See 70 Years of IKEA Living Rooms in 90 Seconds

Written by

Arielle Tschinkel
Arielle Tschinkel
Arielle Tschinkel is a freelance pop culture and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared on Shape.com, WomansWorld.com, FirstforWomen.com, Insider, HelloGiggles, and more. She loves all things Disney and is making her way to every park around the world, and is a die-hard…read more
published Oct 7, 2021
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1970s-style living room with orange tufted sofa

For 70 years until its final release in 2021, the IKEA Catalog has been considered a sacred text for decor and design lovers the world over. As a way to commemorate the many ways IKEA has influenced living rooms for seven decades and beyond, HouseholdQuotes scoured 19,000 pages of IKEA catalog archives to highlight the 70-year evolution of the IKEA living room, curating a 90-second clip of living room trends from the 1950s to present day.

The U.K.-based home resource brand created digital renderings to show what some of the most famous pieces from the Swedish furniture retailer’s history would look like in your living room. The project not only gives historical background about IKEA’s legacy during each decade from its roots in the late 1950s to 2020 and beyond, but also shows how prices, trends, and designs have changed over the years.

Naturally, prices have fluctuated over time, but an IKEA living room is actually more affordable now than it’s ever been, averaging out at just $1,112.95, compared to an all-time high of $2,806.45 last decade. It’s clear that even though trends come and go, IKEA has always had a knack for marrying budget-friendly designs with timeless staples that fit into any space.

To see more of the living rooms from each decade and enjoy 70 years worth of inspiration from IKEA’s top-selling items, take a peek at the video above. Although the famed catalog might not live on in its tried and true form into the future, there’s no denying that its legacy will live on, and that the brand will forever have a special place in the hearts of shoppers around the globe.