Affordable Living: The Cultural Vision Behind IKEA

Long before IKEA became the world’s top furniture brand—and one of the most unexpected restaurant chains—founder Ingvar Kamprad had a vision: make stylish, functional furniture affordable for everyone. In this episode, we explore how Kamprad’s unconventional thinking led to a revolution in home living. From his obsession with cost-cutting and efficiency to the now-iconic flat-pack design, IKEA turned shipping logistics into a competitive advantage and made DIY assembly part of the experience. We’ll also look at how IKEA stores became immersive destinations, blending inspiration, inventory, and Swedish meatballs into one unforgettable trip. This is the story of how clever design, relentless innovation, and scrappy problem-solving built a global empire—one hex key at a time.