IKEA to open new design centre in midlands

Swedish furniture retailer, IKEA is launching a new design service in Laois.

A new IKEA ‘Plan and Order Point’ is planned for Portlaoise.

Two of the offshoot interior design centres are currently open, on Dublin’s St Stephen’s Green and in Naas, Co Kildare.

They have proved so popular that IKEA now intends to open another this spring in Drogheda, Co Louth, with Portlaoise and Cork to follow. 

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Laois Chamber Alliance has welcomed the announcement.

"Great news for Portlaoise; a new IKEA ‘Plan and Order Point’ is planned for the town," they said.

The service will offer customers a chance to consult with IKEA’s experienced home interior designers. They will have a free, personalised, one-on-one consultation with a designer, who will help and guide them in planning their dream kitchen, living room or wardrobe. 

Customers can also order products from across the full IKEA range. All products are delivered to where the customer prefers, but no products are available to be taken home immediately.

Ireland was one of only eight countries worldwide to pilot this new service. Naas was the first town in the world to serve as a location, with all other pilots running in city centre locations. 

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Meanwhile the main Ballymun IKEA has proven to be the world's busiest IKEA by volume. It sells 5% more items than a store in Stockholm where the company was founded. 

Ballymun generated sales of €216.7m in the year to the end of August 2022, up 14pc on the previous period. It employs 730 people and this year is expected to welcome its 40 millionth visitor. 

Martyn Allan is Market Manager in Ireland.

“We are so proud that Ireland is part of this pilot, offering us the opportunity to move closer to our customers in towns and cities currently without IKEA stores. This new service allows us to bring our home furnishing expertise to the many, with bespoke design solutions that best reflect our customer’s unique style and design challenges. At the same time, we get the opportunity to listen to and learn from our customers to continue to develop our store formats.”

The new services house some of IKEA’s much-loved room sets, showcasing design solutions and furnishings. 

Appointments need to be made in advance via the online booking system.

Once the booking is confirmed, the customer will receive a message to alert them to anything they may need to bring with them to the appointment such as photographs, measurements, etc. What is needed will depend on the service chosen e.g. kitchen, living room or wardrobe.

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At the consultation, the customer and the designer will work together to design an interior plan perfect for the customer’s needs and lifestyle. This may take up to two consultations before a plan is finished. Each consultation is free of charge. The designers will use 3D design technology to give customers a real feel for what their design will look like. These 3D images will also be accessible to the customer up to five days after the consultation on the IKEA website.

Once the interior plans have been agreed, IKEA offers an assembly and installation service.