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City apartment design: Making memories together in a shared living space

Life gets busy, deadlines pile up and before you know it, another week has flown by. For these three, it didn’t take much discussion to decide that their living room needed to be the antithesis of life beyond their shared apartment. This is a space for connection: home to inspiring imagery, inviting textiles and – most importantly – endless restorative giggle sessions.

Two cushions with floral patterned NÄSSELKLOCKA and LEIKNY cushion covers and two with SANELA cushion covers.
Two grey BACKSÄLEN sofas facing one another, with a STOCKHOLM nesting table to the side and a bay window behind.

Multipurpose furniture to move with the mood

Their living room wears many hats. This afternoon, the scene of a sophisticated high tea. Last night? A spontaneous, lively dance party. Flexible, multipurpose furniture like trolleys and smaller tables play a big role in making it so easy to move from one activity to another.

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Two laughing women sitting next to a black NISSAFORS trolley filled with confections, glasses, teapots and teacups.
Two TJOG storage boxes with lids on top of one another, with an alarm clock and an analogue camera on a shelf.
A dark red MARYD tray table with books next to a bed with a floral bedspread with a matching floral curtain to the right.
A small, green vase of purple flowers atop a LISTERBY coffee table with a brown stained oak veneer on a rug.
A cup and a small bowl on two STOCKHOLM nesting tables next to a grey BACKSÄLEN sofa.
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An installation of us

When they combined their homes, their possessions revealed more similarities than differences. Firm believers that more is more, they’ve displayed their shared love of literature, nature and car boot market treasures in the living room. More precious, delicate pieces live in glass cabinets, protected from dust and unruly elbows.

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A dark blue-green LOMMARP cabinet with glass doors flanked by two LOMMARP bookshelves, all filled with books and ornaments.
Two FABRIKÖR glass-door cabinets filled with glassware, one with two vases of fresh flowers on top, the other with a lamp.
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A clear glass BEGÄRLIG vase filled with fresh flowers on a desk, with brightly colored framed prints on the wall behind.

Living together beautifully

Combining households? IKEA interior designer Hans Blomquist has some tips to share when it comes to making an attractive, cohesive shared space by mixing, matching and finding common ground.

Read more about sharing with housemates

An art gallery where you least expect it

While sparse, minimalist walls have their place, this home is certainly not it. Prints and paintings tell a story across this home, making use of all spaces - even more unconventional spots like under the window and above doorways. The result is an explosion of color, meaning and life. Just wonderful.

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Art framed in black FISKBO frames and SILVERHÖJDEN frames in silver and gold above and next to an open door.
A naturally-lit windowsill with potted plants above and framed art on the wall below.
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