Huge news!  

GREAT
Please post some insights here that they dont want to print in the regular paper...have a fine time...

Well-known Sydney journalist
Which one?

Meet the designers?
do Ikea have designers?, like "Real" ones i mean.

ikea
my name Stephen Lacey, i write about architecture, design, art (specifically Aboriginal art, which i also collect)new products, gizmos gadgets etc.
I generally write for the Sun Herald and Sydney Morning Herald, plus occasionally for Vogue
Living, House and Garden, The Good Weekend, and The Bulletin. And I write travel for the Sunday Telegraph.
And I am an author. My last novel - Sandstone - about a working class family building their modest dream home in the 1950s, was shortlisted for last year's Commonwealth Writers Prize. But enough about me.
How cool will it be getting an all expenses trip to Sweden and Denmark! And whatever you think about Ikea, they have certainly made design affordable to the masses.
Can't wait to visit the Ikea Museum. I didn't think Ikea stuff lasted long enough to end up in a museum!
I'm particularly interested in the concept of affordable architect designed prefab housing (surely the dream of any modernist), so I'm hoping to see some Ikea houses in Sweden.

Most cool !
[as we said, fifty years ago.] Keep us posted.

Oooo!
Have a great time! I envy you getting to go to Stockholm!
In Copenhagen, be sure to visit Illums Boighus, a department store of good design. It's like a museum except you can sit on the chairs and lounge on the sofas pick up things and examine them. So fun.
And if you like gadgets, check out the Bodum store just up the street from Illums Bolighus. It's five stories high and not much wider than your armspan and full of every kitchen gadget you could ever want. Also very fun.
And eat some smørrebrød while you're there!

Dear Ikea, I must decline...
I guess any average non-dead white man would accept a free trip to most anywhere.
My first thought is why would they want you to come and see their facilities. Well, as you are a “well know Sydney journalist” and self-proclaimed architectural aficionado living in a fibro asbestos cement box, then I can see the connection. Ikea wants you to write some marvelous article on how you were so impressed with their facilities, operations and designers, that with your huge following in Australia, Ikea will be assured your readers will be flocking to their nearest showroom and purchase anyone of their pre-fabricated low cost, low quality designs pieces, and yes mostly inspired from mid 20th century design legends such as Eames. Maybe with your PR abilities you could negotiate more than just a free trip and receive some free Ikea pieces… surely they would go great in any fibro box home.
Oh, and why you’re there mingling with the Ikea designers, be sure to ask them who inspires them in their designs… surely know one from the past, as their designs are so ahead of their time that could only be proved by housing them in a museum for all mankind to look back in another 50 years and say WOW!!!
Best of luck in your journey to the future, and maybe someday you could write about the Australian companies that come to the states to steel designer’s knowledge and ideas for monetary gain.
Hmm… I think all write a book titled; Chinaustalia, The global effects of stolen design.

Come on Setag
While you make fun of my credentials, let's hear about what you do for a living you smartarse. Do you have a Masters Degree? Do you have blackbelt in a martial art? Do you get read each week by thousands of people? Have you ever written a novel? No...I didn't think so. Loser. And just keep on implying that I'm a hired gun for sale, and I'll sue your skinny arse off.

Dear Stephen
On Design Addict we are for the freedom of speech but against insults and personal attacks which are sterile and unpleasant for all the readers. Setag's intervention seems relevant and should be a challenge for you because I suppose that as a very good journalist you are, you must be curious about all the facets of IKEA phenomenon. Contrary to Setag, I think that you must accept this invitation - in an objective and complete approach, you should benefit from this opportunity to clarify the point raised by Setag. Anyone who knows the history of the design can only be questionned about the regular plagiarism of Scandinavian cultural heritage operated by IKEA through many objects which are very, very strongly inspired by some design classics. Perhaps you could also ask them about the working conditions of their subcontractor's workers in India and China. Oh yes, and don't forget to question them about the ecological criteria which prevail in their production.
I really envy you. It is a great subject for a great journalist.
Here is a link to an interesting study to help you prepare your trip.
http://www.madeindignity.be/Files/media/Force/Artisanat/IkeastudyDecembe...

Thank you Patrick. I don't mi...
Thank you Patrick. I don't mind taking part an in intelligent debate on the subject and I am excited about the prospect of asking the IKEA designers about the reputation they have for plagiarism. I will also be asking the CEO about IKEA's work practices in third world countries.
What I strongly object to is the particularly nasty way in which I was attacked by Mr Gates (assuming Setag is Gates backwards). He even made mention of the fact that I live in a fibro box house. This is a particularly snobbish remark, as fibro houses in Australia are associated with poor working class housing. Never mind that my fibro house is worth $900,000. Mr Gates is just taking the opportunity to have a dig at my home. And at my credentials. he is a very rude person.

I'm a little hesitant to post when the tread has gotten ugly but...
Stephen ignore these nay-sayers go and have a grerat time. Stockholm is a lovely city. Be sure to go to the Ostermalm section of town, that's where most of the design shops are. The flagship Svenskt Tenn shop is there. The oldest christian church in Sweden is also in central Stockholm and an interesting visit. I don't know where they are putting you up, but i really liked the Nordic Light hotel near the train station. You'll also be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food available in town. Take a side trip up to Uppsala as well there are some nice shops there and the town's market street in quaint and interesting. I spent a week there unable to get home after the 9/11 disaster. the Swedes were lovely and kind and I really enjoyed their company. There's lots of traditions in Swededn and it's fun to join the locals and get into their thing. They'll love you for it.
As for the IKEA hate thing...I'm sick of hearing about it. Copying has gotten trumped up into a big deal where it's really nowhere near the issue that design-ites make it out to be. Understanding the idea of public domain seems to be beyond many. IKEA makes attrtactive, functional products that most people can afford. How can that be so awful. Go have fun and be sure to try every version of Acqavit you can find!
http://www.nordiclighthotel.se/sv/?MainCatId=21&SubCatId=&LangId=2

Stephen, I'm Australian and...
Stephen, I'm Australian and read your articles quite often. You should value your reputation and perhaps think about what you type on here as carefully as what you submit to your editor.
Setag did make some uneccesarily brutal though nonetheless true comments. Ikea have recently opened the largest store in the Southern hemisphere near Brisbane... you've got a serious conflict between your love of design and the fact that you've been bought.
If the case was in the public interest you would find yourself on Mediawatch very very quickly, be careful to state that Ikea paid for the trip in the inevitable article.

negative people
Stephen there are so many negative A%%
H&&&s out in design land and the thing that bothers me is that they love to respond and put there 2 cents in when who needs them . I think some of these jerks just like to write as they have nothing better to
do and can"t enjoy the forum for what it is......a forum

negative people
Stephen there are so many negative A%%
H&&&s out in design land and the thing that bothers me is that they love to respond and put there 2 cents in when who needs them . I think some of these jerks just like to write as they have nothing better to
do and can"t enjoy the forum for what it is......a forum