An iconic dish, a custom plate. For the first time in its history, IKEA is celebrating one of its most beloved culinary staples, the Swedish meatball, with a unique design object: a porcelain plate created by designer Gustaf Westman.
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The result is equal parts cultural homage and aesthetic wink: a plate that literally turns IKEA’s famous meatballs into the stars of the show.
Unveiled ahead of a full 12-piece collection coming September 9, the turquoise elongated plate features a central groove, perfectly sized to hold a neat row of meatballs. Each one sits like it’s on a tiny throne, both playful and functional, while the design prevents them from rolling away.
For IKEA, which sells over a billion meatballs a year (including its plant-based, chicken, and salmon varieties), the initiative is about reimagining Swedish traditions with a modern, festive twist.
“We wanted to take something from everyday life, deeply rooted in Swedish culture, and reinvent it in a celebratory and design-forward way,” said Maria O’Brian, Creative Leader at IKEA Sweden.
Known for his pop, rounded, and playful creations, Gustaf Westman injects his signature sense of humor into the piece.
“I like designing objects with a very specific function. It’s a way to add humor while making them instantly understandable,” he explained.
For Westman, the plate also recalls memories of Swedish Christmas dinners, where meatballs are always center stage.
And while the plate was conceived for IKEA meatballs, it’s surprisingly versatile, equally suited to serving olives, candy, or cheese.
Beyond the humor, the collaboration captures the essence of IKEA: democratizing design while elevating life’s simplest rituals. By creating a plate dedicated to something as everyday as the meatball, IKEA and Westman prove that even the most modest objects can be rethought with care, creativity, and poetry.
The full collection will launch on September 9, promising to turn tables everywhere into minimalist celebrations, in true Swedish style.
