How interested are U.S. consumers in modern-design home furnishings?
I perceive the U.S. market as still quite traditional when it comes to taste. It’s increasingly opening up to modern design, yet I don’t think modern design will take over traditional anytime soon. I know of only two countries in Europe where overall design preferences are more modern than traditional: Holland and Denmark. At Ikea, 70% of our merchandise is modern, and [the rest] is in a traditional style. It’s important to continue that mix, because modernism isn’t taking over. Q: Why is modern-design furniture rising in popularity? A: People have less time. If your living room has a lot of traditional handicrafts and brass ornaments and decorations, if you have heavy velvet curtains, you can spend a lot of time cleaning them. People are interested in living a little lighter. Also, the number of television shows and makeover programs are doing a lot to stimulate the home-furnishings industry in general, making more people look at what their homes look like. Then, they all want their o
