinence and discretion.

A height-adjustable stool also captivated me. The sawtooth joinery and inviting handle made me think of jacking up a car to change a tire:

After looking more closely at the blue device holding the whole thing together, I saw a duck with a wooden beak and glistening bolt for an eye:

There are more than thirty other items in the collection, but these are the ones that struck me first. Like listening to a new album, there are tracks that appeal instantly... and there will probably be others that become catchy with time.

Pop quiz: Can you guess which of these three items I bought? I haven't unboxed it yet, but once I do, I'll show you how I've styled it in my apartment.

Thanks to the crew at IKEA Etobicoke for hosting such a convivial and inspiring event!

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