The fourth STOCKHOLM collection from 2006 included the striped wool rug that would go on to become a big seller at IKEA. Designer Anna Sörensson had qualified as an art teacher at the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, but soon after graduating she devoted herself entirely to textile creation. In her studio in Stockholm, she printed her own cotton and linen fabrics. They became so popular that she started working with Ljungbergs textile printers to produce them in greater batches, several of which became much-loved classics.
In the 2006 STOCKHOLM collection, Anna Sörensson was responsible for the textile range alongside designer Maria Åström. Anna was behind the new textile rugs in the collection, and the most popular of these was STOCKHOLM. Anna liked to work from basic shapes like circles, squares and stripes. The rugs were made in 100% wool, and their seemingly simple, black and white pattern has been described as “both ingenious and innovative, yet still classic”. The flat weave makes the rug a popular choice for dining and living rooms.
The rug with its black and white pattern with asymmetric lines can still be found at IKEA in 2021, and is hand-woven in wool by skilled craftspeople. This makes each rug unique.
STOCKHOLM first appeared in the IKEA catalogue in 2008. That same year, Anna Sörensson passed away at the tender age of 55. By then she was one of Sweden’s leading textile designers.
